Should I trap the fox?

[Zoologist]

Please don’t kill the animals try and relocate them if possible?

 

[FunClucks]

If the hardware cloths attached properly predators can't yank the wire off but if you're concerned welded or woven wire would make it stronger.Your apron will keep diggers out.

That's comforting to hear, thank you.

 

[FunClucks]

If you have the space and means. I recommend a dog that is meant for livestock guarding. We raise sheep and poultry and without out our dogs? Its over. Most important tool on our land are our pyrenees. Takes time to get the dog to where it needs to be and can be 100% trusted but when its done you can sleep knowing that whatever is plotting on eating your flock will be thwarted. Just my two cents.

I don't have the space or means, but if I did, I would have one of these.

 

[TOR]

If you know how or direction they are coming you could try some deterrent type spray. Raccoons scat around I would not want as they can carry parasites. For that matter possum, skunk etc.
Problem with spray is would need to be reapplied, but there are many recipes on the internet.
I was helping at fair recently having conversation with lady which lives country, She makes her own spray keeps animals out of her garden, flowers etc. I do not know what she used or how she made it.
Also you can hang some of that bright orange ribbon off electric fence as a reminder so not to touch.
Just a thought.
Good Luck

 

[McChooky]

If you know how or direction they are coming you could try some deterrent type spray. Raccoons scat around I would not want as they can carry parasites. For that matter possum, skunk etc.
Problem with spray is would need to be reapplied, but there are many recipes on the internet.
I was helping at fair recently having conversation with lady which lives country, She makes her own spray keeps animals out of her garden, flowers etc. I do not know what she used or how she made it.
Also you can hang some of that bright orange ribbon off electric fence as a reminder so not to touch.
Just a thought.
Good Luck

It makes me nervous when I see where somethings been digging around my run. My apron is 16" wide and 12" deep but still a determined digger could get in !(I check it every day!) After a good rain I grab a bag of cayenne powder and sprinkle it around the run so it'll feel the pain if it tries to dig in. I also keep a canister of mace handy in case I run into a predator at 3 am in the morning!I'm bad for checking on my chickens in the middle of the night to make sure they're okay.

 

[ashcons]

They're not all old enough to understand they shouldn't touch it.

Kids learn quickly.

 

[McChooky]

That's a good idea. But I have small children who like to feed the chickens grass through the hardware cloth coop "walls", I worry about them encountering the electric fence. They're not all old enough to understand they shouldn't touch it. I'll keep that idea in the back of my mind though. Thank you.

Your children could have an dangerous encounter with a predator if they stumble upon one. Predators can be a lot more more dangerous than an electric fence.

 

[McChooky]

We have bear, coyotes, bob cats and coons so I keep a can of mace handy in case I encounter one at the coop. I've seen a coon and a couple possums and a rat snake 5 ft long

 

[chicknmania]

Put out a trap or two and kill whatever gets caught. Make sure the bait is attached to the back wall. You are unlikely to trap a fox, they are just too clever. Or maybe not so clever. They will generally not go into a tunnel that they can't turn around i. They will not walk backwards out, they will only turn around. So, you might be able to trap one, but not in a conventional trap.

Thats ridiculous to just trap anything and kill it. Just hurry and get the coop built!

 

[McChooky]

Time is on your side.It'll eventually hunt someplace else or starve to death.