Fox problem

[two j farm]

Just a update. I put a game cam up today hung solar lights and checked the coop and run for away flaws. I'm ordering a solar powered electric fence.

I seen online something called nite guard that keeps chicken eaters away. It has 2 red light that come on at night, I'm sure some of y'all have seen this. Does anyone know if this works? I told my husband I was going to buy a baby monitor to hear whats going on at night in the coop, but he thinks I have lost my mind.

 

[two j farm]

Question on putting up a electric fence. My coop is 16ft tall but my run drops down to 4ft. Should I put the electric fence on top of the run to? The run does have wire over the top.

 

[Criticalicious]

The reviews on the nite guard devices are mixed. I decided NOT to invest in those, after reading multiple reviews that they don't work. The baby monitor idea makes sense to me; I've thought about it. So far we only have a temperature gauge in ours.

Why not put the electric fence AROUND the coop and run rather than on it - encircle it at least 5 feet out, forcing predators to first cross the fence then a wide open area before getting anywhere near the coop.

 

[two j farm]

The reviews on the nite guard devices are mixed. I decided NOT to invest in those, after reading multiple reviews that they don't work. The baby monitor idea makes sense to me; I've thought about it. So far we only have a temperature gauge in ours.

Why not put the electric fence AROUND the coop and run rather than on it - encircle it at least 5 feet out, forcing predators to first cross the fence then a wide open area before getting anywhere near the coop.

I can't really go to far out with the fence, I can go a few feet out but how high should I go because I know a fox can jump a good ways.

 

[Criticalicious]

Although they can jump, they're more likely to try and climb or dig first. And unless they have prior experience with electric fencing, they will walk up to the fence and test it before trying to jump or climb. That's when they get shocked and hopefully give up right away. The area around the fence should be clear of brush or trees that a predator could climb up and then hop over the fence as well. (Also these could short the fence, making it less effective.)

Can you post pictures of your setup?

 

[two j farm]

Although they can jump, they're more likely to try and climb or dig first. And unless they have prior experience with electric fencing, they will walk up to the fence and test it before trying to jump or climb. That's when they get shocked and hopefully give up right away. The area around the fence should be clear of brush or trees that a predator could climb up and then hop over the fence as well. (Also these could short the fence, making it less effective.)

Can you post pictures of your setup?

I will posted a pic when I get home. I have a tree that has limbs over the top of the coop.

 

[two j farm]

This is the drop off from coop to run. The top half of the coop is wire the tarps come down in the summer because it gets so hot here. I can shut chickens off to the run at night. Other pics are the tree limbs and can't get a good pic of the back side because the wood line is right next to the coop and run.

 

[two j farm]

The limbs are a lot lower then they look in the pic. For some reason they look so high after I posted.

 

[two j farm]

I have also started a small pen out of PVC for chicks I'm getting ready to hatch in a few weeks. Chicks will be in the coop at night but now I'm worried about this knowing I have a fox around. Any ideas on how to make this fox safe?

 

[Criticalicious]

For the chick pen, I would use plenty of hardware cloth on all sides, including the bottom. 1/4" cloth on the bottom half to prevent a predator from reaching through. Consider making a cube instead of a triangle, to give more room on the sides. As for the coop, even if you trap the fox, another may take its place. I would work on clearing the brush from around the coop. I understand if you can't take down trees; it's expensive and dangerous work. But removing the little bushes and other growth that provides cover would at least make a predator think twice.