Possible Fox predator situation

[Peckerlover22]

I’ve had my chickens for nearly 3 years. Added 4 more to the 4 original last in May/June when their feathers grew in. I found that 2 chickens were missing the other night. Instead of being sleeping in the coop, they slept on top of the coop a lot this winter. I just thought they didn’t like it or the new and old weren’t getting along. The old ones weren’t sleeping in the coop either. No sign of disturbance. Found feathers under the fence of my biggest chicken. Buff Brahma. This girl was the biggest chicken I had and laid massive eggs. We found more feathers on the other side of the fence and it led under the neighbors shed. There were a bunch of eggs shells under there and some whole ones. Also, more feathers of the Buff Brahma scattered all over. We can’t see any carcass anywhere, just feathers. Neighbor said he saw a fox a few days ago in his front yard. My Rhode Island Red is completely missing. A few feathers on the other side of the fence but barely any compared to the other one. The den is big enough where I could crawl under there. Any size animal could fit including a coyote. We live in a more residential area but they have just cleared acres upon acres of land/woods to build developments down the road. I’m assuming this animal got displaced. This also happened when I was collecting eggs more often. It happened in the middle of the night as well. Approximately 12:30am. The fence was broken, some were wet (assuming from the pool), and came up to the back door screaming. They threw themselves at the back door to alert us. Any thoughts on what jerk animal did this? Also neighbors are cool…so any advice on how to remove the animal without hurting it. I know, I know….it killed my chickens but I can’t kill a living animal. We do have a trap we can put eggs in that would fit a fox. 3 years and first problem

 

[Hatching2024]

I do not have any experience with this, however, I've been doing a lot of research as I am expecting my first flock in about 2 weeks. I recently came across this YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Ums5eCUFixaJdwKxD1p9wyTSpAbUgMo ) which I have been finding helpful. I know he has a video about protection against predators, I have a pretty secure area for them already so I didn't watch it. He also clearly lives on large pastures, so I am sure he has a lot of predators to be concerned about. Hopefully this at least leads you to some possible solutions. I am really sorry to hear about your chickens though.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Chickens are totally helpless at night, and need to be in a predator proof coop, at least then. Many of us have learned the hard way that our flock housing is totally inadequate, because we've experienced losses.
Post pictures of your coop and run, if you would like advice here.
Daytime losses happen too, sometimes one bird due to a hawk, or multiples from canines, including foxes, and weasels.
When there is a loss, it's important to have your flock 'on lockdown' in their safe coop and run until the predator moves on if it's a raptor, or maybe is eliminated, if it's a ground predator.
And only trap if you will shoot! Relocating many critters is illegal in many places, look up your state (in the USA) laws about it. And more predators will show up, until your coop and run are safe.
Mary

 

[Penpal]

The only thing keeping our local fox population from my chickens is an electric fence. One reason I have Brahma is because they are too heavy to fly over the fence. The electric netting also keeps out possums and raccoons, and usually dogs and cats.

 

[McChooky]

That fox will wipe out your flock if you don't fix the coop and lock the chickens up.Once they find your flock they'll keep returning .You could have a pair making your flock high risk(they stock pile food in their dens for their babies)

 

[No Coop No Problem]

It's nice to see someone that doesn't want to just kill predators mindlessly. For the record foxes are only a danger to chickens that are locked into a coop and trapped on ground level. My chickens sleep in trees at night and so the foxes here can't touch them

Birds escape predators through flight and roosting

 

[Folly's place]

Here birds in trees are taken at night by raccoons, opossums, and owls. Only in a safe coop at night do our birds survive!
And years ago, we lost ten nice hens one afternoon, while free ranging, to a fox. Seen by workmen at the neighbor's, who didn't try to contact us...
Individual chickens vary in response to threats; for hawks it's best to hide under something, and for ground predators, to fly up into a tree or roof. Birds who 'freeze' in panic are easy marks for a canine, while birds who take wing are easy for a raptor. And I'm talking about birds who can do either, not birds who can't fly, like Silkies, or very heavy breeds.
And grey foxes do climb trees!
Mary

 

[McChooky]

It's nice to see someone that doesn't want to just kill predators mindlessly. For the record foxes are only a danger to chickens that are locked into a coop and trapped on ground level. My chickens sleep in trees at night and so the foxes here can't touch them

Birds escape predators through flight and roosting

My flock of leghorns would probably survive a fox attack but my big black australorps never leave our fenced yard and never fly except to get up on a roost.They'd be the first ones killed by a fox

 

[McChooky]

Raise game or flighty chickens if you aren't going to provide a secure coop or run.They won't last otherwise.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

My flock of leghorns would probably survive a fox attack but my big black australorps never leave our fenced yard and never fly except to get up on a roost.They'd be the first ones killed by a fox

My very first year with chickens I started out with junglefowl, games and RIR. During the first year foxes wiped out half of my RIR, however the survivors were the intelligent ones. They learned to copy the games and get high into trees at night. Since then every chicken I've ever had has learned from them. Even the Brahma roost 10 feet up

I still have RIR running around outside from my original flock, despite the foxes that live here