Fox problem

[Floppy Pheasant]

I had 14 birds killed two years ago...by a weasel, I never went after the weasel(I miss my birds every day)....I was angry but you can't stay angry at a predator (It's all they know) I don't "give predators" human feelings, they're wild animals,I hand raised a new flock..Killing wild animals.....I just won't do it.

 

[Floppy Pheasant]

Good for you (really). But you can't judge us for protecting our birds in OUR OWN backyard. You say that animal is doing what its meant to, and I am doing what I'm meant to. Foxes are extremely smart. Smart enough to understand that they shouldn't be in my backyard, terrorizing my chickens. Last few days, that last fox has been coming and scaring my chickens behind the hardware cloth. It jumps towards them from all around the coop, I guess trying to see if there's an exit that one of the chickens will use. Foxes know that there are risks associated with such behaviors. They know that those chickens belong to us. They're smart enough to know that they shouldn't step on a trap when they see one. They know very well that those chickens belong to me. You'd only understand them if you were to encounter them as frequently as I did.

I DON'T judge anyone,a fox isn't human and does not have human intelligence or think like a human.....it's humans that "assume" the fox possesses "human traits"...they may watch and learn just like domestic dogs but you're giving them abilities they don't possess.

 

[icyangel222]

I know that feeling very well. I had woken up to the screams of my chickens. When I went to my backyard I saw feathers everywhere and dead birds scattered around the yard. Of course there were other attacks too, but this is just one example.

My worst attack was in 2013. I had 15 chicks that were ~2-3 months old, don't remind me how much I spent on them, I decided they were old enough to be moved out into the coop, but figured they needed to adjust so I formed a pen inside. The adults could let themselves outside but not most of the chicks. I lock them up at night because of previous uninvited visitors, but my parents would sometimes let the birds out early, I'd still be sleeping and usually figured to let them out at 9am because predators are still pretty active in the early hours and that seems like a good time to let them out. Anyway on this particular day they were let out at ~7am, while I was asleep and we had a visitor that killed all but one of those chicks. It survived because it ran outside, the predator apparently was more interested on cornering all the helpless ones inside. I woke up and went outside at either 8 or 9am and checked on the birds in the coop to find all the dead bodies. Yeah, that was heart-wrenching. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't keep crying about it for at least a month after it happened. It sucked. 14/15 chicks dead in probably just a few minutes cause of some greedy predator. Losing one at a time is bad enough but sometimes they wipe out huge numbers at once. My parents lost a whole flock of pheasants in the 80's, they were almost all boxed in except for the ground and it dug under the fence to get them. That sucks is an understatement.

 

[Rattlerjake]

1) Pee into a bottle and save it for pouring around the coop. Human urine will often deter predators like fox and raccoons.
2) No need to "wax" a live trap (if you don't use gloves you'll just transfer human scent to the trap). Easier to simply smoke your trap by making a small fire, put some damp leaves on it to produce smoke and hang your trap over the smoke. Wear gloves so you don't transfer human scent onto the trap. By some fox urine at a store that sells hunting supplies or use deer urine and spray a very small amount around the outside of the trap. Also, most important, cover the trap with some vegetative debris but leave both ends uncovered. Foxes love to go through tunnels in brush and if they can see through the trap, like a tunnel they will readily do so. For bait use a small piece of meat (chicken or beef) that has been left at room temp for a few hours so it has a little rancid odor. Be sure the trap is large enough for a fox to easily go into.
3) If you are not bothered by killing the fox, then set a snare. Put it where they dig under the coop or where they go under a fence. Be very careful with snares, that you don't put it where your dogs can get into it. Be sure to check with your local hunting regulations to be sure snares are legal.
4) Also another great deterent is to hang old CD/DVD disks around the coop. When then turn in the wind the colors that reflect (even at night) bother these predators because they think there are other predators.

