Fox problem

[two j farm]

Lots of good advice in the responses. Moving your coop away from the trees is a good idea. However, a secure run surrounded by a good fence is a great defense. I recommend 6' horse fence if you have the space. Stretch aviary net over the top to keep out predator birds. A sliding door is a good idea, especially if you put an automatic opener/closer on it.
Regarding live traps: if you decide to trap the predator, be prepared to terminate it. Many states prohibit relocation of nuisance predators. If you don't want to kill it, you are better off building a secure place for your birds.

I have no problem with killing it, I did kill one last year that wouldn't run from anything dogs or people. But I know even if I kill it one will just take its place.

 

[two j farm]

1/4 inch welded wire.... 1 foot wide.... buried 1-2 inches underground.... from right under main above ground fence to 1 foot away.... no diggers will be able to get in.. raccoons, fox, coyotes, wolves, badgers, dogs, cats,

Above ground, as long as you have 2x2 welded wire almost nothing will get in except rare weasels like mink (in you are close to water), martens(if you live in Northern Canada).
Even bears won't waste time getting in. They do not care about chickens, they only would want the food so keep it in the coop and not in the run.
View attachment 1695729

I would die if I seen a bear at my chicken coop. We have bear's but not many around here.

 

[GesWutChikenBut]

I didn't read all the posts, so forgive me if I missed something.

We had a neighbor clear-cut about 5 acres of woods on the other side of the pasture that abuts our property. He displaced a lot of wildlife, including some foxes, least one of which decided that he liked my chickens. We lost two. My husband collected his urine in a spray bottle and sprayed the perimeter of our property. Not heavily, he just walked along the fenceline and every other step, he spritzed the property line. He did it the first day and then repeated it after it rained. After a week, he stopped spraying and we waited to see if we'd lose any more. We didn't. The displaced foxes found somewhere else to hunt.

I do that, but not with a spray bottle

 

[samnjoeysgrama]

Every year around this time I have a few chicken come up missing to a fox. Just a few hours ago I lost my first chicken of the year to a fox. I did lock all the chickens up and will keep them locked up for now. I haven't had a fox in the coop yet and don't want it to happen. Do motion sensored lights help keep them away a night? I have to work tonight and thought about getting a few to put up in the morning if it will help. I do have 3 chicken friendly dogs that do a good job at keeping them out of the yard, but my coop is right next to the wood line. Any help would be great.

I used the electric fence and discovered a bonus that I hadn't thought of. The red light that flashes intermittently on the fencer seemed to keep the Coyotes out of my chicken house. They sell a small red flashing light that is solar powered and it's called a predator eye. I got mine on Amazon, put them over the openings to the chicken house, and I never lost another chicken. The old saying is a fox in the henhouse, not a coyote in the henhouse. But I think they might be very similar. Good luck.

 

[samnjoeysgrama]

When I let my chickens free-range, I also worked in the evening and didn't get the gate closed until after dark. So I put up the electric fencer, hoping that would help to keep predators out. I discovered that the best part of the electric fencer was the little red flashing light. They sell something called a predator eye on Amazon that is solar powered and has a little LED red light that flashes intermittently. I put two of those over the gate to the chicken house as well as over the small door that the birds used. I never lost another chicken. This was with coyotes, not with foxes, but I swear by those predator eyes.

 

[ajhaig]

Don't know if it is the deterrent that works but I have one of those solar flashing red lights. It emulates the eye of a large predator and is said to make the smaller ones turn and run!
I only have skunks, coons and possums so far. Are the hens gotten during the day when out of coop?

 

[Hakan]

I have predator proofed my run/coop. If their door is closed, pretty much nothing can get in The run has a steel roof. I built a motorized door that I can open and close with my phone anywhere But when they free range, those dreaded foxes keep coming. After an attack, I have a trap box where I lock a couple chickens (not possible to open) in front of it, I put a coiled trap, spray some fox urine, and put a couple eggs Twice, within 24 hours after the attacks I got the foxes I have another one that keeps coming and it's time to get rid of that one too. I just kill them when I see them trapped. This last one took one and it outsmarted me so badly (just like the others) . But I swore that I'll get that other fox.

 

[floydp97]

I have several electronet fences from Premier1. I love them:
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/permanet-19-68-3-electric-netting?cat_id=118

 

[Floppy Pheasant]

I'm probably going to get a lot of negative comments from this...,I raise and show Brahma chickens,I've lost a few to predators,I will not kill a wild animal because it's "doing what it's meant to do"....I don't want my chickens to die but I refuse to annihilate an animal that is instinctual... I won't hunt a deer with a rifle(It's an unfair advantage)I refuse to intentionally kill a wild animal that is instinctive...because I'm not a murderer.

 

[Hakan]

I'm probably going to get a lot of negative comments from this...,I raise and show Brahma chickens,I've lost a few to predators,I will not kill a wild animal because it's "doing what it's meant to do"....I don't want my chickens to die but I refuse to annihilate an animal that is instinctual... I won't hunt a deer with a rifle(It's an unfair advantage)I refuse to intentionally kill a wild animal that is instinctive...because I'm not a murderer.

Wild animals are part of nature and I am a part of nature, as well. Just like the rest of the animals in nature, us humans are doing the same thing - protecting our flock - in our territories. I do not just go out and hunt around wild animals because I leave them be. If there's a threat to my chickens, I have to eliminate it. I love those wild animals but I have to do whatever it takes to make sure that my chickens are not killed...