How to deter foxes

[BeccaNoble]

Hey everyone! I'm a new member but have been reading these threads for months now. We just moved into a house that came with some chickens. By the time we took over there were two chickens left of more than half a dozen, and now I'm down to one very sick, lonely and depressed hen. Turns out it was a fox stealing the hens, we had no idea until we showed up one day to a pile of feathers in the run, a hen cowering in the roost, and shortly after we found the hole.

They have a nice big run but the wire doesn't go under ground, so this fox has had some time to start digging many holes. Luckily this last poor chicken has to be carried outside every morning so she was safe inside her closed roost when he got in the run the other night. We have a door into the run as well and he managed to get a huge hole dug under there.

So what I'm asking is how in the world can I fox proof this run?? I can run chicken wire along the bottom of the run, run it up the sides a bit and attach it, then put down some dirt so it doesn't but the chickens. But what about the door? I'm so heartbroken for this poor hen, she had a terrible case of vent gleet when we moved in (which I diagnosed thanks to your forums!

) and after the stinkiest bath and feather clipping session we got rid of all the nasty feathers and her bum looks very healthy, but like I said I need to carry her outside every morning, she's so weak she'll lay down for most of the day and use her wings to shimmy around. After a few hours and some leafy greens she gets her strength back and puts herself inside at night, she definitely seems to be doing better but I think she's very lonely. We want to get some more chicks but not until I figure out how to keep the fox out!!

Sorry this was so long, thanks in advance!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Sorry you have to come under such circumstances. There are many good people here who I am sure will have suggestions.

Can you post a pic of the run construction?

I would suggest laying an apron of wire around the run. It would need to be secured to the lower portion of the run wiring and laid on top of the ground or even buried below the surface and secured down using landscape edging pins or pavers or rock, even old logs will hold it down while the grass has a chance to grab hold of it.

I pulled this image from another thread that shows it laying on top of the ground.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/473357/is-it-better-to-apron-a-run-or-to-bury-the-fencing
This is the thread I found the pic in.
The purpose of the apron is to make the digging harder if not impossible.
Fox are determined buggers to deal with. Not to mention the risk of diseases from them. Rabies is present in the county I live in. If we live trap here we are not permitted to relocate the vermin but rather to kill it.

I am sorry your lone hen is alone. I would secure the run and then get some additional chickens. If she is weak she needs to get stronger before a group of chickens comes in.

 

[drumstick diva]

Fox can dig, climb and are quite athletic jumpers. I never realized how high they could jump till I saw one fling himself on the top of the neighbors fence boards and walk along like a tight rope performer. They are determined and if they get an easy meal they will keep coming back until there are no more chickens.

You could try putting a few strands of electric fencing around the outside of your run and coop. to make him realize he's better off going to someone else's coop. Is it legal in your area , to shoot him? It's true once he is gone another will take him place. but, if you shoot him you will know he ISN'T the one coming back.

 

[Primo]

An apron as 21hens suggested or electric as drumstick mentioned. I have both, but if could only have one it would be electric. In this case you would only need one wire about 6" off the ground and spaced about 18" out from the run. A small 10 mile charger would be what i reccomend. Total cost with ground rods, wire and post should run you around $100. Maybe a little less.

 

[centrarchid]

Pictures of run setup would be informative as repair / upgrade is likely the cheapest option. Without such then invest in electrified poultry netting. If it wer me then both prevuios plus dogs would be brought to bare on fox problem. I free-range to the extreme and found foxes to be sissies.

 

[BeccaNoble]

Awesome thank you all so much! We just bought this house and are running on fumes monetarily, but we do have lots of chicken wire left so I think I'll try the apron.