I have a wonderful big gentle sweet Buff Orpington Roo named Russell. I live next door to a lady who has 23 chickens and I have 12. Russell will go between both homes to "check" on his ladies. I have always let my adult 3 ladies and Russell free range and have never really had an issue. That is until yesterday...I was inside making supper when I had a bad feeling..ran outside in time to see a fox trying to carry my Russell off...I screamed and ran towards him and then he turned and attacked the fox..the fox dropped him and ran off. My poor guy was so shaken up and ran right to me..missing most of his feathers on his side! After he went and checked on all of his ladies....they were scared and hiding I brought him inside to chill out for a moment. About 2 hours later..we saw the fox again with a chicken from a house down the street..I yelled and ran towards her again but it was too late and they were gone. My question is...today the DH and I built a fence for them and they will no longer be able to free range...too scary and risky! How do we protect from foxes? I have 3 large labs and my neighbor has a large golden. Not to mention the DH was mowing the lawn at the time. So she must have kits if she was hunting in the day and so close to dogs and people...how do we protect our flock?
You probably are going to have to set a trap or shoot the fox. If the fox is willing to brave other dogs it is either starving or has a family to feed, or may even be rabid.
I don't know the laws in Maine. But I would probably set a trap & carry a rifle with me if you live where you can do this. I'm not to fond of predators killing my livestock, pets or whatever.Your right it probably has young & that's why your seeing it. It now knows where dinner lives & will continue to try & get your livestock. Good Luck & do protect your animals .You could put hot wire around the coop & run & keep them locked up.
A securely fenced run with a strand or two of hot wire around the base works for me. You can also lay down a skirt around your run. I just have the hot wire. My chickens also have a large, fenced pasture where they "free range" several hours a day. Just a hot wire around the bottom about 6 to 8 inches off the ground and I've never had a dog, fox or coyote dig under. You can run one along the top as well to discourage jumping over. You can try trapping it I guess, foxes are awfully smart and often not easy to trap. It's probably easier to secure your chickens and will also serve for the next dog/fox/coyote/racoon etc. etc. etc. that comes along. If there are a lot of free ranging chickens in your area then it won't be long until another predator finds you.
If she has kits...how long before they will survive without the mom? I know it sounds silly but I hate the thought of getting her and her kits starving to death...I like the thought of hot wire..that is electric fence correct? My DH said he is going to take a look tomorow and see if we can set it up..We set up the fence today and set up a skirt around it as well extra wood lining the bottom...I lock them up tight every night but am still a little nervous! There is about 3 houses around ours that have chickens and only one has free ranging..and I believe they have lost 2 now...I made a very large area today..I was determined that if they had to be fenced in then they would have alot of room..the DH did not agree but I won..or should I say the chickens won! I have 6 younger chicks that are about 4 months old that I was not going to put together with the adults until another couple of months...but thanks to the Fox..they are now all together! It is kind of funny how they will let you know in no uncertain terms just how unimpressed they are with the whole being beind a fence!
use eighter a still trap or a live trap the best way ive found to keep predators out of the pen, is to put wire on the ground on the in and outside of the chickens pen and secure it with rebar, and then cover it with dirt
If you string up electric fence and the critter gets a good hot shot, it will relocate itself. Otherwise you'll be feeding him till you run out of birds
