Fox issue

[Rick Chi]

What time of day was this? Fox definitely make several different eery calls, but I have only heard them at dusk & in the middle of the night. They make my skin crawl. Search the web for vixen calls & others. They are really creepy. One of the calls sounds like the scream of a rabbit getting killed. They should not announce a call but they do vocalize.

 

[Rick Chi]

This was right after full dark , possible it began late dusk . My mother noticed the noise and thought it resembled a hurt child . I heard it as well of course and it was an screeching high pitch sound 3 to 5 seconds long

 

[itsasmallfarm]

not sure of the laws where you live, but where i live fox are a fur bearing animal (unless it attacks your live stock then its open season on said animal) but as others have suggested using snares, going to say one thing make sure there legal there (where i live you need permits to snare animals)

but i would recommend trapping it (if legal) i am going to be trapping the coyotes around where i live, and am going to be using a duke number 3 two coil spring foot hold, (long name but was the cheapest legal foot hold in my province i could use) for foxes i have no idea, my trapping book recommends a 1.5 coil spring.

 

[Red Banks]

A fox will make a very unusual sound like a prehistoric giant bird. They are also very good at killing chickens.

 

[CorvusFarm]

The best analogy I ever heard on killing of predators: it is like taking a bucket of water put of a lake and expecting the hole to stay there.

I understand the fear response of wanting to kill the coyote/fox. Another will take it's place. Furthermore, you are removing a predator that keeps the rat population down, as well as other vermin.

I have a huge pack of coyote on the property (mine and the adjacent apple orchard), as well as numerous hawks and multiple owl boxes with mated pairs. Rather than removing the predators, protect the flock. Knowing the predators and learning their habits makes it easy to take appropriate steps to keep the hens safe.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I agree that without predators we would be hip deep in rodents and rabbits, at least. However, sometimes a persistent critter should be eliminated from the vicinity, as when a very mangy fox was shot near here, after he killed many chickens during the day, being too ill to hunt during the cold spring nights.
I too like the coyotes singing at night, and watch foxes by day. Sometimes.
But my flock is important, very important, and keeping it safe is a priority.
There's a middle ground here somewhere. Mary

 

[CorvusFarm]

[QUOTE="Folly's place, post: 19234219 ...sometimes a persistent critter should be eliminated from the vicinity, as when a very many fox was shot near here, after he killed many chickens during the day, being too ill...
There's a middle ground here somewhere. Mary[/QUOTE]

Excellent point. There aren't absolutes here, and a sick or injured animal like you pointed out is different. Even nuisance animals that have learned where the easy meal is might need to be eliminated.

But too often, I see people not properly protect a flock (not that it is the case in this thread) and blame a predator for that poor planning. My flock and my rabbit herd are both pillars of my livelihood on a small farm. It took me some time to recognize the predators also as part of it. I've made a lot of mistakes and lost hens in the process. I certainly learned the hard way.