Predators.......

[Well Seasoned]

If you have been baiting him, a box trap may work. I have trapped/snared a lot of red fox, but only 4 in box traps. One was an adult male with a broken lower jaw - poor thing was starving, and the other 3 were kits. Most wild animals have a strong homing instinct, and I doubt that 20 miles poses a return problem for a fox.

I put out fried chicken hanging in a box style trap, concealed with branches I just cut. This is where I have been baiting. Its raining hard, so hopefully there is success tonight. Catching a fisher cat would totaly suck tomorrow morning

 

[Angela Thomson]

Something has been attacking my ducks. I have four. They are alive but have been attacked twice! I only let them out when I’m there so whatever it is is brave! They love foraging the edge of the woods. We are outside most of the time when they are out. I’m thinking it’s a feral cat, otherwise I would have dead ducks.

 

[cmom]

So far, black bear, bobcat, and fox. The fox is the tricky one. The birds are well secured, except against bears. One could easily tear the hardware cloth right off the run, at night- they are secure, but during the day while at work, they are vulnerable. We know fish and game well (YES, the north woods law guys ) and they suggest electrifying the coop. We have this on deck in the next couple weeks. Meanwhile for anyone hoping to identify and catch a predator in action- besides for a solar motion light, we've integrated an audible motion sensor that can be turned on or off. We turn it on during the overnight hours and it goes off about once a week. This allows me to get up and see what's lurking. It's kept the bears away and bobcat, but the fox is smart. There's a humane trap waiting for him should he show up, where ill relocate him to the game preserve about a 20 minutes drive from here. It came after our girls one evening, but they got away- what a miracle! Fox can and will learn your schedule and attack at the perfect time. Unfortunately for him he got busted.

I notice you are a fairly new member, I have used leg traps and permanently relocated a fox after it killed several of my birds. It dug under a gate. Pretty much everyone who owns or has owned chickens have lost their share to a predator. I my self have had plenty. One that really baffled me was I could not find a place where any predator had penetrated. I put a game camera up and saw the predator, it was an owl. I have to protect from predators such as coyotes, fox, coons, possums, bobcats, skunks, owls, hawks, There all here and looking for a chicken dinner. I have electric around my pens and coops for the diggers. When they touch the wire they don't come back to test it again. Concrete under the gates for the diggers, Netting over the pens for the owls and hawks. I haven't lost a bird to a predator for a long time but have had my share in the past. We are rural. I do have some game cameras set up in different places on our property and most nights see critters on them.

 

[cmom]