I think its a fox

[midget_farms]

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I got a coyote that way - the fox I planned to leave alone until he started eating chickens.

He hasn't gone in the trap yet. what is good bait? I'm using a small amount of deer burger.

 

[sourland]

I don't understand the difference between a fox and a coon? They both kill our chickens. If they are in the act of killing our chickens, it is our responsibility to protect them. It is very doubtful that a red fox will enter a live trap. The larger the trap the greater possibility that the fox might enter. Over the years, and I've piled up many, I've only ever caught 4 red fox in box traps. Three were juveniles, and the fourth was a starving dog fox with a broken lower jaw. If you were lucky enough to catch the fox, why would you release it "across the river?" You can be assured that it would return never to be caught in a box trap again. Good luck resolving this. The only two ways to assure the safety of your chickens are to keep them locked up or eliminate the predators that are killing them.

 

[gronsk]

i have caught foxes in a large haveaheart trap with italian meatballs as bait

 

[Judy]

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I've caught 2 with canned cat food.

Any chance you could get a trapper to set his trap at your place?

 

[midget_farms]

Quote:
I've caught 2 with canned cat food.

Any chance you could get a trapper to set his trap at your place?

I've thought about that - my wife is home most days & doesn't like the idea of a stranger lurking around the yard.


As for the question about a fox vs. a coon. Coons are nasty & mean - foxes play with puppies - havent' you ever seen "the fox & the hound?"

I'll try the canned food. Or some sweedish meatballs!

 

[MandyH]

We battled a fox FOREVER before we caught it. We took a large hav-a-hart trap and set it against the coop so it would be in its path as it cirkled the fence. I covered it with limbs and put some chicken in it. I finally caught her and she was HUGE.

 

[tamberlin]

A couple of sundays ago I caught a red fox skulking around the chicken pen. I let the dog out and he caught the scent and chased that fox into the next county (I think)! We haven't seen the fox since! I make sure the dog pees around the chicken pen frequently just to warn the other animals that may have evil thoughts. Doesn't work on the hawks though.

 

[Judy]

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That's basically what works best for me.

 

[amberflea]

Get a trapper to come in, they are hard to catch unless you know what you're doing... a LARGE live trap could work, as some previously posted, if you can hide the trap, and the fox has not yet become educated to traps... cat food, sardines, anything smelly works good for bait.
I also agree, that letting it out across the river is not the way to go, it will either be back, or it will be killing the neighbors chickens who lives across the river.
We've had several here eating my chickens in broad daylight, the only thing that stopped them was some lead in the ear...
good luck... your chickens do deserve to be kept safe, that is your responsibility...

 

[aprophet]

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they are not too impossible I have 1/2 dozen reds pelts in my fur shed the grey pelts are at about 15-18 weasels are pretty easy with liver and rat raps