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

[LynneP]

Do you have a way to confine your flock for a while? Once a fox starts, and they are very active in spring on behalf of kits, they simply don't give up. They kill, bury the corpse to ripe and kill again. They try to build up several weeks' worrh of food at a time. We have at least one den on our property so we'll never be able to free-range. I've had foxes hunt the ferals to the point of coming right up to me without noticing I was there. I'm very sorry- this is a huge problem.

 

[Littlecimarron18]

i finished my run today. I think it may be a bit small, but i have no more space. = / dumb fox. Do they have kits right now? and if so since i burned out the den do u think i killed them?

 

[ivan3]

Littlecimmaron18, way to go, better a small run, than no need for a run at all

Here in Cent.MO. the foxes were breeding back in mid-Feb. (`screamy' yips and yaps during the nights for about a wk.) I'd guess about another two wks, or so before the vixens start throwing litters, and about a month-and-a-half before before they start going blood simple at the sight of a chook.

Burning out dens, without close observation (too time consuming a process) is a `loss-leader' (most effective weapon at a den is a couple of dogs - some folks keep dogs so they won't have to witness the deed themselves). There was a group of flock keepers (sheep) in this area of the county that were very active buring out dens until 1999 and, IMHO, they spent way too much time at it. They were criticized by a group that shalll remain nameless; so they `quit' being so obviously systematic . This, along with continued development, to the south, has resulted in an explosion in the fox population....

I would guess if you didn't kill it (them), you made them move elsewhere. If you continue to free range keep a shotgun/rifle handy (foxes are brazen); another hen wounded probably indicates the freeloader merely `redeployed'.

Padded jaw `leg' hold traps are allowed for Red Fox in Colorado (Call your DNR for exact `nuisance' trapping specs). That, and enough lead to pith them is probably the most humane method of retiring this chicken eating vermin. Far more effective and quick than letting the motorists on I-70/25 do the work in their inexact fashion.

You take care, I'm sure your survivors appreciate your efforts.

 

[Moonwalker]

I have never seen a rooster wearing a scrunchie before!!!!

Fox dens usually have 2 entrance/exits, so if you don't block both you won' kill them, just chase them out the other end. (you may have killed a lit or 2 with the smoke if they couldn't get them out in time) They won't stay in that den, but if they have kits, they won't go far.
I wish I still had Jake, a BlueTick Hound I just rehomed. He was good around the chickens, (my boss saw him chase one out of the dog food dish and said he was trying to eat them and said he had to go) but he would go after any fox, coon or opossum he saw or smelled!
If you get a hunting type dog that's been raised around chickens, they won't chase them.