I lost a Dominique hen to a fox yesterday

[tour1018]

I've been turned out my hens for hour and half of freedom in the late afternoon. They have a small fenced-in pen but no grass or things to dig up. Is there any time of day that is safer for some freedom for these hens?

 

[CorinneP]

I Am really sorry for you Loss .. I Lost a Peking duck to a Fox earlier this year .. I think the answer to your question is probably very defendant on where you Live .. I Have a Flock allowed to free Range from morning until Dusk .. But we have had a few loss's .. I Fear Hawks and Eagles in the day .. Again I am sorry .. Stupid Fox !

 

[tour1018]

Thanks for the sympathy!

 

[JackE]

My birds have had a couple of bad times with the fox. I have found out that a fox will attack ANY time of day. I used to think they just hunt at night, wrong, any time of day they will hunt. They won't just take one bird either. I lost 9 one time and 7 in another attack. This is the time of year they are raising their young, so they are more active. If you are going to let the chickens out, you have to be there to watch them, or get an electric fence (That's what I did).
Jack

 

[tour1018]

Thanks Jack, I guess electric fencing might be something I can do, I've tried staying down there at the barn for a while them but when I'm ready to leave they are not ready to go in.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yes, we have foxes with a den in our pasture and they are out in broad daylight. I just quit letting the chickens out rather than continue to lose them. Now when I pull weeds, they get them. Foxes can clear a 6 foot fence so idk how helpful electric hot wires would be plus chickens can fly over fences. Sorry for your loss, I lost many as well but at least they only took one at a time.

 

[JackE]

I don't have just electric fence wires. I have the electrified poultry netting from Premier. Foxes that come nosing up to the fence get a 7000V shock to the face. The fence works for me. The chickens stay in also. I fenced in an area 50X100', they can stretch their legs. I WISH I knew where the fox den was in my area, I'm not going to go into detail, But they would be "Relocated".
Jack

 

[DSPSFARM]

I lost 4 hens to a fox 2 days ago. I am now thinking of investing in an electric poultry netting fence...but have lots of questions. Is anyone willing to help?

 

[ivan3]

No info on the electric (though a very good idea). However, only let the chooks out an hour before they go to roost, if you can be outside that long. Doesn't hurt to keep a rifle or shotgun handy. The chooks don't seem to worry about how much time they have, so long as they are out for that time. We have a lot of understory/brush in the woodlines around the house. I brush cut/sawed out all but one remaining nose of Amur Honeysuckle wrapped in Multifloral Rose shot through with Poison Oak, to add about 50 yards of cleared area under trees. The foxes almost always end up sizing up the flock from in that one remaining protruding bit of brush (get as close as possible without being seen) and that is the aiming point...

Good luck!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I used that electric netting for my goats and it worked well. If the fox touches it rather than jumping over, it could work. Lets just say the foxes are not welcome to den in my pasture.