Grief after Predation

[Ace0813]

Hi guys. I am sure this is the 10000th post about this, but we made it through the entire summer with only losing three hens to predation (bald eagle, and who knows). This year, our flock size increased. I don't know if having more hens made us more of a target, but we had a large red fox jump our fence and kill 6 out of our 13 hens today. He was chased off by my wife while I was at work, and we now have our German Shepherds hanging out in the back yard with our ladies to protect them. The fox is still in that field in the back yard, watching.

My wife and I are completely devastated. Our 7 and 4 year old girls are heartbroken. What do I do? I can't in good faith keep them free range.... Our next door neighbor has had hens for three years and hasn't lost a single hen to predation. What do we do here?

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry for your losses! Keep your flock in, set up electric fencing, have your (chicken safe?) dog outside with them, whatever it takes, because that fox will return, and other predators will be around too.
@Howard E and @cmom , and Premier1supplies.com, are good resources for information, and Premier has excellent products for electric fencing and electrified poultry netting, definitely helpful.
A dog has to be out there 100% of the time when the birds are out to be effective, and then must be fenced, and bird safe, and motivated to actually protect them.
Bad things happen, and it's right to grieve, and then try to do better. We know; chickens are wonderful, but so attractive to every carnivore out there.
We lost ten nice hens one afternoon, to a fox, and a neighbor was able to get him a few days later. He was sick, and easy to ID, but we couldn't get a good shot at him.
I notified every neighbor, especially those who had poultry, within about 3/4 mile of our house, and it payed off when the fox visited another place 1/2 mile away.
Do let your chicken keeping neighbors know about this!
And it's a good time to get some chicks, and replenish your flock, and help your daughters heal.
Again, so sorry,
Mary

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. I have had birds killed by some fox among other predators. This is the time of the year when they are out both day and night hunting for food for their young. I did catch my killers and eliminated them. If you don't want to eliminate maybe you can still trap and contact a wildlife rescue who will take it and relocate it for you. Since I eliminated the ones that killed some of my birds I have seen others. I have nice large pens for my birds with electric wires around my coops and pens, good heavy duty netting covering my pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses in the past from predators. Once the predator gets zapped by the hot wires, they don't make another attempt. I think the adult predators teach their young that a chicken dinner isn't worth getting zapped for. Often times predators will lurk looking for an opportunity and you may never see them. You neighbor may have lost some birds and if not yet their day will come too eventually. Good luck...
Here is one of my pens with the electric wires. Here I used step in post but I have also used the fence insulators. It may not be pretty but it works.

 

[Butchers Wife]

Hi guys. I am sure this is the 10000th post about this, but we made it through the entire summer with only losing three hens to predation (bald eagle, and who knows). This year, our flock size increased. I don't know if having more hens made us more of a target, but we had a large red fox jump our fence and kill 6 out of our 13 hens today. He was chased off by my wife while I was at work, and we now have our German Shepherds hanging out in the back yard with our ladies to protect them. The fox is still in that field in the back yard, watching.

My wife and I are completely devastated. Our 7 and 4 year old girls are heartbroken. What do I do? I can't in good faith keep them free range.... Our next door neighbor has had hens for three years and hasn't lost a single hen to predation. What do we do here?

Electric poultry fence and bird netting stretches over top. Stand pvc polls in the middle of the fenced in yard to lift the bird net up like a circus tent. This will give humans some head room when they enter and it will prevent hawks and eagles from reaching the chickens even if the dive bomb them. Attach the bird net to the top strand of the electric fence. Neither poultry net or zip ties conduct electricity. And keep it on! Or the Fox will tear right through it. I hope you can instill a love and respect for nature in your children. We would not really want to live in a place where the fox and hawk can't exist as it would be overrun by vermin. They must eat one small animal each day. Unfortunately sometimes it's someo chicken we know. You could try to trap it. Tractor Supply sells catch'em alive spring door cages. You just take Mr. Fox down the road a piece and let him loose.

 

[Folly's place]

Good post above, except for the 'catch and release' idea. Many states have regs about that, and it's for good reasons. Only trap if you will then shoot!
Moving foxes, raccoons, and other smaller predators is only legal here in Michigan on your same property, or on private property within the same county, with landowner permission.
Mary

 

[cmom]

The same goes here. We have been recipients of relocations. We are rural on a dead end road. I have seen strange cars on our road who could have been relocating. I have several cameras up around on my property. If you don't want to eliminate there are usually wildlife rescues that will take the predator.

 

[cmom]

I can feel for your loss. I had a cross beak RIR, Gladys. She was 3 years old when a fox got her during the middle of the day. I feed all of the birds pellets but Gladys couldn't eat pellets so she got crumbles which she was able to manage. I was distracted when the fox took Gladys and I'm still angry with myself that I should have put her in her pen while I was distracted. She was such a love. Loved to be held and would come when called.

 

[theoldchick]

Sorry for your losses. Once a fox learns there is food available he/she will keep returning. The only option is to shoot the animal and predator proof your chicken yard. As mentioned, electric wire works great. Also add a wire skirt around the yard to prevent a varmint from digging in and add a roof to prevent winged predators from snatching a snack. One of my earliest memories was a fox killing our hens. I was so angry and went hunting with my dad to get the fox. I had my wooden gun and he had a .30-06. I remember all we had to do was sit and wait. A lesson I never forgot.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I've been dealing with foxes since last summer. We had a vixen with two kits who took out nearly 15 of our birds last summer. The problem was occuring mainly because my girls would jump my 4 ft fence around their large run (135' x 32') as soon as dawn broke. This left them pretty vulnerable. After a LOT of pain & effort, I managed to cover the run with netting this spring. I haven't lost a bird since.....until today. I lost one of my blue Andalusians to a fox. I am SO MAD at myself and so sad too.... I went outside around 7 AM to feed the animals. I do this same routine every morning. I make a lot of noise which I had hoped would scare any foxes away. I had my LGD in the backyard to also act as a deterrent. After 20 minutes of feeding animals, I went ahead and let the chickens out to free range around the barnyard like I do most mornings. Headed back into the house.... I hadn't been in the house even 30 seconds when I heard the squawking. I looked out the window and saw all the chickens running back up to the chicken yard. I KNEW what was happening, even if I couldn't see it. I ran back outside and into the pasture. Sure enough...in the back corner of the pasture behind the barn was a trail of features. There were at least 5 spots where my poor girl was attack, feathers ripped out.... I felt sick to my stomach. My LGD hadn't even noticed what was happening. I felt so responsible for her death even though I know it is a risk whenever you let chickens free range. I KNOW that and yet I still feel so sad and guilty. I probably won't let them out again for a few days. They will be so upset. Free ranging helps them stay cool when its so hot outside like it has been this past month.

We aren't sure what to do about the fox. We are technically in the city limits and there are houses close by. DH wants to shoot them but I'm worried of the risk to neighbors, etc... A bullet can travel pretty far.