The fox that ate my chickens

[BrowningOG]

Hello, I have had some problems with a fox and I would like some help. The problem is that the fox comes during broad daylight and I have tried almost everything. I would love if any of you guys had a suggestion because I am thinking about getting more chickens and don't want the fox to snatch them.
-Browning C

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! As long as your chickens are unprotected, your fox will keep eating them! Confine your birds to their predator proof coop and run until your fox is gone. Live traps might work to catch him, and then he'll be easier to shoot. Don't trap if you won't shoot!!! Electric poultry fencing (see Premier1supplies.com) will keep ground predators away, so check that out. Livestock guardian dogs take a couple of years to raise and train, so not useful immediately. Good luck, Mary

 

[Howard E]

To add to what Mary suggests......how close can you get to this fox? 30 yards? If so, maybe you have not tried everything, unless you have also tried a 12 gauge with a load of BB's.....that would end the problem of THAT fox. Won't end the next one or the one after that though. Unless you can also get them inside 30 yards, and also assuming you are around when they are. Not an easy thing to do......be on guard all the time.

Your only solution to keeping birds in a predator infested neighborhood is a tight, tight coop that no predator can breach at night and when you are not around. After that, you establish a safe zone perimeter with an electric fence. The type of electric fence will depend somewhat on how big of an area you want them to be able to run around in.

 

[Adalida]

You may be able to contact your game warden and he could trap the fox for you. Depending on where you live and whether or not you're opposed to the fox dying, you could let someone legally trap/shoot it as well. I just saw a post on our town community Facebook page where a lady was having a problem with a mountain lion hanging around her house. She posted about it to let everyone know to watch their animals, but somebody replied who had a tag to shoot a cat and offered to come take care of it for her. You might try something like that.

 

[chickens really]

I have a Fox problem.....They hunt during the day....These ones here come early morning and around 3 in the afternoon...My Pullet was taken as I was watering my plants...She was 50 feet from me...The one Fox lured my dog to the Barn as the other came and grabbed her...It was fast..All I heard was her cry down the tree line...I ran as fast as I could...All I saw was him carrying her across the road...
My Husband Shot the Male last fall....The female is still here....Live traps do not work....We only catch my Cat..lol
I have an electric poultry fence now....

I have lost zero Birds...I also only free range still if I am out and my Dogs...I also Trained a new dog...two dogs on campus....

Cheers!

 

[bobbi-j]

Fox can be tricky to catch in a live trap, but it's worth a try. You do need to keep your chickens locked up in a tight coop and run until you get the problem resolved either by killing the thing, or keeping your birds protected until it decides to move on. Until you fix this, there is no point in getting more chickens - it would be a waste of money.

 

[BrowningOG]

Thank you all for the amazing replies.

 

[5acresandadream]

I would either wait outside and shoot it, or call the game warden to come trap him. Foxes are nastey little things. If you don't want to kill it, then it would be best to put your chickens in a predator safe pen.