FOX took my girl! And a chick died today....YUCK DAY

[Mac Momma]

Just sitting down to enjoy my dinner and heard a ruckus. Looked to see my roo chasing the fox with a girl in his mouth. Ran outside with shotgun....too late! Had just been outside burying a chick that had died today from no apparent cause! My daughter is devastated, but I told her we would get the fox. Praying my eight girls and roo will be okay and my new fuzzies will be okay. No more free ranging for me. I hate that I lost two in a day! VENT VENT VENT!

 

[Mac Momma]

So I have been searching.....live trap, shotgun, animal control? I want this thing gone! What have you been successful with?

 

[chickenannie]

Foxes will return, again and again. And they are sneaky!

Outwitting them with a shotgun is not likely because they will wait until you are not around. I would set traps, I think that is the best thing, and make sure they can't get into your coop at night. For traps, you have to know how to do it though -- a farm neighbor here did it for me, but he rubbed fox urine on the traps and used pig fat to attract them, and stuff that I wouldn't have had any idea how to do.

I have to lock mine up at night in a solid building to prevent fox attacks. If you keep them in less than that, you'll need to bury fence below ground down to a foot and keep them from jumping over (they can jump 6 - 8 feet). Some people suggest 2 electric wires, one close to the ground and one higher up. Others can help better with the details than I.

 

[cassie]

Your best bet is to get a guard dog like a Pyrannees or something.

 

[Homesteading_Bound]

I'm sorry for you losses

Not just the one incident... but both of you having to watch the fox carrying off your Hen...

You know what they say about once they find your flock....they will come back until they get them all...unless there secured.

I know I hate to have mine confined...I just don't want to deal with another hawk taking my flock away one by one.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

We are lucky enough to have a lot of neighbors who like to shoot things. Good luck. This will not be over till the fox is gone or your chickens are gone.

 

[Mac Momma]

I will research a bit more on that! I want him GONE!

I hope my coop is secure enough. I have cinder blocks holding the door down that lets out to the run and the inside of the coop is sectioned off with a separate door (would have to go through two doors). My heart is breaking for my roo who was chasing after that fox. I had to call him several times to come back from the woods. He was so upset.

I am ticked off at myself too, I knew that I had seen the fox nearby a few weeks ago. I just let my guard down for a little bit and she is gone.

 

[Mac Momma]

The fact that it is not over is what bothers me the most! I can't stand it!

 

[chickenannie]

I had some sleepless nights last fall over fox attacks... I had pastured turkeys that I started locking up at night in a hoophouse that was out in the pasture and I'd leave my window open so that I'd wake up at any noise. Well, I woke up many times -- never lost a bird once I locked them in though.

what time of day/night did the fox get your hen?

 

[Mac Momma]

It was about 5:30 or 6:00. I had seen the fox out several houses down about a month ago and knew that he was around, so I feel terrible. He had even ran through our yard several weeks ago, but since I was outside most yesterday, I wasn't too concerned. But, it was that moment when I came in to fix a sandwich! I went out this morning and found fresh digs around the run. I put cinder blocks around most of it and will be completing that this afternoon.

My rooster is so sad! I have two friend bringing me live traps. My grandma (a farm gal and avid animal lover) said, "don't kill him!" I told her that he was a dead fox and she wants me to bring him over to her land. I say,"nope" because I would just be relocating the problem.

I know that it is the "circle of life" and all, but he just took one of my families pets and a great egg producer.

On top of that loosing our first chick made for a sleepless night! Our family purchased 9 chicks from the local feed store because we were impatient for our hens to set. I never thought the fever would get this bad. My husband told me yesterday that I needed to think about things a little bit more before adding to this chaos. He is a little perturbed with the new additions, since they have already cost me $50.

My husband says he is going to set up a camouflage and wait for this fox. I told him that the girls would not be used to bait, as I did not want to chance it. I am hoping for a trap set and a live catch by this weekend. Then we will shot and shovel that sucker.