OMG found a fox about to kill my chickens! Need help fox proofing

[DianaMallory]

I'm in uk, all guns are illega

HOORAY UK! We need tougher gun laws here but the **** NRA is controlling our government and we can't get anything passed in congress to do anything about it!

 

[Buxton Ducks]

HOORAY UK! We need tougher gun laws here but the **** NRA is controlling our government and we can't get anything passed in congress to do anything about it!

Oh boy, this is going to start something....

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Only with certified farmers who can prove livestock are being harmed.

 

[XxMingirlxX]

The only people who can get guns here are certified farmers with shotguns who can prove that the livestock is affected, they mainly shoot badgers though, most far,s have goats so the hickeys are mainly fine.

 

[peepshow2310]

To update: I haven't found a handyman to help fix the chicken area so I have been putting the ladies in dog crates in the garage each night. Ugh, alot of work as you can imagine! They are so stressed of course they're not laying. That's the least of my problem. This fox has come back each night looking for them. My neighbor got up at 6 AM for her run and he was sleeping on her lit front porch. It took her a while to get him off her porch! I live in a somewhat big city and in a neighborhood, we're NOT out in the country. My research has shown that foxes and coyotes thrive in urban areas and proliferate more than what would be normal if they were not in an urban area. The food is plentiful and they become accustom to humans.

We have idiots in our neighborhood that "feed" the coyotes and foxes and people that argue that "they were here first". It doesn't matter when we've had rabies here lately and they're becoming an nuisance on your personal property eating small pets. Maybe those people should leave their toddlers out the play at dusk and see how they feel about who was here first. Last I checked, I am at the top of the food chain.

As far as being illegal, if it is, getting into legal trouble isn't worth a fox. You don't know my neighbors.....

At any rate....defoxing my yard is still a work in progress

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Electric fencing helps, so do goats but I can not vouch for them personally. What I would do is get a bb gun (google them I don't know what they're called in the states, but basically a pellet gun.) In the Uk you can't get guns but you can get those with sniper sights etc. You can also get paint bullets for them so you can tell if it's one blighter or multiple - even if it doesn't kill it will hurt and scare them and leave a mark so you know which one you are dealing with. Until you can deal with the fox directly or get an electric fence to protect them there are other things you can do. For example you can get a secure coop with a run cheaply and keep them in it while you are not around ( I'm not sure how many chickens you have so you might need multiple ) and
Et them out when you are there. Or you could get special metal caging. Basically where I am it's about £10 per two and a half by two metres part and from it you can secure a completely fox proof run( you attaches many as you want to the sides, underneath and dig dirt over and some on top and it's completely fox proof until you can deal with the problem.
Hope this helped.

 

[peepshow2310]

Thanks xxmingirlxx! We are in the heart of a large city so can't have goats. Building an electric fence isn't much of an option. Either unless we somehow installed it near the base over the already present chicken wire. We did some things last night and left them out (vs in dog crates locked in the garage at night). I slept in a guest bedroom that faces the chickens. I also set up random things he'd have to knock over first so if hear it. Nothing all night. I have a pellet gun that as high powered as they come. I do love your idea about the paint gun. I know there are tons of foxes around here but it would make me feel a bit better knowing it was the same one. That is, until I got caught. The city and county has such strict laws regarding wildlife (and ANY use of guns). It's frustrating because if this were a person coming into my yard taunting
me and my family he would get arrested.
Thanks again!

 

[XxMingirlxX]

No problem how about throwing knives, there are no laws against those along as its in you own home, you can get a set cheaply and google methods on how to use them. After about an hour of practice on some sort of target then you will be quite a good aim. Then if the fox is really lying down facing you off you will be able to get it.
Hope this helps

 

[DianaMallory]

Oh boy, this is going to start something....

Not trying to get anything going but when you have so many Americans that want the laws changed and you can't get passed congress to get it done, and our congressmen are suppose to be working for the people (but we all know who they really work for} it is pathetic situation! I believe hunters, and farmers should be able to own guns don't get me wrong! But I see no reason for someone who lives in the city to own or open carry a firearm! There are so many simple things that can be done, that would make improvements to our problems here. But with our bought and paid for congress we don't get anything done! They are worthless! I don't want to out law guns I just want harsher restrictions on them!

 

[chicken266]

With all the knowledge I know
Do not use chicken wire! This can be easily tore by the fox
The best thing to use is mesh or high fence
With my chicks I keep them close to my house..... Although I have dogs which would most likely scare away any predators

I wish the best of luck for you and your chicks:cd