Lost One to a Fox - Free Range Hiatus - Advice Needed Please

[Tiana's chickens]

I'm in Australia too and have had foxes take chooks in the past but our two dogs are very good at keeping the foxes away. A friend of mine has a dog that's killed 4 foxes aswell

 

[MickWithChicks]

Shoot it if you can. They will not stop until you are chicken-less.

Shooting it isn't an option here. We have strict gun licensing and use laws in Australia where even if I was licensed, usage in my area would be strictly forbidden.

Sorry you lost so many chickens in such a small amount of time. Hopefully with your gun laws there you'll be able to stay on top of the predation issues in a much more efficient way then I'll ever be able to.

I'm in Australia too and have had foxes take chooks in the past but our two dogs are very good at keeping the foxes away. A friend of mine has a dog that's killed 4 foxes aswell

The neighbours on both sides of me have large dogs who have chased down this particular fox to no avail. We don't have a dog of our own to prevent an attack, but often the dog belonging to the neighbour to the north hangs out in my yard by the chickens.

I think fortified fencing in a smaller space (no more full free range of my 2 acres ) with an electric triple line setup. Corrugated iron with a 90° bend at the bottom to bury some to prevent digging. A height of 1.8m with chicken wire to stop most predators jumping over. Then the triple wire electric fence should prevent anything that's cunning like a fox. I have most of the bits on hand, I just need to get some posts and the electric wiring.

 

[Howard E]

Mick: You plans for the electric fence, etc. sound good.

What follows below are for those who can have guns and want to use em.......although I think the fox will win that battle most of the time. They will come around when you are not........

This is the image used as my avatar, and that pretty much is me, including the double barrel shotgun. It once belonged to my grandfather. 12 gauge, 28" barrels with modified and full choke. When used with #4 buckshot, one shot is the rough equivalent to 22 to 24 .22 rifle shots spreading out to a 3 to 4 foot circle at 40 yards, which allows for a wide margin of error on a fast moving target.

Anything up to a large dog inside 50 yards is in serious trouble. They hit the ground graveyard dead. At close range, you could turn something as small as a rat into hamburger.

With the correct loads, even a diminutive single shot .410 inside 20 yards is a lethal weapon for anything short of a bear.

Shotguns offer potent short range firepower with far less worry about what exists downrange of your target. Shooting a rifle in a populated area is no trivial thing.

Years ago, a local guy found himself in the news after he shot at and missed a rabbit in his garden. He was shooting up a hill. His missed shot traveled over half a mile.....including over an Interstate highway, and when it came down, hit a women in the head and killed her dead where she was standing. He was convicted for manslaughter and served time for it. Just saying.