Fox spotted this morning

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Just following up - the fox did return today in the middle of the day! So much for them being noctural. I heard the hens sqwuaking and shouted out the window and he fled. I have a contractor who will put the top on but not soon enough. I will have to close them up in their little house when I am not here. We have dogs too and still the fox returned.

I'm sorry, glad you were able to scare him off. yeah when our hens were taken it was midday, broad daylight. I just saw one one across the neighbor's yard this evening, too. :/

 

[Titania207]

I'm sorry, glad you were able to scare him off. yeah when our hens were taken it was midday, broad daylight. I just saw one one across the neighbors yard this evening, too. :/

do you still free range even with the foxes around? Now when I let the girls out I am right there hovering over them with the dogs patrolling and it is only for about an hour whereas they used to go out for half the day mostly alone...

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

do you still free range even with the foxes around? Now when I let the girls out I am right there hovering over them with the dogs patrolling and it is only for about an hour whereas they used to go out for half the day mostly alone...

Not so much, no. They used to just be in the coop overnight and 100% free ranged all day, every day before. And it was all totally fine, until it wasn't. We had been using our little run for ducklings at the time. Then we switched to free ranging the three ducks and drake, while keeping the chickens mostly in the run. Then we lost the drake (because ducks are so darn stubborn and hard to get put to bed at night, vs. chickens ) but then we were able to start keeping the three duck hens and nine remaining chickens in the run together during the day.

I have been spending more time out there with the nicer weather letting them range a bit longer after coming out of the coop, and before going in at night, but I am right there with them now. I wish I could trust the dog to stay out there with them, but he just runs away. I have been talking with my H about adding electric netting, but he's not on board. For the time being the plan is to build a larger run, since we've added chicks and they are going to be overwhelming the space pretty quickly, as well as keep on spending extra time out in the yard supervising. I will let the girls out while I'm playing with the kids as well, but seeing that big bold one run across the yard just last night, I may have to pull back a little for a few days here. :/

It's such a tough balance. I do have a brave young cockerel, I'm hoping would be a good one to watch out for them, so I might get to worry a little less while letting them range, as long as I'm at least home and watching from inside the house? We'll see how I feel.

 

[Titania207]

Yes it makes me feel sorry for them - they spent their "childhood" out roaming happily and now at a year old they are penned up and they pace and complain at the gate to be let out. It is a tough balance - poor girls! You will have to let me know how it goes with your cockerel, if that helps the situation. I was thinking of getting a rooster but right now the priority is fortifying the run (also not sure with the neighbors ).

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have found roosters have the instinct to live too. While some will defend the flock to the death most will also run for cover. They may sound the alarm first or be a distraction for the fox they are certainly no guarantee your hens will be safe.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I have found roosters have the instinct to live too. While some will defend the flock to the death most will also run for cover. They may sound the alarm first or be a distraction for the fox they are certainly no guarantee your hens will be safe.

Right. No one said they are any kind of guarantee.

 

[Titania207]

Fair enough -- roosters want to live too, like everything. I guess this just the gray area we inhabit for better or worse when we have chickens and live in a fairly rural wooded area where other creatures are themselves just trying to stay alive...

 

[spiceholler]

interesting. i read that foxes are extremely scared/cautious of dogs. however, any predator would probably easily get over any of their fears if they are hungry enough.

we had some fox activity last year, lost two hens over a few weeks. we repeatedly sent the dog into the woods and sprayed some deterrent. (and peed in the woods whenever we had to go!) we also played a radio off and on and moved one of those plastic owls on a T-post around the yard. foxes are really smart and can learn your patterns. they are jerks, but are quite impressive if you think about it.

i still believe in free ranging my flock, percentage wise our losses have been somewhat small with the chickens, and i would much rather have them out and about than try to wrangle them in and out of a pen every time i wanted to go back inside.

good luck with your alterations.

 

[Titania207]

interesting. i read that foxes are extremely scared/cautious of dogs. however, any predator would probably easily get over any of their fears if they are hungry enough.

we had some fox activity last year, lost two hens over a few weeks. we repeatedly sent the dog into the woods and sprayed some deterrent. (and peed in the woods whenever we had to go!) we also played a radio off and on and moved one of those plastic owls on a T-post around the yard. foxes are really smart and can learn your patterns. they are jerks, but are quite impressive if you think about it.

i still believe in free ranging my flock, percentage wise our losses have been somewhat small with the chickens, and i would much rather have them out and about than try to wrangle them in and out of a pen every time i wanted to go back inside.

good luck with your alterations.

True, foxes are very clever - respect there. I did bring the hens out for 20 minutes or so at dusk (they won't wander when it is getting dark) but the dogs and I were right next to them the whole time. I can't not ever free range them again -- as I think if I were a hen I'd take the risk to have some freedom. That said, it will be some time before I let them on their own again as all night under our window I heard the fox or foxes barking and prowling around so they were definitely right by the house/coop. So far they have not attempted to get over or under the run... There are so many squirrels and chipmunks to be had right now, the woods are teeming - why must they have my hens too!

 

[Titania207]

does anyone know if putting bird spikes on the top of my chicken run would help deter foxes from climbing over? This would be a temp fix until the contractor can cover it with hardware wire.