Sneaky Fox steals breakfast

[BooBear]

Came home to find out that a fox came calling for breakfast this morning. Ma said it snuck around the big philidawndra plant the chickens use for cover. Said it looked like a red fox.

The chickens hide under that plant from areal predators and during the summer it provides great shade. They use it like a nursery when they start bring out chicks from the coop to the main yard. Unfortunately it is not fox proof.

I counted and checked to see who was here and who was missing as there was a patch of white fluffy down feathers in front of the goat pen. Look like it came from Cloud, splash wyandotte rooster. He is still ok and still has a tone of feathers. However, he kept going to that spot this evening.

Ma said the goats were walking around real scittish, shoulder to shoulder until they were sure the fox had actually gone. The chickens kept running in one big circle screaming their heads off. Poor things.

Much to my sadness I notice sweet, dingy, little Rita is no longer among the flock.

She was the smallest of my Silkie hens and would space out the most. Her poof was trimmed to where she could see; however, she would still just stop and space out.
Rita was the last of the very first batch of hatching eggs that I hatched using a brooder. She was a good little momma and even adopted Lola the peahen.

Now we got to come up with a plan to get rid of a fox that has discovered our place as a chicken buffet. Don't want to loose any more of my girls.

Below is a picture of her before her poof trim.

 

[fogandcopper]

You might try to set a trap for it.

 

[luvmyEs]

How do you set a trap for a fox?

 

[shmccarthy]

From what I've seen/heard fox are very difficult to trap.

 

[ShakeragSusan]

I'm trying to trap a red fox, but so far, I've just fed it bait.

Sorry for your loss. Foxes aren't nearly as cute as they were before I had chickens.

 

[Ribbit]

Foxes are clever, very clever.
Trying to trap it wouldn't really work, either shoot it or get a rhea, emu or llama. (emus and rheas can deliver kicks that will kill foxes, and break your ribs if you're not careful, from what i've heard they're very hostile towards foxes)
They're very good guards c:

and guaranteed not to eat chickens.

 

[smccuen]

maybe getting up early and finding a downwind, hidden but line-of-sight place to sit with a big cup of caffeine and waiting for it with a rifle ready will be the easiest way to go. It will be back.

 

[blythspirit]

This makes me so sad... I hope you get rid of the fox..fast, it will continue to kill everyone of your chickens if you don't get it first.

 

[Dowie]

Daytime fox, huh? That's not good, that's a serious fox.

Get a llama. Emus are crazy! Especially the boys. I've had a fox get two of my girls, got into their coop one night. I've never wanted to shoot any animal until then, was so angry, but it was my fault for not making the coop predator proof.