Fox !!! Suggestions , please!!

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

We have had two fox sightings in the last six years until this past weekend. Our coop is almost finished and it seems the fox in the area KNOW we are getting chickens. We've seen two THIS WEEK. Getting rid of them is not an option. So, how do we protect our chickens and live with them?????

Run construction starts this weekend. We are planning to use 1/2 inch hardward cloth everywhere including a 2 ft. apron. Will this wire be strong enough?

We also have hawks, racoons, and bobcats. Not the most chicken friendly environment.

 

[ctjim]

electric fence will help out. i would probably run 1 strand at about 4in from ground level and then a couple more above that. and def build an enclosed run esp w/ the hawks and bobcats.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I have a heavy predator load here also. What worked for me was a good fence charger and 4strands of wire around the run(as already suggested above). Even though your coop/run may be secure, you don't want the predators constantly harassing your chickens. Before I added the electric fence I had problems with the predators around and on top of the run. I even had a fox try to attack me a while back while trying to run it off. I never see any predators or stray dogs now and it's nice to see the small wildlife such as rabbits back in the yard.

 

[newchicksnducks]

A couple of strands of electric fencing around your run would be a good deterent. A fox climbed our 6 foot tall fence last December and killed one of our girls. Then 4 days later a hawk came down and got another! We've temporarily put deer netting on top of the run to deter the hawk, and are putting electric wire up soon. (Poor girls were on coope-arrest from December till March!) DH will be replacing the netting with sturdier welded wire and hard roofing for part of the run this summer. You may go months (We had 6 months) before the fox and hawk get brave or desperate enough to go inside the run, but if it's not secure enough, they will find a way for an easy meal:/

 

[wildorchid053]

1/2" hardware cloth is the way to go.. and into the ground at least a foot.. it is strong.. my daughter brought her doberman/greyhound mix over.. when she saw the hens she took off at full speed and ran smack into the hardware cloth.. she was stunned lol but the hardware cloth stood strong. we have tons of predators on the acreage and even though i see coyotes, foxes, racoons.. nothing has gotten in there

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

This is all very encouraging.

We will cover the run with hardward cloth and part of the run will also have a tin roof. Electric fencing would not be hard for us to do since the run will be next to a horse pasture that is electric and we could run a connecting wire. I'll have to think about how to run fencing across the human door into the coop. Any experience with that?

 

[Dogfish]

Trap and relocate. Why is extermination not an option? If that is not an option, a bloodbath may be in your future.

The other advice is great, but.....

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
We live on 34 acres of woods/pasture land within the Blue Ridge Mountains. I'm not opposed to extermination; I don't think it would be possible to eliminate all of the predators.

 

[Dogfish]

There needs to be some fear instilled in them. Without fear they will see it as a buffet. You don't need to get every one. After a few, they will notice.