Foxes near my chicken coop

[Jl neighborhood flock]

Hello! I’m writing this because I’m in some trouble and need help. If you’ve seen my other threads you’ll know that I have to girls. Just tonight I was letting my dog out and I saw a fox scratching at the chicken wire on my run. My dog scared it off and peed around the coop, so hopefully that keeps other creatures like coyotes away too. However I’m really scared, and I have a deep bond with my girls, and loosing them would be devastating. I know that a motion sensor light scares coyotes and foxes off- and I’ll also be putting a latch on the coop stairs, so my girls will be locked in the top part of my coop for the night, and It’ll keep anything that might be able to break into the run, I’m the run. What else should I do?

 

[bill3607]

Hello! I’m writing this because I’m in some trouble and need help. If you’ve seen my other threads you’ll know that I have to girls. Just tonight I was letting my dog out and I saw a fox scratching at the chicken wire on my run. My dog scared it off and peed around the coop, so hopefully that keeps other creatures like coyotes away too. However I’m really scared, and I have a deep bond with my girls, and loosing them would be devastating. I know that a motion sensor light scares coyotes and foxes off- and I’ll also be putting a latch on the coop stairs, so my girls will be locked in the top part of my coop for the night, and It’ll keep anything that might be able to break into the run, I’m the run. What else should I do?

The main thing you need to do is check your run out and shore up any suspect areas. You probably already know if you have any or not. If the fox can't get in your run, then, no problem. If he can't get a meal, he will move on.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Some things that deter foxes and coyotes include:

• Sturdy run covered in 1/2" 19-gauge hardware cloth
• Wire predator apron around the coop and run to prevent digging underneath
• Dogs
• Electric fencing around the coop area
• Locking the chickens in a predator-proof coop at night
• Only letting the chickens out of the coop into the run later in the morning

Prevention is best, so I'm glad you are thinking about that now. So many people think that killing the predators is the thing to do, but there will always be more out there.

 

[Jl neighborhood flock]

Hi all… thank you for the advice! However I am unable to spend a lot as I am on a money crunch. I know that I’ll definitely be putting a latch on the stairs, which will keep the chickens in the roosting area of their coop, while keeping the foxes out. I am unable to buy gauge wire at the moment, but I do have some extra chicken wire, so would adding On to what’s already there to reinforce it. However what do you think I should do about the digging?

 

[The Good Grumble]

I buried my hardware cloth and hammered these no dig stakes around the perimeter through the cloth. I chose the small / medium because the tines are closer together. You can find similar and less expensive ones on Amazon as well. I have coyote as well as fox (bear and raccoon too)
And a neighbors dumb dog.

https://digdefence.com/collections/small-medium-animal-barriers

 

[linguini]

In addition to your dog urine, you can try using male human urine - here is an article about it.

https://www.timeout.com/london/news...t from human,the National Fox Welfare Society.