Piles of feathers- is it a fox?

[jbuffalo]

We lost 7 chickens today- all that is left are piles of feathers and it is happening during the day- I know we have foxes in the area is that what it taking the chickens? They have been free-ranging and we have no fencing up. We haven't had any problems at night with predators. What do I do with the remaining chickens? Will fencing help?

 

[FrenchToast]

We just lost a chicken to a fox. We were out working on our horse fence while the chickens were all free ranging. We heard a squak and the chickens came running. Husband went and got the gun. There is was a fox staring back at him. He didn't shoot because at first he thought it was another chicken. (he needs glasses)
We then did a head count and discovered one of my four Buff O's was missing. We searched all over. Found a bunch of feathers. Unless there were two foxes we think she may have gotten the hen the day before and was coming back that day for more chicken dinner.
I do a head count when I close up the chickens but husband doesn't so we will never know when it happened but I'm guessing it was the day before and fox came back for more.
What a brave fox it was. It was 3pm, broad daylight. We had been running the tractor and everything. Now I know where they get the expressing sly as a fox.
Now my poor girls are locked up in their run. It is big but they sure liked to free range.
Right before this happened I had sat down and was watching the chickens thinking they were venturing a bit far but wasn't that worried because it was daylight.
My biggest concern was always hawks or eagles during the day but never even thought about a fox.
Sounds like that may be what got yours, where they all taken in one day?

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Foxes or coyotes. They both can hunt in groups. I do believe it was a fox. You usually don't see coyotes out in the middle of the day, but foxes will. We have had chickens killed by foxes in the middle of the day before.

 

[jbuffalo]

Yes, all taken in one day- we have been losing about one every couple of days and but yesterday it was a huge loss. Does electric fencing work and where do we put the hot wire- on the top of it?

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Yeah, we've JUST started really having a problem with a fox or the foxes? Last night the chooks were locked up tight but the fox really made a valiant effort - far more than it ever did in the past, at getting into the run. There are small points where it clearly bit the chicken wire and pulled it out and several spots of digging and finally we found it a small hole!

Dh is out reinforcing the chicken wire at the bottom of the run. My girls LOVED to free range, but I suspect those days are over for a good long time. We speculated that the foxes were getting so brave because they had kits to feed. What do you think??

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Hearin you all makes me glad our coops are heavy duty style chain link, and we have them cemented at the bottoms, along with out & down under ground 3 foot! We have coyotes, but it's the wild dogs we worry about because they dig & hunt 24/7!

In the afternoons when we get home we let our girls free range till dusk.

 

[mychookschick]

WOW!! I didn't realize foxes were so brave until today...I saw a fox run across the field at about 3 pm and grab a chicken I ran out the door yelling and waving my arms and he/she dropped the chicken and ran into the woods... I don't know how many are missing because they free range on like 2-3 acres and there is no way I can round them all up without leaving one to fend for itself..... I got the one that I saw him/her with and she has two deep puncture wounds on her back and she is all bald and sruffy lookin... there is atleast one other that is missing feathers but has no wounds. It was a really big fox! I have a Australian shepard/border collie/beagle mix and it was bigger than her!!!

I'll tell you the next time that I see him- OOOHH! He/she is in big trouble!!!

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

I am so sorry for your loss, why can't these creatures leave our chickens alone!!!

 

[Dutchess]

It's that time of year! They need to feed their babies! I've noticed, in this area anyway, the fox and coyotes become a lot more forward than they normally would be in any other time of the year.

 

[juliachick]

We are having fox issues as well. Trying to nurse one hen back after I chased off the fox today and it dropped her. Our issue is for sure a Mom and her three littles. One little took off w/a big barred rock all by itself. This week alone we've lost seven and it'll be eight if this one doesn't make it. Where is the best place to put the electric wire to keep foxes out when we get a pen up...I'll also dig it into the ground a bit.