 

[Rattlerjake]

My worst attack was in 2013. I had 15 chicks that were ~2-3 months old, don't remind me how much I spent on them, I decided they were old enough to be moved out into the coop, but figured they needed to adjust so I formed a pen inside. The adults could let themselves outside but not most of the chicks. I lock them up at night because of previous uninvited visitors, but my parents would sometimes let the birds out early, I'd still be sleeping and usually figured to let them out at 9am because predators are still pretty active in the early hours and that seems like a good time to let them out. Anyway on this particular day they were let out at ~7am, while I was asleep and we had a visitor that killed all but one of those chicks. It survived because it ran outside, the predator apparently was more interested on cornering all the helpless ones inside. I woke up and went outside at either 8 or 9am and checked on the birds in the coop to find all the dead bodies. Yeah, that was heart-wrenching. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't keep crying about it for at least a month after it happened. It sucked. 14/15 chicks dead in probably just a few minutes cause of some greedy predator. Losing one at a time is bad enough but sometimes they wipe out huge numbers at once. My parents lost a whole flock of pheasants in the 80's, they were almost all boxed in except for the ground and it dug under the fence to get them. That sucks is an understatement.

Not to be "cruel", but most people are fools! If you are going to build a coop, and you KNOW there are predators, then you need to take the time to bury wire at least 2 feet deep all the way around the perimeter of the coop. If the coop is not huge, say 10 feet square, then lay caging on the ground and put the coop on top of it, that way the animal cannot get in by digging. Another way is to build a secondary fence around the coop and put a "chicken-friendly" dog on that area.

 

[Bramblj]

I have read this entire thread and took note of some really good suggestions as I am in a similar situation. I live in the middle of 65 acres of heavily wooded terrain with 4 coops all bordering woods. I have motion sensor lights on every corner of my runs and leave a radio on 24/7 and it has worked great for years. My best defense however is probably the way my runs are designed. I dug a trench 6 inches deep from post to post then set treated 2x8’s in the trench. I also left a 2 ft skirt with chicken wire extended around the coop and run. So far it has prevented anything from digging under. I also put 4 ft dog wire around the bottom to keep the larger predators out. I know the original poster had the problem when the birds were free ranging and I wish I had an answer for that. My best solution comes in the form of some really well trained dogs and 3 very protective roosters. I only free range my birds in the afternoon when predation is the least and I am out there with them 99% of that time. My birds are my babies and I feel like I owe them that much.

 

[charliewhiskey]

And do not forget to urinate all around the coop. This sounds weird, but you have not yet placed a sign saying "These birds are MINE!" Then make sure the fence of the coop is burried 6 inches down but lays out at least 18 inches from the pen all around(burried). Then just make sure your birds are securely in the house right after dark. Sleep well.

 

[Pounddogsrock]

