Never Before Heard Call in the Night.... Fox (wav. file). Update: Tracks Update2: Saw Fox!

[Happy Chooks]

I tell people that just about everything eats chicken.

I hope both of our foxes go away soon Cyn. My coops are secure for nighttime, but it's the daytime I worry about.

 

[aart]

How did you 'encourage' Mrs. Fox to leave?

 

[speckledhen]

At risk of raising the ire of some folks as we did the neighbor, we smoked out her den. The den was in the drain pipe that ran under the road that is just outside my gated driveway, but one entrance was on right on my property. At one entrance I found barred Rock feathers, just not ones belonging to my BRs. I was free ranging my birds at the time so no idea why she didn't take one of them. I hated to do it as I believe a fox is a beautiful animal, but that was only about 200' from my coop, too close for comfort. I've been waiting for another fox to take up residence in that pipe, but so far, none have.

 

[aart]

Smoke Bomb?
Well, that's better than killing her.

 

[sn0wwhite]

I tell people that just about everything eats chicken.

Even chickens will eat chicken.

 

[GuppyTJ]

At risk of raising the ire of some folks as we did the neighbor, we smoked out her den. The den was in the drain pipe that ran under the road that is just outside my gated driveway, but one entrance was on right on my property. At one entrance I found barred Rock feathers, just not ones belonging to my BRs. I was free ranging my birds at the time so no idea why she didn't take one of them. I hated to do it as I believe a fox is a beautiful animal, but that was only about 200' from my coop, too close for comfort. I've been waiting for another fox to take up residence in that pipe, but so far, none have.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. That way, she'll have time to find a new den before winter sets in in your part of the country. Thanks for the You Tube video link of the fox sounds, very interesting. I think I've been wrongly chalking up certain sounds to night birds when it was a fox. I'll have to listen more closely from now on.

Great thread, thanks!
Guppy

 

[tatertot]

Play a radio all night...it deters foxes..also heard coyote urine deters them....if you have a dog brush clumps of loose dog hair and scatter it outside your run/coop. Tie tin pie pans so they bang...electric fence...make a floppy scarecrow out of old sweaty clothes.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't have a dog any longer. When I did, they never stayed outside, being very short haired and one smooth coated and cold natured for a large dog. Lots of rabies in this county anyway.

Guppy, that fox's den was a few years ago. No idea if she denned up elsewhere or what happened to her. I have no issues with shooting a predator, trust me, but this was a suitable solution at the time and she never took any of my birds. She took someone's birds, but not mine.

 

[speckledhen]

Yup, just saw it, 1:15 p.m., bright and sunny, right outside my fence eying my chickens. My up and coming flock leader, Indy, raised the alarm, which I heard from inside and he and younger brother, Ira, were holding the line and watching the predator, guarding the group of hens they were with. Good boys! It is a gray fox, not a red, which for some reason, surprised me. Smaller than a red, black tail tip, but scarily, they are master climbers.

 

[aart]

RutRoh!