fox prevention

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
Be sure to wave if the neighbors drive by as you mark your coop. Otherwise they might get the wrong idea.

A couple of the neighbors have been known to mark my coop so they don't concern me.

 

[DDRanch]

Quote:
I too am Sorry you have experienced animosity on "predators and pests" section. It seems this particular thread invokes a lot of passion and division on living with predators or eliminating them. When I need to use this section, I preface my questions with a statement that I am not interested in killing anything, get that out of the way right up front. The mods are excellent at closing threads and keeping everyone civil. Since I have foxes living on my property I am interested to learn even more about keeping my chickens safe.

 

[ErieSpurs]

Quote:
You can buy a solar electric fence kit. That will solve that problem. I would put one strand a few inches from the ground, and one around the top of the cage. So hopefully nothing will climb on top.


<begin rant>

It was a simple question with a not so simple answer. The OP prefers not to harm wildlife and I respect that. Please try and do the same.

I've had to kill predators before, but I think it's less headache to prevent them. I enjoy seeing the wildlife.

If I cannot protect my flock in peaceful ways, then I will take necessary actions. But lets not mock someone who is doing what they believe is right.

Also:
I am a web developer and have multiple degrees, yet I learn new things about my trade every day. I admit that I will never know everything. Is it so hard to believe that someone who is trained in Wildlife Management doesn't know everything about nature? Nature is a large topic, you know - the size of the world big. There is a lot of stuff to know, and everyone can use some advice/second opinions about how to deter a predator.

It's Christmas, lets all get a long

</end rant>

 

[ivan3]

Is this a Grey, or a Red, fox?

If it is a native Grey, then I'd be more interested in `workarounds' rather than elimination. If it is a Red then retirement from the target pool is the responsible method of control. Red Fox, like Zebra Mussels, Multifloral Rose and Amur Honeysuckle, are imported `invasive ornamentals'. Promotion and toleration of these species is nothing but trouble for native flora and fauna.

Not having to deal with Greys, I can't comment on their taste for chicken. The Reds are brazen and have attacked ours while we were no more than 10yds away (out of the tree line and grab a chook). Our neighbor lost all 13 of her SLW pullets in the space of 15min. to a pair of Reds (found the caches in the woodline between our properties a few days later - nothing but feathers).

As has been mentioned, electric fencing, trenching/skirting with fencing on ground outside of run will eliminate most problems.

However, all I can say to a certainty about free ranging (if one is not accepting of losses) is that armed/supervised ranging is useful. Preemptive trapping and retirement of vermin will not keep more preds from coming, but will reduce the overall frequency of predation (so one doesn't have to reach for the rifle as often).

Using scents to dissuade predators will work initially but, preds learn. Eventually, they associate the smell of urine/etc. with chicken and start salivating with the learned association of the two.

 

[ErieSpurs]

I know this is an older post, but I was just wondering if the OP has had any luck with coexisting.

 

[BantyRooster]

I was wondering how the sensitivity training for the fox was going and if the gerbils were a hit or not. Please keep us all informed. We're on the edge of our seats...

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Be sure to wave if the neighbors drive by as you mark your coop. Otherwise they might get the wrong idea.

A couple of the neighbors have been known to mark my coop so they don't concern me.

I bet you were glad to get all of that help!