Fox Tormenting Chickens during daytime

[hcrodgers]

We have 8 (almost 7 week old chicks). They have been staying outside in their coop and have just started using their automatic door to enter their run at dawn and return at dusk. Their coop/run is enclosed on all 4 sides and from above and has a wire mesh apron around the outside as well. We know we have various predators (fox, raccoon, coyote, hawks) and figure that the coop/run should be almost as secure as we can get it. These last 2 days a fox has been coming around during the day and tormenting the chicks in their run. The fox is running from side to side and the chicks are flying everywhere. A few of the chicks have injured their beaks as they chaotically fly around the run. The fox only ran off after we realized what was happening and we ran out to scare him off. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent this from happening? At this point, I am not overly concerned about the fox getting into the coop/run, but more about him tormenting the chicks and them injuring themselves. I have considered an electric fence, but hoping somebody has a better recommendation or has experienced something similar. Thank you!

 

[MMPinVA]

We have 8 (almost 7 week old chicks). They have been staying outside in their coop and have just started using their automatic door to enter their run at dawn and return at dusk. Their coop/run is enclosed on all 4 sides and from above and has a wire mesh apron around the outside as well. We know we have various predators (fox, raccoon, coyote, hawks) and figure that the coop/run should be almost as secure as we can get it. These last 2 days a fox has been coming around during the day and tormenting the chicks in their run. The fox is running from side to side and the chicks are flying everywhere. A few of the chicks have injured their beaks as they chaotically fly around the run. The fox only ran off after we realized what was happening and we ran out to scare him off. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent this from happening? At this point, I am not overly concerned about the fox getting into the coop/run, but more about him tormenting the chicks and them injuring themselves. I have considered an electric fence, but hoping somebody has a better recommendation or has experienced something similar. Thank you!

I have the same exact problem! I joined the forum today looking for advice. I have four 7-week-old chicks in a very secure coop/run, but the foxes are just running laps around them, scaring them into flying everywhere, and I have one with an injured beak and one with an injured foot. I keep hoping the foxes will give up since they haven't been successful. I do have a pellet gun, but haven't been able to take a shot because chickens are flying everywhere!

 

[Percheron chick]

Go with the electric fence. Run a strand or two around the entire coop and run about 18" off the ground. You can easily do it in an hour.

 

[Howard E]

Go with the electric fence. Run a strand or two around the entire coop and run about 18" off the ground. You can easily do it in an hour.

X2......even more better.......move the fence back from the run......moving fox back from the run.....birds may not even know it's there and fox will get frustrated and give up. Over time, you may be able to let the birds out inside this expanded area.

Bait the electric fence......get a video camera ready, then enjoy and tape the show.

 

[centrarchid]

Until fence in place, consider making so chickens and fox cannot see each other. I have been doing little more than draping a carpet over pens a fox harasses for short-term fix. If fox does not give up quickly, then get into fencing to push it away.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Put a tarp 3 feet high around pen, or higher.
I have tarp on the north and half way on the east and west side as wind protection on one of my pens.

I am expanding the pen to enclose two coops and will encircle the entire pen with tarp. GC
ETA; I also have a Fox coming around. Here is a picture of the Fox near sunset. Notice the Hen in pen. Gate was open.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Shoot the fox or get a dog that will kill it. Sounds bad, I know, but you put time and money into your chickens and shouldn't have to deal with this. Once, a few years ago a fox somehow got into our fenced in backyard area where our dogs are and my little rat terrier and bigger jack Russell killed it. The fox was bigger than the rat terrier!

 

[cmom]

Go with the electric fence. Run a strand or two around the entire coop and run about 18" off the ground. You can easily do it in an hour.

X2......even more better.......move the fence back from the run......moving fox back from the run.....birds may not even know it's there and fox will get frustrated and give up. Over time, you may be able to let the birds out inside this expanded area.

Bait the electric fence......get a video camera ready, then enjoy and tape the show.

X3... I have electric wire around my coops and pens. I have had issue with fox in the past. Eventually I was forced into eliminating them. They would come during the day and had killed some of my birds. One fox dug under a gate to a pen and killed several birds and another fox killed my most special bird when she was dust bathing in a garden bed when I was distracted. They will lurk looking for an opportunity. This is a chick/grow-out coop and the fox knows the electric wire is there.

 

[AllenK RGV]

X3... I have electric wire around my coops and pens. I have had issue with fox in the past. Eventually I was forced into eliminating them. They would come during the day and had killed some of my birds. One fox dug under a gate to a pen and killed several birds and another fox killed my most special bird when she was dust bathing in a garden bed when I was distracted. They will lurk looking for an opportunity. This is a chick/grow-out coop and the fox knows the electric wire is there.
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I too was thinking simply shoot the thing. They vocalize in the wee hours and deserve it based on that point alone. You know you have a fox problem at 3AM. Living in Germany I learned to hate the buggers. Well before I ever kept chicken. A 20G mossberg runs about 220 dollars last I checked and a good nights sleep is priceless.

Late edit- Did I forget to mention I hate foxes?

 

[Percheron chick]

You can shoot that fox but tomorrow, another predator will move in and take his place. Have to set up for the long haul.