Foxes have me anxious

[Smileybans]

I was checking my chicken cameras before bed, like I always do, and saw this guy on the yard camera. I’ve never seen a fox this far up the yard before and I’ve had trail cams set up for years. I know they live in the woods behind my property but them being this far up the yard is news to me.

What has me worried is we are extending the run. The camera is currently on the end of the existing run and I want to extend it past the fenced in area. Then put another coop at the end of that. So on the other side of the fenced area you can see will be an 8x10 coop. I’m worried that it’s so far down the yard the fox will get into the coop. I plan on getting an electric fence for around the whole perimeter of the coop and run but will that be enough? I’m anxious about seeing this guy and just need some advice I guess.

 

[Silexian]

This time of year. I suspect the “guy” is actually a “gal” looking for a big, easy to catch meal to feed her litter of kits. I have never had a fox break into a coop or run. They have wreaked havoc on my flock when they are free ranging in the evenings though. Especially females with a litter. One was bold enough to come almost to my back door. To try and catch a chicken. If I see a fox in the area. I start taking my dogs for a walk in the woods before I let my chickens out. Usually getting chased a time or two by a pair of bulldogs three times their size. Convinces them there are better meal choices elsewhere. If electric netting can keep raccoons out of my sweet corn patch. I am sure that it will keep foxes away from your chickens.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have lots of foxes. They are very bold. They come right up to the coop and the enclosed run.

I find that they learn about the electric fence quite fast and stay away when it is on. The video above is after I installed the electric fence, but when it was switched off.

 

[Smileybans]

What kind of electric fence

I was going to go with three wires, instead of netting, and solar power. But I hadn’t nailed it all down yet.

Foxes are good diggers. If your coops have a dirt floor, you'll need an apron of hardware cloth, wielded wire, concrete or something else to prevent digging under the coop.

My raised coops are inside pens and are secure from predators when pop door is closed after sunset.
I don't have an apron around my pens and had a Fox tried to dig under fence around 1:30 am.View attachment 2609958 It gave up before gaining access.View attachment 2609946View attachment 2609947
Fence was buried about 4 inches.
I don't have electric wire around fence so can't help out there.
Fox and Bobcat are bold around here and come around during daylight hours.
I lost 2 hens last year while free ranging. One to a Fox in March around sunset and another to a Bobcat last June around 3:30 pm.
I lost a pullet last month to a Coopers Hawk while free ranging around sunset.
I consider myself lucky to only loose 3 chickens in 5 years of having chickens. GC

Thank you. I didn’t think to put an apron around the new coop but will. All my coops currently are raised and are enclosed in the current run. Which is buried two feet into the ground. My husband said I was crazy when I told him how far I wanted to bury it but I’m glad I did.

It sounds like the electric fencing will be well worth it. Thank you all for your advice and pictures. I do feel a bit better now and can go at the new run with a solid plan.

 

[Trish1974]

I was checking my chicken cameras before bed, like I always do, and saw this guy on the yard camera. I’ve never seen a fox this far up the yard before and I’ve had trail cams set up for years. I know they live in the woods behind my property but them being this far up the yard is news to me.

What has me worried is we are extending the run. The camera is currently on the end of the existing run and I want to extend it past the fenced in area. Then put another coop at the end of that. So on the other side of the fenced area you can see will be an 8x10 coop. I’m worried that it’s so far down the yard the fox will get into the coop. I plan on getting an electric fence for around the whole perimeter of the coop and run but will that be enough? I’m anxious about seeing this guy and just need some advice I guess.

Yes, if done properly electric fence will deter the fox. It has worked wonders for me. Here is a good thread on electric fencing if you need help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/electric-fence-basics.1398976/#post-22958802

 

[cmom]

The birds are pretty well insulated with their feathers. If they touch the wires with un-feathered parts they may feel the zap. Check out the threads by @Howard E. He has a lot of good examples. Again good luck...

 

[cmom]

As I mentioned in my prior post, I do also have my pens covered with good heavy duty netting. I have a couple of coops my DH and a friend built that are open on one side and I had issues with an owl getting in and killing some birds. Problem solved. I don't close the pop doors on the coops but otherwise have had no issues with the measures I have taken, and again good luck...

 

[Smileybans]

Yeah it is kit season. I didn't even know we had foxes around here but learned the hard way 3 weeks ago.

Let my birds out to free range for a couple of hours in the late afternoon and a fox went on a rampage killing 4 just feet from the house (the 5 dogs and I never heard a thing). When I went out to lock up the coop after dark it was empty and I started finding mounds of feathres and bodies around the house.

Birds won't be free ranging for another couple of months when kit season is over.

I free range my birds and fear this will happen. But I make sure someone is outside with them otherwise they’re locked up. We have already had turkey vultures circling during the day. I keep a metal stick in hand when I see them to scare those suckers away. Sorry for the loss of your birds.

 

[Sonya9]

I free range my birds and fear this will happen. But I make sure someone is outside with them otherwise they’re locked up. We have already had turkey vultures circling during the day. I keep a metal stick in hand when I see them to scare those suckers away. Sorry for the loss of your birds.

I have read Turkey Vultures don't really hunt live prey, we have them around here too. I have five dogs and no predator has ever ventured into our fenced yard BUT I started feeding a feral cat, and that attracted fox, possums, and even the chickens would raid the dish. Then apparently one day they all met up and the fox went nuts taking out as many as it could.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

What kind of electric fence