Manitoba Members

[blkjak]

Any one have any experience with a daytime predator? I think it must be a fox. Have not seen it but missing birds almost everyday for 3 days and the odd day before that. I free range during the day. I have cut the grass in the chicken yard so all the birds can see unless they go into the long grass. Traps are out bated with catfood but with no success.

 

[niglefritz]

Because of a fox, we have our birds all contained. One was brave enough (most likely because of kits) to take many muscovy drakes in broad daylight when we were all in the yard. She did this in grazed pasture. She also came back through the winter any time of day to check things out. I only saw her twice, but saw evidence of her presence more often.

You might want to get a wounded rabbit call and sit out there waiting for it...or use some birds (safely in a separate compartment) in a live trap. It is not trapping season for foxes nor are their pelts worth a lot right now anyway, but perhaps you could talk with a trapper?

Foxes will know the routines and watch and wait out everything when routines change and so will quickly adapt. It could be a couple weeks between each strike, repeated throughout a day or week, or any time day or night. They are determined, especially with hungry mouths to feed.

My mom claims that no dog can outsmart/outwit a fox. She also said that they can squeeze through 2" holes (I can attest to that). I have also read that they can scale a 6'fence. If you have an outdoor pen, it should have a 2' hardware cloth wire skirt around the base at ground level as well to keep it from digging underneath.

They aren't called sly for nothing. Good luck!

 

[niglefritz]

You could try electric grid wire around your area too.

 

[garth66]

I have barred rocks pullets if you're still looking

[email protected]

 

[blkjak]

Fox got 2 roosters yesterday (one of them my 10 pound JG rooster). Fox got 2 hens today and then tried for a rooster right in the yard in front of us. My DH, my son, my dad and my BinL got the guns and went in the bush. Fox wont be back. It was a big 20 male. Hopefully his mate will stay away or she will meet the same fate.

 

[niglefritz]

Good to hear that they got him. Awesome.

Did the fox get your new JG or the older one?

Since the fox got so many, is there anything that you are now on the search for?

 

[blkjak]

He got my original JG rooster. New guy was still in the chicken tractor with my hens. In total I lost 10 ducks and 16 chickens and 4 guineas. Not sure if they were all lost to the fox but most were.
Not looking for anything specific. Still hatching chicks and keets. Stuck 11 eggs under a broody Chanty hen tonight. Have 2 more broody hens that are waiting for eggs I want them to hatch. I am having a hard time getting my Isbar eggs to go. They are fertile but will not form chicks. Not sure what is going on.

 

[JJFarms]

Hi All, has any one had trouble with broody hens? With all this humidity I have to brake one hen every week....now we went away for the weekend and came back to 3 broodies!!!! Groan! I need eggs! Any suggestions to keep them from going broody?

 

[niglefritz]

Haha...it is so bad that one of our roosters is on a nest. No eggs coming forth from him yet. lol I am wondering if having him in the nest so often will kick our hens in that pen into lay mode again. They were body all summer.

I really have no advice. It will be interesting to hear if anyone else has any to share.

 

[garth66]

I've heard dunking them in water smacks the broody out if them?? Never tried it.