Killed chicken and buried, mystery killer?

[blairctchickens]

Everything I have read about fox's MO i.e. pattern of procedure, states they will kill multiple birds and then take them away from the area and then bury them. Nothing about leaving them in the immediate area buried.

 

[chickens really]

Hmmmm? Fox attack here a month ago....Stashed one right by Coop and took the other.....It happens.....

 

[blairctchickens]

interesting..........going to need more traps!! LOL

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes it could be a fox just as easily as a bobcat. How is it getting into the chickens? Fixing that is gong to be more reliable than a trap.

Not all predators read the book. If you carefully read what the experts say they use weasel words like "usually" or "often". The reliable ones do not say that each and every fox in the entire world will do this each and every time without fail.

When I was a kid we had a fox take one chicken every morning just after daylight and the chickens went out. It never came back during the day, but was there every morning to get one chicken and carry it away until Dad figured out its pattern and shot it. That fox did not take multiple chickens on a visit, it did not bury them nearby. This does not mean yours could not be a fox, it could be.

 

[blairctchickens]

Well our dogs alerted us to a fox in the run last night the fox was not disturbed by my flashlight in its eyes. It sniffed the trap and went on its way. This is going to get interesting as I figure out how to get rid of it.

 

[rjohns39]

Well our dogs alerted us to a fox in the run last night the fox was not disturbed by my flashlight in its eyes. It sniffed the trap and went on its way. This is going to get interesting as I figure out how to get rid of it.

Can you tell how it got in? Are you allowed to have electric fence where you are?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm glad you know what you are dealing with, that helps a lot. I'll say it again, how is it getting into the run? Your best defense is to fix that.

I've never trapped a fox but one way I've seen on here is to fix up a trap where you use a live chicken as bait. Fix something where you can put a chicken in a cage the fox cannot get to, then fix a tunnel leading to your trap with that cage behind the trap. Fix it so the only way the fox can approach that chicken is through the trap.

 

[blairctchickens]

Well my luck has run out on the run I have rolled the dice on. My run has a large maple tree in the middle which help shade the coop and area. Thus makes it difficult to make a secure run. The neighbors have a wood pile that backs up to one end of the run and that is where the fox gains access. So I am looking into electric fencing to help solve this issue. also I do have some thoughts on the live chicken as bait. Just need to get a cage to set it up.

 

[Folly's place]

It's very difficult to trap foxes; they are smart! If you could shoot it, that would be best, but only if it's legal and safe where you are. Meanwhile, time for a big run upgrade, and electric poultry netting works very well. You were lucky that your fox only killed one bird! Mary

 

[Akrnaf2]

canines ,red foxes, gray foxes,( your own dog?) Will act like that.