Fox Predator Problem, Any tips out to get rid of the fox?

[GracePoultry]

I use a live trap and then either dispatch or relocate if it's a baby because then a feel evil for dispatching a baby, even though it's no different than an adult.

Mountain lion urine also helps to keep them away. And my dogs do a pretty good job of keeping the chickens safe. luckily I haven't had a fox problem in a while.

 

[Blue Andalusian]

Look around and try to see if you can find her den. If you do try to put a new sent in it a different one then it won't have its sent there and have to move. This is what we did when we had a fox it worked like a charm. It doesn't matter what smell but you need to cover the den in it. You should watch your chickens for awhile and see if the fox comes that way you can scare it or try to catch it or chase it to its den then you can find it.

Hope this helps! Also sorry about your chickens!

Me and my dog (Who is excellent at Sniffing out things!) tried to find the den. We went through all of our Woods, and found. Absolutely nothing! which is really wierd

 

[Blue Andalusian]

Where I live, Free Range Chickens = Free Chicken Dinner. I keep my chickens in a fenced in chicken run during the daytime and lock them up in a Fort Knox coop at night.

I don't worry about a fox digging underneath my chicken run fence, because I lock the girls up at night in a predator proof coop. I have never seen a fox snooping around my coop or run during the daytime.

If you are concerned that a fox might attempt to dig underneath the chicken run fence, you could maybe dig out a trench about 18 inches deep and put wire fencing down that far. I like the concept of just laying down a predator proof apron of about 24 inches of wire on top of the ground around the chicken run fence. That apron sounds like a lot less work, and if it works as well, that is what I would do first.

I imagine a free chicken dinner is pretty tempting for a fox and family. I would expect them to come back for more as long as you have chickens running around. I hope you get a good chicken run built soon and stop the losses.

You might want to contact your local DNR and see if they have a program to capture a nuisance fox or at least give you some advice on trapping one that is killing your chickens. The guys at my local DNR are pretty helpful on stuff like that, but I suppose it all depends on the people working there. Good luck.

Thank you! we are trying to not relocate it, for many reasons. And try to get rid of the fox one and for all

 

[Blue Andalusian]

We just got a Guardian dog, they start they'll protecting role when they are 2. But shes just a puppy, sadly. We have tried a live trap, multiple times. And all we have caught is 1 Racoon and tons of possums

I use a live trap and then either dispatch or relocate if it's a baby because then a feel evil for dispatching a baby, even though it's no different than an adult.

Mountain lion urine also helps to keep them away. And my dogs do a pretty good job of keeping the chickens safe. luckily I haven't had a fox problem in a while.

 

[StinkyAcres]

We haven't had time to build a run, but we're working on it

Have you looked into electric poultry netting? It's your best option if you want to keep out the foxes and continue letting your chickens out into large open areas. Premier1 is a good brand and you can order everything you need from their online store.

Free Range Chickens = Free Chicken Dinner

THIS^ As you have found out, there are always more predators and you will never kill them all. Please stop putting your chickens and the wildlife in danger for no good reason.

Me and my dog (Who is excellent at Sniffing out things!) tried to find the den. We went through all of our Woods, and found. Absolutely nothing! which is really wierd

Foxes love to den under raised buildings like sheds so their dens can be difficult to find.

We just got a Guardian dog, they start they'll protecting role when they are 2.

IF they are trained.

 

[Delphene]

Me and my dog (Who is excellent at Sniffing out things!) tried to find the den. We went through all of our Woods, and found. Absolutely nothing! which is really wierd

That is weird! Do you have something to track it with? Maybe you could use a fox pelt but I'm not sure if it would work or not.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Silkies are the most vulnerable chicken breed imaginable. Their survival instincts are completely eradicated and they can't see anything. I have free-range chickens that sleep in trees and an active fox den here, but my chickens are all camoflaged game mutts. Any silkie would be doomed

 

[BigBlueHen53]

For the time being, we are letting our roosters out and keeping our hens in the coop (as our roosters are useless and do nothing, and we have too many)

So ... basically you are using your roosters as bait to continue luring foxes and other predators onto your property. This is not a good plan. Cull the extra roosters and put them in the freezer, even if they are too tough to eat they will make good broth for dumplings or noodle soup. And as others have said, keep your hens locked up in a predator-safe environment. How long will it take to build them a safe run? Consider rehoming them until that's done.

 

[Blue Andalusian]

So ... basically you are using your roosters as bait to continue luring foxes and other predators onto your property. This is not a good plan. Cull the extra roosters and put them in the freezer, even if they are too tough to eat they will make good broth for dumplings or noodle soup. And as others have said, keep your hens locked up in a predator-safe environment. How long will it take to build them a safe run? Consider rehoming them until that's done.

We've butchered the extra roosters, Working on getting the fox now. We only have one rooster now, but thank you

 

[Blue Andalusian]

Consider rehoming them until that's done.

How long will it take to build them a safe run?

1. Where we live, not alot of people will buy chickens from us. We don't have a Chicken Rescue/Shelter around us, Or a Rescue Farm or something.

2. Its winter now, and cold. And we about got 5 - 7 inches of snow, I do not know. Once we get it started, maybe 1 week or 2. I've been bugging my family and parents to get started, but we've been so busy. We haven't had time, sadly