How do I free range my chickens with a Fox in the woods??

[BaaKaaawk]

You also have no grass or other benefits I associate with free-range keeping of chickens.

Lol, you're quick to judge. That's just the coop- this is where they free range... and yes, I have some grass there. That's also my old coop, I did a bit of an... upgrade. The point though was the dog.

Either way if you look at the coop on the right, you can see some white specs there outside the fence. That's the chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Lol, you're quick to judge. That's just the coop- this is where they free range... and yes, I have some grass there. That's also my old coop, I did a bit of an... upgrade. The point though was the dog.

Either way if you look at the coop on the right, you can see some white specs there outside the fence. That's the chickens.

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I am quick to judge, and stand by it. The chickens are spending a lot of time in their run denuding it of vegetation. Then comes the next part, a tightly mowed lawn provides very little in the way of forage. A more heterogeneous area provides more and better eats. It takes a lot more manicured lawn to meet needs of chickens when compared to the edge areas like you have along the wooded area.

 

[cmom]

I have electric wire around my coops and pens, concrete under the gates, heavy duty netting covering all of the pens and in some places welded wire buried under the fence, all due to losses from predators in the past. I have had issues with fox. I am rural so most people around here will shoot predators that kill their birds or livestock. I have used live traps and leg traps to catch my killer fox. Since you don't want to shoot it catch it in a live trap and call some area wildlife people and they will come and get it. I caught one that was plaguing my birds. I set some live traps and kept them baited for a few days and let the fox take the bait then set the trap and caught the fox.

 

[cmom]

This owl was killing my birds. I caught it and called some wildlife people and they came and got it.

 

[sciencegrrrrl]

I currently use a 100lb. Doberman security system. I have no foxes, coyotes, raccoons, possums, hawks or anything else for that matter.

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Beautiful

 

[Phoenixxx]

Get a dog, hands down! We have 3 Kuvasz, and as big as they are, we have surveillance footage of one (the little lady pictured below) nearly catching a fox who had a good 50' headstart within 100' - they are THAT FAST! (Our dogs stay in the house when chickens are locked up, but when they alerted to "something" from in the house that night, we let one of them loose to run it off!)

 

[Phoenixxx]

That being said, "chicken training" a dog takes time, and while it will likely cost you a few birds it is well worth it in the end! ☺ Our Kuvasz even run off aerial predators

Proper livestock guardian dogs aka LGDs are essential on any farm or homestead. Get one, but do do your research - not all LGDs are trainable to chickens, and not all LGDs are even good at the job they were bred to do. I know of at least one great Pyrenees who was great with his chickens, but when a lynx dared to go for his sheep he stood back and did nothing - a lady Kuvasz, related to the tiny lady in the photo, was forced to deal with that lynx all on her own, and the lynx lost

 

[farmmanjim]

Foxes right now have babies in their dens. Being kept in the run isn't really bad for the birds. If you really want them to have some extra space, use metal U stakes and run a 4 foot high fence of chicken wire. You could even include the run if you wanted. Get a livestock electric fence charger and run a wire along the top of the fence as well as along the bottom. You could even make three or 4 strands and run that a foot out from the chicken wire on a second row of stakes. Most foxes will not be out in the daytime but they might be strapped for food if they are feeding pups and be desperate.

Putting up an electric fence is easy. If you made a separate barrier of 4 or 5 strands, first one 4 inches off the ground, next three 6 inches or so spaced. Fox and other ground predators won't cross it. Put pieces of bacon over the wire in select spots (do not have the bacon make a connection between wires) and after a sample, mr fox will not be back.

I use an electric fence too. Theyre really cheap actually. Min only free range a couple hours every evening when im there. Their run is plenty large for days they dont get out.

 

[HappyTalons]

To reduce predation you need only 2 things. 1. A secure coop at night. 2. A dog (not necessarily a guard dog. The family pet will do). The presence of the dog, scent especially, with regular daylight activities on your property will keep daytime predators at bay. They will choose to come at night when things quiet down and by then the birds are secure in the coop.
Note: only bird i lost occurred at midday before we got our family dog

We have a fox that comes during broad daylight with all kinds of daylight activities going on. I kind of wonder if my rooster is actually helping it. It leads our hens into the woods and then sits there crowing = dinner bell for the fox. Today I was only about 100 yards from them, and the neighbors had their dogs out, we were outside making noise and the fox still came and almost got one of our birds. Gave her a nasty laceration on her side. I did send the dog after the fox and there was some chasing but we have a very determined fox and it's not the first time it has been chased. Think we are going to have to do some extensive fencing to keep our eggs as pastured.

 

[EggWalrus]

This owl was killing my birds. I caught it and called some wildlife people and they came and got it.
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Sorry about your losing that fine owl to them folks that toted it off. Granny Daisy Mae Moses always loved Owl Soup and dumplin's with a mess of Collard Greens and some Corn Pone!
Makes fer some mighty fine vittles!
Well Doggy!

I wouldn't invite them back for good old owl soup next time I caught one, if they're just gonna take off with it before you can cook it and get any!