Sly Fox

[CrackedKlucker]

So we have fox issue! I need ideas on ways to stop him/her !
We think this fox maybe female with babes judging by the timeline of each attack. We had an attack about a week ago but the rooster pulled through due to our dog intervening. Now we have lost 4 chickens in the matter of 3 days. Two of which were in one night. We caught a glimpse on our deer cam. My hubs waited patiently in total darkness for 3 hours finally coming in for something to drink when we heard it....no more than 2 mins after the back door closed, the fox took out the third chicken! Today during daylight while we were outside but (elsewhere on the property) when the fox took a 8-10 week old hen. She was an escape artist and always made her way back to the coop in the evenings. We have tried fox traps, keeping the dog outside to ward off attacks. Nothen seems to work. We areare look into hotwire as it seem like only a matter of time before this fox goes for the coop. Suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds more like a coyote. Keeping birds confined in a secured coop and run is best. Running electric around the coop should stop everything. Both fox and coyote are wicked hard to catch and dispatch. It can take a lot of sitting and waiting.

 

[Red84]

I could be wrong, and I don't know where you live, but that looks like a bobcat in the picture. With the fence as a backdrop it seems to be a lack of a tail, and the underside or bottom of the tail is white. It also appears to have some spots on the fur, specifically on it's flank and belly. The back legs, closer to the feet are dark. The dark "boots" could mean a red fox, but I really don't think so. Could just be the camera too I guess. Bobcat's are definitely patient too. Have you personally seen the animal? Maybe it could be both? If it is a bobcat, they are often attracted more by movement than by scent, as canine would be. Tying feathers to a tree limb in a wind, or moving by hand, can work well. Even ribbon would work.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I could be wrong, and I don't know where you live, but that looks like a bobcat in the picture. With the fence as a backdrop it seems to be a lack of a tail, and the underside or bottom of the tail is white. It also appears to have some spots on the fur, specifically on it's flank and belly. The back legs, closer to the feet are dark. The dark "boots" could mean a red fox, but I really don't think so. Could just be the camera too I guess. Bobcat's are definitely patient too. Have you personally seen the animal? Maybe it could be both? If it is a bobcat, they are often attracted more by movement than by scent, as canine would be. Tying feathers to a tree limb in a wind, or moving by hand, can work well. Even ribbon would work.

Looks more like a deer to me.

 

[centrarchid]

Looks like a bobcat to me as well.

Also with foxes, the dad does most if not all the hunting early in the season leaving mom to stay back at den with pups. Sometimes dad will have help from young adults.