Fox Predator Behavior Expert Thoughts?

[jennyf]

Yikes, I just looked out my window and saw a fox trotting through our neighbors yard behind my house (and about 40 feet from the hens). Have a very secure small run and coop, but during the day I open a door to let them into a large run that's hardware cloth sunk and wrapped up sides over chain link, but just covered with chicken wire (had been concerned about hawks, not daytime foxes)! We are in suburban St. Louis in a subdivision of quarter acre lots, but there's a park about 100 feet away with cover. He was trotting towards the park. Do I need to do something different with the covering of run or would it seriously jump up there and gnaw away at the chicken wire in the middle of the day with houses, people in earshot, barking dogs all around? Chickens are ALWAYS locked in coop at night and door to secure small run shut, so two layers of protection then. Electrified fence not permitted. Attached a picture. Fox was under deck of the house behind you can see in photo. Girls are locked in now for sure!

 

[Zoomie]

I think you're OK. That looks like a pretty good set-up. Although I've had raccoons rip chicken wire, I've never had a fox do it. Now, a fox can be very agile, and they can climb - so, he might climb on top of your run there, but he most likely would not do that during the day. They will come out in the day as you now know, but are a little more cautious in the day, at least in my experience.

We have a fox here nearly every single night. My hens are locked up in their coop, inside a run, inside the closed up barn, at night. Three layers of protection. I don't believe even a bear could get in my barn. So that way we can just enjoy the fox. They are certainly amusing to watch, as long as your chickens are safe!

 

[RonP]

Can not answer with certainty.

Too many variables.

Hunger makes a fox very determined and almost fearless., most especially when there are young mouths to feed... and not enough to go around.

Personally, I would make the large run very secure, and not worry about locking them up.

My run is as secure as my coop.

I do not close the coop door, ever.

 

[Howard E]

Looks to me like you are good. If he is that close, he has probably already been there a dozen times and you never knew it.

Now if you let them out in the yard to play and left for a couple hours leaving them unattended.....................

 

[Skinner75]

That fox will get bold enough to try and attack . Alot of times what they will do is scope out a good source for a good while. Reds are very cautious but as for Grey's not so smart. I live out in the country and here recently I had a Red slipping up on my coop early in the morning. My main guard against predators is a 65 pound pit boxer bulldog . He lets me know if something is bothering the chickens.

 

[Skinner75]

The best thing you can do for your coop is bury 1/2 inch galvanized wire all the way around it because coons and foxes will dig their way in and it usually doesn't take them long to get in.