Red Fox Makes Mass Kill

[guineapeeps]

I hate when the fox attacked. Sorry for your loss. My best trick is lead... Not even one thought. If they are on my property, I shoot them then into the dens then put a log in it. I've only had two Guinea keets killed by a fox- two too many
The foxes stopped me from free ranging. I wasn't even gone for twenty freaking minutes and it happened.
Sorry for anyone who has ever had this happen to them. It is terrible.

I agree....lead is the best way to make sure they don't another chicken or guinea!

 

[The Angry Hen]

I agree....lead is the best way to make sure they don't another chicken or guinea!

I find that it's the best way.

 

[centrarchid]

Wishing I could impress upon those wanting to employ heavy metals, you need to see how difficult it can be to even see the fox, let alone get a shot off. Fox comes in just before dawn. Distance from comfortable perch using rifle is a solid 100 yards. Area fox hunts is heavily vegetated. I know how to shoot but some times the situation is not proper for it.

 

[guineapeeps]

Wishing I could impress upon those wanting to employ heavy metals, you need to see how difficult it can be to even see the fox, let alone get a shot off. Fox comes in just before dawn. Distance from comfortable perch using rifle is a solid 100 yards. Area fox hunts is heavily vegetated. I know how to shoot but some times the situation is not proper for it.

In SE Iowa there is not a lot of vegetation except when the corn is up. Where I lived there, the red fox were so bold, they would come into my yard in the broad daylight to pick off my guineas. Sometimes they would even do it when I was outside with them! Maybe that is not the norm for them but a lot of the ones I've seen in my area seem to behave this way. To me, when a fox is unafraid of human presence, it needs to be eliminated.

 

[Trish1974]

Wishing I could impress upon those wanting to employ heavy metals, you need to see how difficult it can be to even see the fox, let alone get a shot off. Fox comes in just before dawn. Distance from comfortable perch using rifle is a solid 100 yards. Area fox hunts is heavily vegetated. I know how to shoot but some times the situation is not proper for it.

Amen to that! I spent 3 straight weeks, EVERY SINGLE morning, getting up at the break of dawn, trying to shoot the fox that was stalking my flock. Even though I knew his time and pattern, he threw me for a loop several times, and the two times I had the perfect shot on him I couldn't shoot in that particular direction because of the neighbor's cattle pasture. They are scary smart and fast. I believe the combination of my constant presence and my electric fence is why they don't come around anymore. I've never had such a hard time hunting an animal as I did a fox.

 

[Trish1974]

Maybe that is not the norm for them but a lot of the ones I've seen in my area seem to behave this way.

That is normal for them around here. The fox were coming through here shortly after sunrise and skulked around until about noon.

 

[Scratchychiken]

I believe part of my success against some predators like foxes, raccoons, and coyotes has to do with NOT trapping and killing them.

I am no veteran when it comes to dealing with predators, but I know most of the land predators are quite territorial, (even heard some coons fighting it out this morning).

For example: say a fox or a raccoon comes upon a chicken coop in it's territory for the first time.

Of course it will test the coop to the limit, if it can't get in no matter how hard it tries, it will move off and try again later. When it tries later and can't get in (assuming you keep your coop strong) it will eventually give up completely, maybe giving the coop a glance or check-over every now and then. My point is instead of killing the fox/coon and having a new one move in time after time to test your chicken coop, keep that ol' frustrated predator around. It doesn't get rid of the predator problem obviously, but you won't have to deal with him or her coming up and testing it that much (and that way it usually won't take advantage of anything broken as much after it has given up.)

I'm not saying it is bad to get rid of predators. If the predator in the area becomes bolder and starts taking birds in the day (if you free range your feathered friends). Then I say shoot them or trap them, better to be rid of a bolder predator than keep it around instead of one that is shy.

Just my two cents.

 

[guineapeeps]

I believe part of my success against some predators like foxes, raccoons, and coyotes has to do with NOT trapping and killing them.
Good points!
I am no veteran when it comes to dealing with predators, but I know most of the land predators are quite territorial, (even heard some coons fighting it out this morning).

For example: say a fox or a raccoon comes upon a chicken coop in it's territory for the first time.

Of course it will test the coop to the limit, if it can't get in no matter how hard it tries, it will move off and try again later. When it tries later and can't get in (assuming you keep your coop strong) it will eventually give up completely, maybe giving the coop a glance or check-over every now and then. My point is instead of killing the fox/coon and having a new one move in time after time to test your chicken coop, keep that ol' frustrated predator around. It doesn't get rid of the predator problem obviously, but you won't have to deal with him or her coming up and testing it that much (and that way it usually won't take advantage of anything broken as much after it has given up.)

I'm not saying it is bad to get rid of predators. If the predator in the area becomes bolder and starts taking birds in the day (if you free range your feathered friends). Then I say shoot them or trap them, better to be rid of a bolder predator than keep it around instead of one that is shy.

Just my two cents.

Good point!

 

[Birdinhand]

@Scratchychiken, that's a fascinating point, giving me some thought. I have a small enough coop and run and experience with losing a whole flock to foxes, that I made the investment to hardware cloth it, wall to wall and down 2 ft, and no problems. I have two doors, with two latches each at the corners. I realize this is not practical for a big run but it does mean I don't have to be killing critters all the time, though I do keep rat traps out pretty much year round.

 

[Stephine]

Sorry to hear about your loss......
Ugh..I hate fox! I lost a number of my guineas to them right in broad daylight. They would hide in the cornfield and dart into the yard and grab a guinea right in front of me! I had a hard time eliminating them because they are so sneaky and fast. I ended up leaving a stereo out tuned into talk radio. I put it near where the guineas would hang out and cranked it up all day long. (Luckily I didn't have any neighbors nearby to complain!) This pretty much ended my fox problem. (I didn't see them much during daylight hours after that. I would see them at night, but by that time the guineas were locked in for the night)....I guess they didn't like the noise or the political commentary!

Tried and true method! I was told that the previous owners of our farm had a skunk family move into the barn. They weren’t allowed to kill them, couldn’t trap and release (apart from the spraying risk, relocating a wild animal is not allowed here) and got no other help from fish and game or whoever it is that’s responsible for these things here. So they put a radio in the barn and blasted loud rock music day and night and the skunks eventually moved out again. Yay! Might have to try that for the darn ground squirrels soon...