Red Foxes! How do I get rid of them?

[Weeg]

@Weeg makes a good point too. But regardless of your plan with the healthy one that’s giving you trouble, it’s only humane to try to find a way to dispatch the unhealthy fox, or contact someone that can catch and treat it, mange can be dealt with I believe.

Yes, that makes perfect sense. An unhealthy fox will likely die anyway, and can carry diseases. Killing the healthy living ones though, will only allow other predators into the territory, which will then kill your chickens if they are living in a coop that isn't safe, and secure.

 

[Geena]

@Weeg makes a good point too. But regardless of your plan with the healthy one that’s giving you trouble, it’s only humane to try to find a way to dispatch the unhealthy fox, or contact someone that can catch and treat it, mange can be dealt with I believe.

Yep, it's actually pretty easy. I always treat any mangy foxes around my place with Ivomec. Mostly so that they won't transmit sarcoptic mites to my dogs, but also for the foxes themselves. But I don't have a problem with foxes, if they were after my chickens they'd just get shot.

 

[Isaac 0]

I have 50+ free-ranging birds, and there is no way I could possibly make a run large enough to house that many without hygiene problems. Three years ago, I had problems with foxes stealing some of the birds, tried shooting them onsight, but they seemed to know when I was waiting, so dug in some coil-spring traps, set them with some of the dead bird, and in a week caught/dispatched all five foxes. I attach a cowbell to the chain, and can hear when they're caught from inside the house. Flash forward today, no new predators have moved in, and I'm fox free.

If they're getting that close, I'd say go for the gun.

 

[Pinfeathersgeek]

I have 50+ free-ranging birds, and there is no way I could possibly make a run large enough to house that many without hygiene problems. Three years ago, I had problems with foxes stealing some of the birds, tried shooting them onsight, but they seemed to know when I was waiting, so dug in some coil-spring traps, set them with some of the dead bird, and in a week caught/dispatched all five foxes. I attach a cowbell to the chain, and can hear when they're caught from inside the house. Flash forward today, no new predators have moved in, and I'm fox free.

If they're getting that close, I'd say go for the gun.

Thank you and I agree with you over 10 years and the other red fox never bothered our flock I'll look up the coil spring traps for sure. Our neighbor came over and said that the fix had apparently been living behind his fence under an old trailer and wood pile that property owner was removing the wood and the fox came bolting out so that could be why it's coming over here now it's searching for a new den. I'm sorry to everyone that doesn't want them killed, I believe that they will not move on and I'm not going to have them running all around our property during the daylight all afternoon not being very fearful of Humans at all. Their a danger to our chickens & pets and to Humans. I haven't seen the mangie one again but I'm sure it's around. Thank you, Thank you we're looking at putting up 8' fencing and our coop is secure it's just the pen that's not. And at least I will be doing all I can to kill them.

 

[Pinfeathersgeek]

All you need to do is predator proof your cop. I fit can't get het chickens, it will leave. IF it sin't getting food why stay? IT WILL move on if it can' teat. WE have lost flocks to Coyotes, Raccoons, and Cougars, and we didn't kill one of them. We just predator proofed more and they left. That is the only solution. Otherwise, another predator will just come and get the chickens if you don't predator proof anyway. This is may advice, with LOTS of predator experience, it WORKS! There is no need to kill this fox. No need at all. I agree with @Sulky Bantam and sorry for your loss.

Our coop is secure our pen isn't we're working on that now.

 

[Pinfeathersgeek]

Yep, it's actually pretty easy. I always treat any mangy foxes around my place with Ivomec. Mostly so that they won't transmit sarcoptic mites to my dogs, but also for the foxes themselves. But I don't have a problem with foxes, if they were after my chickens they'd just get shot.

I haven't seen the mangie one again but I'm sure it's still around.

 

[KingD]

Kill the fox and hang it up so other foxes can see it. They won't come back in a hurry. Trust me. All the farmers do it around here.

 

[KingD]

Trap it and shoot it. I hate foxes, I have no time for them.

 

[Pinfeathersgeek]

Trap it and shoot it. I hate foxes, I have no time for them.

I do have another friend who said he's got traps so getting ahold of him he's also not afraid to kill them for us.

 

[SulkyBantam]

All you need to do is predator proof your cop. I fit can't get het chickens, it will leave. IF it sin't getting food why stay? IT WILL move on if it can' teat. WE have lost flocks to Coyotes, Raccoons, and Cougars, and we didn't kill one of them. We just predator proofed more and they left. That is the only solution. Otherwise, another predator will just come and get the chickens if you don't predator proof anyway. This is may advice, with LOTS of predator experience, it WORKS! There is no need to kill this fox. No need at all. I agree with @Sulky Bantam and sorry for your loss.

Thanks @Weeg, thought no one agreed with me!