Hi! I know your frustration. I've seen one lurking in broad daylight, as well as a coyote another time and also a bobcat. I left my Guineas in for a few days. The good part is, they all three saw me because I went out to see what the dogs were barking at and why the Guineas were squawking. I liked the camouflaged way the one person posted a picture of. People gave you good suggestions, but I have a few ideas to add. I have trouble with traps simply because I worry that I'll accidentally trap one of my cats (which has happened). I'm in Virginia and still running heat lamps, so I've got my limit of power running out to the barn. My barn (coop) is very secure, the problem as you said, is when our pets get nabbed during the day. I think it's great that you have the dogs to help. A couple things of heard of and seen done are to mark as much of your free range perimeter that you can with human scent. This can be done a few different ways. One is human urine. My boy used to pee at a friends house around her flower bed to deter deer. That would be a lot of peeing considering your amount of property. Perhaps a contact with a port i potty company could help. I know that's a hassle. Another human deterrent is human hair. Ask your barber or hair dresser to collect the hair for you and offer to bring them lunch on the days you go get some big bags of hair. Another thing that I've seen done, is human feces was put in knee high stockings and hung from the branches of trees. How they got it in there, I don't even want to think about, but I've seen this at several different places. When you brush your dogs, bag up their fur and spread your perimeter. Ask a grooming salon if they will collect swept up dog fur for you. One person said that the motion light did not work. I have a headlamp for when I take my dogs out at night. They are correct in that the fox doesn't run from just the light. But, if they know you are there behind that light, they do run. They'll stop and look back, but when they know you are there, they give up. It makes me wonder if they make a motion light that activates the sound of a dog barking. But, your problem seems to be during the day because you said that one has not gotten in the coop. I do know, that the sheriff will come and shoot it, but then you have to know where it hides. In my situation years back, the fox was living in a culvert pipe down my neighbors long drive. Because they are high carriers of rabies, the sheriff (at least where I live) will come and try to shoot them. It's worse in the winter here as far as our pets being prey, because the bunnies and so on are hibernating. That leaves our birds for a more visible meal. Then, you have the blasted hawks. I know one tried to get one of my Guineas last week. I was adding perches and saw fairly fresh blood in 2 different spots on the already set perches. That night, I checked them out very closely and saw the damage to one of the Guineas on each side of its body with some feathers sticking out and some feathers missing. Also, there is no leash law where I live, so when my chickens free ranged, they were killed by neighbor's dogs. It stinks and is heartbreaking. I stopped letting my chickens free range. That totally takes away from the "Little House on the Prairie" part that makes the yard come more alive. I also know of someone who bought urine "on line". She had to pass a drug test and snuck the drug free urine into the doctor's office. That's all I know though. You could pee into a five gallon bucket, cover it with a rubber dish (placed upside down) to keep rain out, and when you get enough quantity, start dumping around your perimeter. That combined with the hair, maybe a sludge truck (septic company) will dump on your premises (I have no idea). Thankfully, I work from home. When my Guineas squawk abnormally, I go out with the gun. I didn't try to shoot the neighbor's dog, but I shot close enough to make it go away and it hasn't come on the property again (knock on wood). I'm pretty sure you can get in trouble if you shoot a fox with a bullet, but I don't think you can get in trouble if you shoot them with salt rock. But then, you could sit there all day and not even see it. I also know, you can get a serious fine if you live trap and then relocate the animal. It's like a $2,000 dollar fine. You can also call the game warden, and tell them that this fox is coming out during daylight and you are afraid of it being rabid. Whether it is or not, they are supposed to respond to your call- that's their job. Then, they will remove the trap. If you trap it yourself, they won't pick it up for you. I know this because I trapped a skunk and the warden did nothing because they didn't set the trap. I called a trapper, who would not release the skunk, he would only charge me to pick it up and then euthanize it by drowning it in a creek and of course charge me almost $100 dollars. I ended up getting sprayed- that was fun. I was trying to get a possum, and got the skunk. Good luck to you. I know my ideas are kind of "out there", but it's all that I can think of that hasn't already been said by others. I feel better letting my Guineas free range, because they stick together as a flock and band together to pursue a predator. They went into V formation heading straight towards the coyote. Plus, guineas can take to the air in a heartbeat and fly up very high. They have to be trained to go into the coop though, where the chickens do that by instinct. I hope I have been able to help a little. I know how sickening it is, especially when you see one being carried off.

 

[GeorgeN]

Thanks everyone. I do have live traps, but never had any luck with getting a fox to go in. I can't move the coop because anywhere I would move it to would have a wood line next to it. Where I live is in the backwoods of Louisiana and I have a swamp behind the house. I think I will check on getting a electronic fence. My mama has a electronic fence and she's not having any problems, so that may be the best way to go.

Foxes are very smart and difficult to trap, but an electric fence should work. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to set one up. The idea is to teach the critters to respect the wire, so you can hang strips of bacon or other bait on the wire so they get a good jolt.

 

[GeorgeN]

There are battery powered chargers on the market, & some of them have built in solar panels. The one I use takes 4 C cells.