Red fox problems

[NJpineyflock]

Ok byc family, I need some advice. I live in the middle of the nj Pinelands, vast amounts of forest (Yes we actually do have that in nj) with many predators. We’ve had chickens for 4 years and now have had a guinea fowl flock for over a year. I have personally seen foxes and coyotes many times on my property over the years however they have never seemed to go after any of our birds. My neighbor also has a large chicken flock and our biggest problem was always hawks. Recently a red fox has started to show interest in my guinea flock and my neighbors chickens. Usually just seemed curious, he started coming around and stalking our birds so much I started firing warning shots with my shotgun to scare it off as it didn’t seem screaming at it was helping. I figured if I really scared it maybe it would avoid coming up to our house. Well 3 days ago it got one of our young guinea keets that we just hatched this year, I had them in a small pen next to the large coop as I am currently using this method to introduce them into the larger flock. The fox came at night reached in and grabbed a keet by the head and ripped most of it through the pen, literally a 1 inch by 2 inch hole. Then yesterday two days later it came back in the evening and took one of my adults. As I already stated I am a gun owner but I’ve never hunted and i do not like to kill things so I don’t want to go that route. My question is has anyone live trapped a fox? If so what trap and bait did you use, my neighbors are telling me that foxes are extremely smart and will not be easily trapped. Also I fear if I don’t do something soon my neighbor will just shoot it. Also it is summer and fox hunting season is over so I’m not sure it is legal to kill although my township has an ordinance that says you can dispatch nuisance animals that threaten your property so if anyone has lived in Hamilton twp Atlantic county knows more about these legalities i’dlove that info. Shooting this animal would be a complete last resort for me. But so far I’ve lost 2 birds in 3 days and fear it will get much worse.

 

[neo71665]

Warning shots on animals is just wasting ammo and time.

 

[archeryrob]

I'm with Neo. Get yourself some 2 3/4" 00 buck for that shot gun. It has 9 32 caliber lead balls in it and use it out to maybe 60 yards.

That fox has learned the new food source and will continue to come. Harassment will just teach him to come when he can avoid you.

 

[cmom]

The hole between the traps was made by a coyote. I had the large cage there with a bird as bait. The coyote would not go into the trap but instead tried to dig under it. The birds was ok because it was protected in a smaller cage. I guess the coyote thought it could get to it by digging underneath the trap.

 

[Eggscaping]

You are your birds' safe keeper. Their protector. You say the diameter on the pen was 1 inch by 2 inches. Predators such as raccoons and coyotes can pull a bird through chicken wire holes, which are a lot smaller than 1x2 inches. You would have to have hardware cloth, at least 1/2 inch.
You are an animal lover and don't like to kill them. Well, me too - but as stated above, I am my chicken's protector. If I put them out in a situation where they can be killed because I am unwilling to kill the thing that's after them - or upgrade their protective environment so that predator can't get to them, then I am failing them. If you keep chickens - or any livestock for that matter - you must love them more than you love the predator. And that means killing the predator if you can't protect the livestock adequately.
So there's your two choices: Upgrade your enclosure so a predator can't get in, or kill the predator.

 

[cmom]

I have my wires 3 wires high but you can put as much as you want. Be sure you have a good fence charger so whatever touches the wire it will know it. So far nothing has breached the wires. You can use the fence insulators or step in posts. I have both.

This is a chick/grow-put coop. I have 2 wires around this coop and pens and used the step in posts. The coyote knows the electric wire is there. I forgot and left the pop doors open. There is another pop door and another pen on the other side of this coop.

 

[cmom]

I have had issues with fox in the past and have caught them in live traps. I baited the traps for a few days and let the fox take the bait then set the traps. I used some old processed chicken we had that found it's way to the bottom of the freezer. If you trap you must shoot it or it will keep coming back after your birds. This one was coming during the day and killed my most favorite bird. It had to go and since I have seen more fox on my game cameras I have set up around on my property mostly at night when they usually roam here. Good luck...

Last night. I have been seeing a fox pretty regularly on my game cameras.

 

[AgnesGray]

Last night. I have been seeing a fox pretty regularly on my game cameras.
View attachment 2223743

That is one skinny fox. Looks hungry.

 

[NJpineyflock]

You are your birds' safe keeper. Their protector. You say the diameter on the pen was 1 inch by 2 inches. Predators such as raccoons and coyotes can pull a bird through chicken wire holes, which are a lot smaller than 1x2 inches. You would have to have hardware cloth, at least 1/2 inch.
You are an animal lover and don't like to kill them. Well, me too - but as stated above, I am my chicken's protector. If I put them out in a situation where they can be killed because I am unwilling to kill the thing that's after them - or upgrade their protective environment so that predator can't get to them, then I am failing them. If you keep chickens - or any livestock for that matter - you must love them more than you love the predator. And that means killing the predator if you can't protect the livestock adequately.
So there's your two choices: Upgrade your enclosure so a predator can't get in, or kill the predator.

I think this is very sound advice, I understand that if I am gonna keep livestock I need to protect it even if it means doing things I don’t want to do. My main coop is actually very secure, I haven’t had a problem in my main coop. The adult that the fox got was during the day while my guineas were free ranging. As of now my guineas do have a large run attached to their coop but keeping them in it all the time would be counter productive as I’ve started raising them to eat ticks something that is a massive problem here in the northeast and before I had my guineas my property was more infested then I’ve ever seen anywhere in my life. An electric fence wouldn’t work either cause guineas roam a whole lot and they fly well so no fence electric or otherwise would contain them so the fox could just wait until they leave that perimeter. My chickens will never be a problem as I only have 8 and they sleep in a secure coop with a large covered ru which only about 20 feet from my back porch and they have a large fenced in yard about 1 acre that they forage in during the day, as I’ve said they only problem I’ve had with them is hawk attacks. Thanks to everyone for your advice and personal stories!

 

[Big Doggie]

You are your birds' safe keeper. Their protector. You say the diameter on the pen was 1 inch by 2 inches. Predators such as raccoons and coyotes can pull a bird through chicken wire holes, which are a lot smaller than 1x2 inches. You would have to have hardware cloth, at least 1/2 inch.
You are an animal lover and don't like to kill them. Well, me too - but as stated above, I am my chicken's protector. If I put them out in a situation where they can be killed because I am unwilling to kill the thing that's after them - or upgrade their protective environment so that predator can't get to them, then I am failing them. If you keep chickens - or any livestock for that matter - you must love them more than you love the predator. And that means killing the predator if you can't protect the livestock adequately.
So there's your two choices: Upgrade your enclosure so a predator can't get in, or kill the predator.

Yeah I’m with Eggscaping. 1/2” hardware cloth properly applied is the way to go