For the last two mornings at around 6:15 a.m. there has been a fox circling my coop/run. He comes in from the back side of it, makes two to three trips around the whole thing before I'm out there with my airedale terrier chasing him away. The first morning the chickens were already out in their run, and definitely made enough noise to catch my attention. The second morning they were still in their coop as I delayed letting them out to see if the fox would come back. Sure enough he did, right on schedule.
I'm 99% confident in the security of my coop and run. I have welded wire around the whole run (roof too) and under the coop (it's 2 - 3 feet off the ground. The wire is also buried 2 feet deep and 1 1/2" outward from the whole perimeter of the coop and run.
I haven't let the girls free-range because I'm worried he may come back during the day. As neighbors have told me that they have seen him working down the middle of our street in broad daylight.
Fox stew is definitely not an option. Neither is trapping and relocation? I have to have a humane way of detering it from coming back. I've let our male Airedale Terrier mark the territory around the coop/run.
So I'm looking for a way to scare him off. Do those Nite Guard lights work? Anyone have any other suggestions?
I'm 99% confident in the security of my coop and run. I have welded wire around the whole run (roof too) and under the coop (it's 2 - 3 feet off the ground. The wire is also buried 2 feet deep and 1 1/2" outward from the whole perimeter of the coop and run.
I haven't let the girls free-range because I'm worried he may come back during the day. As neighbors have told me that they have seen him working down the middle of our street in broad daylight.
Fox stew is definitely not an option. Neither is trapping and relocation? I have to have a humane way of detering it from coming back. I've let our male Airedale Terrier mark the territory around the coop/run.
So I'm looking for a way to scare him off. Do those Nite Guard lights work? Anyone have any other suggestions?
