My first Fox attack that ended in a kill

[Shellz]

Yeah MyGirls, the collection didn't happen overnight. It was basically on a 'as needed' basis. We moved here just over 3 years ago, & didn't have a clue what was here. Now we know. Just about everything that likes to eat chicken! Lol! This year will be the real test to see if I can nail anything larger than a coon. I'm hoping some warm weather hunting with the foxpro will do the trick!

Slick shotguns, Chi! Like the compactness of the KSG. Don't know if I would really NEED it though! Still, looks like fun!

 

[3 NH reds]

no I'll be lad when dog is gone... The dog guards his livestock and eats the neighbors chicken haven't heard him today..

Check your state laws. Lady in Ma had 40 pet chickens and the neighbors dog dug in and killed them all. She had all of them named. The only good thing was someone from the town office found an old law in the books that if dogs destroy livestock the owner gets compensation. This is a fee that is built into all MASS dog licenses. Solar electric fence packs one heck of a wallop and can go for quite a distance. You could even build a small fenced in area near your birds and bait it with whatever. The shock is a loud snap and they will leave. We had coyote come in one night when I was on call. All the dogs were in and going nuts. Just as my wife got ready to grab a light and check it she heard a loud coyote yelp that lasted for ever as it ran away. My dogs got it and will not come within15 feet of the coops or runs, heck I got it once tossing corn in and ouch

. My girls20 you might get a game timer that will give you time and pictures of what is around. With this you could find a pattern sit in a chair with foxy your .22lr and take care of the problem. Mass is so PC when police come on a deer hit by a car and they need to put it out of its pain the paper calls it "dispatching". I guess this sounds better than shooting the deer.

 

[Mygirls20]

My girls20 you might get a game timer that will give you time and pictures of what is around. With this you could find a pattern sit in a chair with foxy your .22lr and take care of the problem. Mass is so PC when police come on a deer hit by a car and they need to put it out of its pain the paper calls it "dispatching". I guess this sounds better than shooting the deer.

Ya I will get one with a timer. It snowed last night and there are fresh tracks everywhere I MEAN EVERYWHERE I know its probably only one for but looks like 5 lol. he does seem to bed staying away from the chicken coop its like he doesnt want to walk on the new chicken wire I placed on the ground outside. He poops right on the edge of the chicken wire

and will walk off

I did find a fresh bunny kill this morning on the edge of my property though. Made me very happy (not cause the bunny is dead) it means someone is hunting again Fox? Coyote? I dont care as long as it wasnt a dead chicken I am good. UUGG I had a nightmare last night that I went out to my coop and everything was dead. I woke up this morning in a panic ran out on my porch forgetting it snowed with nothing but my socks on lol had to run back to grab my boots. I think I was still somewhat asleep my husband was looking at me like I lost my mind and my kids were just laughing UUgg these chickens are going to worry me to death lol Cant wait to build our new coop. We are going to do the solar electric fencing

around the coop

 

[Shellz]

That's awesome MyGirls! I wish we could afford electric fence. I've got a crew out back taking apart my bridge and removing all the old wood. We are going to be so broke when its all done! It's all about priorities. The bridge was starting to fall apart. Found a log from one of the supports floating in the pond last week. This project was a year in planning, and the crew just started this week. Next year it will look fantastic with some white Muscovy ducks!

 

[Steemroo]

Sorry I've missed a few days. Had a scare last night - forgot & left the tiny Seramas in yard after sundown. Heard the rooster doing his alarm yell - had to tell my kid who was closer to door to RUN -every second counts!

Got out there - no birds.. Had the worst happened? Up in sky heard an angry shriek of a predator bird! Then one by one we found all the birds hiding. The little rooster had saved them. Family got the worst of it - the old lets not be sloppy lecture . Aimed as much at me, too.

Bridge project sounds nice - sorry it costs so much. With ducks it should look awesome.

Electric fences are a pain. Haha. . Seriously, though, grass can come up and short it.. They require maintenance - but not too hard, unless it's a big cattle fence....

 

[Shellz]

Yeah, birds of prey suck, and we can't do anything about those. That was too close! Glad your seramas are ok. I'm pretty much on my own for bird care, so if anything happens, its all my fault. I actually saw an owl swoop down on my Muscovy a few years ago, just before sunup. Was just a grey blur, and the duck made a narrow escape, flying to the pond. Had a hawk scare last year, middle of the day in summer. I saw feathers & a brazen hawk just sitting under my front window! Was not too intimidated by me. Had to shoo him away a couple of times to finally get him to go further away. All birds were hiding & eventually accounted for.

Can't wait for project to be finished, but they just started. Hope the best part is done in a month, then I'll post pics.
I'm going to try leaving dog outside this summer, & if I ever go out, taking a gun with me! Hope this works. I've got the time.

 

[Mygirls20]

yikes that was a close call Steamroo So glad everyone is alright.

Good luck on your bridge shellz we have to replace our deck this year ugg!!!!! Everything is so expensive 4 grand for some wood to replace a deck really?!?! I cant even imagine how much a bridge would cost Blah!! I def want a pic with the ducks in it hehe

 

[Steemroo]

Thanks, yeah even if it were legal to shoot hawks or owls (unless you are a qualifying Native American, it is very illegal), I wouldn't.

We need to finish the little birds' run - then they'll have wire overheard. Next we may do yard tractors so they aren't always in a dirty, poopy run - and can forage.

True pasturing of a large flock ould be daunting. Electric netting is so pricey when you want to cover acres - so is overhead netting. A good guard dog - trained notg to kill chickens, can't stop hawks - but they say hawks have a hard time killing bigger chickens.

Serama are pigeon sized though. But very much real chickens - they forage - and that little rooster does his job.

 

[Shellz]

Yeah, this stuff really adds up! Our docks are awful too! They had to rip one out already. No big deal. The infrastructure is made of wood & erosion is just horrendous these last 2 years. Perhaps the previous owners knew this day would come & didn't want to deal with it. Is ok, we'll make it to last longer! Sure wood looks good, but we aren't replacing it every 10 years! Going to be some big a** stone in there now! Yay! Now I really can't wait to get ducks! It's gonna look so purdy! Lol!

 

[Shellz]

Hey Steemroo, I've heard a Giant Jersey rooster can keep hawks away, or a goose even. Just what I've heard, anyway. I had thought about getting a pair of geese. Heard they can be much like a guard dog. Hmmm,...wonder if its too late to order....nah, don't have the space yet. Next year, waterfowl on my list! Yeah! Weeder geese even better!