OMG!!!!!! We have a FOX!!!!!!!!

[DuckLady]

What happened? Did you go outside and run it off?
I have been known to go out at 2 am to see what was up with the ducks and geese. Carrying a big stick of course.

 

[Love my Critters!]

You may call your local animal control or sheriff dept. In my town you call them and they loan the live traps to you for a few days or a week. Plus when you catch something they haul it far away and release it where it will be safe and away from homes. You may give that a try. I do that when I spot skunks around here. They love my chickens.

 

[MRNpoultry]

If you get a pellet gun, get one that goes at least 1,000 fps. and aim right behind the front shoulder. If he is far aim right at the edge of is back, since the bullet will be dropping.

Hope you get your fox

 

[warcard]

Rats, chipmunks, and squirrels can all trip the bigger traps, but then get out betweent he wires. Also some animals have been known to trip it from the outside and then pull the bait out through the sides.

 

[Davaroo]

Heres your motto:

FOX GOTTA GO

Get a centerfire rifle or 12 ga. shotgun and dispatch the fox. It's more humane than poison, being quick and final. It is making itself a good target, since it obviously shows no fear of human habitation. You wont even have to leave your computer.

If you trap it, you must dispatch it. DONT take it elsewhere and release it... then it becomes someone elses problem and you are guilty of being the cause. Animal control may be able to do it for you if you can't.

You have lain it a feast, a buffet if you will, with your birds. Now it becomes your responsibility. In the old days, foxes learned to avoid humans or they'd be targeted. If you leave it alone, it will make itself at home. If you pursue only half-measures, it will go underground at the first sign of threat and be harder to deal with. Either way, it will eat your birds 'til theres none left. It will also teach its young, grown up on your birds, to do the same.

FOX GOTTA GO.

 

[cjeanean]

Trust me, I know it's gotta go!!! And I have NO INTENTION of letting the thing go if I do catch it, I don't want it coming back or becoming someone else's issue. What did I do??? I knocked in the window and the thing took off. Then I spent the next hours checking on my chickens and ducks, reinforcing the duck pen, and staying up till 6am watching. I swear, I had flashbacks of every cartoon I've ever watched that has a fox as a bad guy!!!!!!! I don't know if I can get ahold of a trap, and since we aren't allowed to have firearms we might have to resort to poison. I'd really prefer not to, since I really don't like poison, but if that's the only thing I have that will get the job done then so be it. If I can't get a trap, does anyone have any suggestions on poison types?? I'd like something as quick as possible! Also, just FYI, I'll be sitting up at night watching with my brother when I do put the poison out (or trap, if I can get one) to make sure no neighborhood pets get ahold of it!

 

[LynneP]

You are likely dealing with more than one fox- likely a vixen with cubs at this time of year. While you are planning to eliminate it, think about the future and make arrangements to house your ducks safely at night.

I'm so sorry I hear the stress in your words. Our area is loaded with foxes that den up in old gold mine diggings, and we are therefore obligated to make our run predator-proof.

Is there a way you can add a roof?

 

[cjeanean]

I do have a roof! I'm so glad I put one on their run!! It's pretty much just all welded wire, it's like a big cage. It has a welded wire roof that is wired to the sides of the pen, and the door is wired shut every night. There is a foot wide strip of welded wire outside the permimeter of the fence, which is tent staked down. I'm just worried that somehow my design isn't fool-proof, and my duckies are gonna get died! I also know that my chicken coop is completely tight, at least against a predator as large as a fox, but I'm worried about that as well, since I'm not a fox and didn't design accordingly. I found a set of traps for cheap, but can't get them till next week cause we haven't gotten paid yet, but I don't know if I can go on such a small amount of sleep for that long! Should I put poison out???? All I have is that DEET or whatever it's called, the stuff for mice and rats that comes in little green pellets, and I'm wondering if I soaked the pellets in chicken blood and stuck them outside if it would do the trick. I'd prefer something a little quicker, though!

 

[MRNpoultry]

Do you want live traps or leg traps? If you are going to kill the fox it might be better to get a leg trap. If you have any pet wandering around I wouldn't use a leg trap. Usually it won't hurt a pet but I wouldn't want to take a chance.

Here is a link to Duke leg hold traps they sell lures to - http://www.murrayslures.com/duke.html

 

[flip9109]

if you are going to trap it live traps a very hard to be succesfull with, most predators are too smart to go in them. If you can get them leg hold traps work much better but are illeagel in most states (I won't tell, if use them anyway) bb guns and pellet guns are considered fire arms in some states. How ever a bow is NOT, and best of all it makes no noise.(know one will know you did it. Poisonis effective but it will kill in discriminantly. and yes foxes hunt in any weather. good luck with what ever method you choose.