FOX!!!! it killed bubbles. (rant)

[Littlecimarron18]

= ( i had a fox kill my favorite roo today.he was a polish named bubbles. im so sad. it also killed my favorite barred rock. Lucy. I am so mad. i only know it was a fox because while i was sitting in the hen house observing so of the younger chickens behavior i heard alot of squaking. so i went outside and when i got there i saw this red dog chasing my hens. it was running through a large group of them. I took off running as fast as i have ever ran. my girls were heading for cover behind me and the "dog" didnt see me untill i was only about 15 feet from it. Then i realized it wasnt my neighbors dog but a fox. so i figured since i was gonna stomp the dog anyway id keep after it. i didnt get it but i followed it to its den. so i went and got some straw and a shotgun and filled one of the holes with straw and tried to smoke it out. That didnt work so im gonna run and grab a live trap tomorrow. ugh. i am so mad/sad. it got a few others but ugh. my favorites

\\

lucy

 

[Beekissed]

Sorry about your fox episode! Sounds like you need a good dog. Absolutely adored the second pic...you should enter that one in the pic contest! You have some good-looking hens there. My son is trying to get into Colorado State University this fall, lucky you to live in that beautiful state! Good luck with the fox hunt...are you going to bait the trap with the chickens he killed? Or sardines?

 

[ivan3]

Sorry about your losses (they were beautiful).

Good luck with the live trap, but don't get your hopes up. Leg hold traps, or patience and a shotgun/rifle are the most effective. You could go back to the den and sweep the snow around it flat (see if your attempt to burn it out didn't keep it from leaving - fresh foot prints). Around here free ranging without having a rifle handy and a sharp lookout isn't recommended for flock survival. This is why I keep two sets out and baited at all times, along with snares along the fence runs. I've had three havaharts in constant use for ten years (going on eleven) now and have only taken two foxes (one kit and one straggly adult female) in them. On the other hand between our neighbor and myself we retired 18 last year using legholds and lead.

Keep your survivors safe and get that vermin,

best of luck and, again, sorry about your poor fellas,

John

 

[d.k]

Omg! How'd it get in the coop?!?!?

 

[Littlecimarron18]

sorry for the delay. (i was in california) my hens were free ranging. they wandered too far and the fox decided to attack mid day.

 

[jjthink]

I am so sorry for the loss of your Bubbles and Lucy and more, from the sounds of it. Do you have a run you can keep everybody else in for a little while since the fox will likely come back for an encore?

Leg holds are mentioned in this thread - not by you - they are illegal in some places because of their cruelty - and Murphy's Law being what it is, an unintended victim may well end up in the trap. A friend's much loved cat suffered terribly when caught in one - it had to chew its own leg off to get free and suffered for days before she found it - so I hope you can find another way.

I'm really sorry this sad thing happened - my roo was once caught by a fox - he got between the fox and his hen friend in order to protect her, sweet boy that he is. Only through the luck of a neighbor witnessing and startling the fox did my roo live (after a lot of nursing care).

JJ

 

[Ilikechickens!]

Did u get that sceeming fox!?

 

[chickflick]

That's horrible!! so sorry.... I hope you catch that fox before he gets any more..

 

[Littlecimarron18]

i havent seen the fox again but 2 days ago another hen came back with a wicked cut on her bum. GRRRR. i m keeping my gun in the coop from now on, and i am building a run today. poor girls will be sad to be locked up.

 

[countryboy]

Sorry little, hope you get the little red fox and make a jacket out of it or a hen saddle. Be careful, wont do your birds any good if your laid up.