Newbie! PLEASE HELP very worried!

Mamma2107

Hatching
6 Years
Jun 26, 2013
2
0
7
Hi guys. I'm in desperate need of some opinions. First off i'll explain my "flock" We've raised 6 ducks and 6 chickens together. We got them from TSC the day before Easter. We have keep them all together. We've had one chick die a couple days after we brought it home, and one duck died 2 days ago. We take them out during the day and then bring them into their temp enclosure at night that is on our enclosed porch. We felt confident that their coup and fenced in area was secure enough to let them be out all night. Last night was their first night. We left for a friends house and came back later than we expected to. We went directly to their coup to close them in for the night so the 2 young fox we have running around wouldn't be able to get them. When we got home none of our chickens or ducks were in their coup or in the fenced area. We found not even a handful of chicken feathers inside and outside of the fence. There was a hole where I do believe a fox or 2 had gotten in. However, there were 10 all together and none of them are anywhere to be seen. There is no blood, barely any feathers, and no duck feathers. We searched last night but did not see anything. We went out this morning and found 2 or 3 feathers in the field outback but lost the trail. I spread some feed along my property line hoping to lure them in but there is no sign of them. We have never raised them before so i'm not sure if the fox could have taken all 10 of them. I know they are young fox. Born this year. The mother was killed by a car a few days ago. My neighbors (who we aren't on good terms with) said they saw two fox running though my yard last night and the 5 ducks they had disappeared with no evidence a while back. I'm new to this so i'm not sure if the fox got all of them and I should give up hope on finding them or if they were just so scared they got out and are hiding somewhere. It worries me that they've never really free-ranged besides in a large enclosed fence that they won't have the survival skills needed to survive on their own. Only my chickens would come to us. A couple of ducks would but would mostly run from us. We tried our best to win them over. I guess they never bit us so maybe in a way they took to us. My kids are so upset and i'm not sure whether to let them down by telling them they will never come back or just keep a look out that maybe they will return in a couple of days. Someone please give me your opinions! Some people say that a fox can take a whole flock with no trace and some say they kill them all and only take a couple. HELP! PLEASE!
 
WOW.... So sorry!! From what you said and based on my encounters with fox. It sounds like they likely have been taken by the fox. Esp since the fox are young they are looking for an easy meal. Yes they could of taken all of them, esp if they had some time. They could kill and carry a couple off and then come back and do it again. They are fast.

IF your birds are still around they will come back out to you once they calm and feel safe. But Im thinking they may be lost. I am sorry and I feel for you. I have had full size Roo's taken out of a pen, with little evidence. No blood, feathers, pathway etc. There's a reason they cal them Sly Fox.

If you decide to try again with birds I suggest a hardware cloth apron around the pen/ run. Or an electric fence wire if that would be practical for your set up. I use both and it has saved me many times from loosing birds to Fox, Raccoon, and Coyotes.
 
I do want more. I'm just not sure if I want to right now. We dug underground and put the fence down in and then covered it but it did no good. I think i'm going to give it some time before we try again. Definitely lesson learned. I feel so bad. We planned on only using them for their eggs. Just letting them live their life until they died and then bury them. It's amazing how fast you can become attached to animals who are meant for food. I'm going to look some more when the daylight breaks and hope to either find some evidence or find them. Do you think if they're lost they'll find their way back? But we will definitely be making the fence more secure and make sure they are locked up before we leave home next time we get any. I do know my hubby is very angry with what happened and plans on taking care of the fox problem. Someone should have sooner. They don't care what time of day it is or whether the kids and dogs are out in the yard playing. They run right through. Very close to them. I think there might be something wrong with them or they're just too comfortable around here. Thank you for your input. Not what I was hoping for but i'd rather know than hope for something that won't happen. Thank you again!
 

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