Warding off Foxes...?

[jools2014]

From the UK as well-have just started seeing 2 or 3 foxes (2 that go around together look
like older cubs) one crossed our garden the other day and my hens were free ranging and I was watching on and off from the house. It was about 5pm. Just happened to look our the window (I must be psychic) and saw the fox walking across in what happened to be exactly the direction the birds were (they usually keep to one end of the garden but just to scare the crap out of me they were the other side where the foxes always cross this time!) I ran out ready to defend them, the fox walked casually by, stopped and looked at them and me-one chicken was pretty close to it and started making a commotion, but the fox just continued walking. He wasn't bothered in the least! I think even if I hadn't been there he still wouldn't have been bothered.

We have lost a couple of ducks to a fox (my fault as I had let them out very early that morning and they were not secured) and one tried to steal a chicken but only because it was first chasing a wild rabbit and then saw my flock out. Basically we are so overrun with wild rabbits that the foxes do not cause us any problems generally-I'm still careful with them, I don't take it for granted, but I also don't hold the view now that foxes will always go after chickens at every opportunity-I'd like to think they know they can't have my chickens (ok that might sound a bit naive!) but they have never tried to get into our pen. They have enough rabbits to keep them from being hungry enough to try. When I first got chickens I expected to lose them all in a few months due to foxes, we have been very lucky not to have had that.

 

[GGBEAR]

let's hope they don't eat all the rabbits then lol

 

[jools2014]

Lol I think that would be impossible there are so many!

 

[GGBEAR]

yes well our green next to the opening of the woods is covered with rabbits in an evening and I still ended up loosing my entire flock to a fox attack 2 years ago.
I hate them

 

[aprilamy2001]

Hi!
Last night, I forgot to put my male and female month old Buff Silkies into the chicken coop. I did not think twice about it since they have been free ranging for a week! The reason only the Silkies were free ranging is: They were getting picked on by the hens and their crests were looking like crap. Anyhow, this morning when I went to do chicken chores, I found buff-coloured feathers all over and blood on the rocks that sit next to the pen....NOOO! I can't find my little rooster. I consulted my handy-dandy chicken book and found out that it matched the fox-attacks description to a "T"! Now, based on your own experience, what is the best way to keep the foxes away? Besides putting them in the coop at night, I am planning on doing it! Thank you!
-VA

my neighbor uses a radio stays on 24 7

 

[jools2014]

yes well our green next to the opening of the woods is covered with rabbits in an evening and I still ended up loosing my entire flock to a fox attack 2 years ago.
I hate them

That's unfortunate. I love em. Only thing I hate is kids

 

[GGBEAR]

oh my !•• well I have had 5 children so I don't hate them if the foxes keep to their own domain I wouldn't want to see harm come to them but coming into gardens and houses is not good and that's purely because there are to many of them now not enough food to.sustain their numbers so there coming in ppls houses attacking children or taking ppl pets.
hence why we need to have culing back
everything in moderation

 

[jools2014]

Sorry I should've explained-I live near a farm open to the public and they have had children pelting rocks at ducks, pelting rocks at baby chicks and ducklings-in fact they've had a few deaths due to this so have had to put signs up to parents to basically control their kids around the animals.

Wow I have had none of the issues you have-never heard of a fox come into the house. I live in the country. I have no doubt they can cause a huge amount of problems for people, just that they are not 100% evil and going to go for every single chicken they see (in my experience) that because I live in the country with a big rabbit population for the foxes to concentrate on its not been a problem for me personally in 5 years of keeping chickens. It depends where you live how much of a problem foxes will be, but I thought you said where you live is covered in rabbits aswell so how can there not be enough food to sustain them all if there are still all those rabbits left?

 

[Jessie22]

From the UK as well-have just started seeing 2 or 3 foxes (2 that go around together look
like older cubs) one crossed our garden the other day and my hens were free ranging and I was watching on and off from the house. It was about 5pm. Just happened to look our the window (I must be psychic) and saw the fox walking across in what happened to be exactly the direction the birds were (they usually keep to one end of the garden but just to scare the crap out of me they were the other side where the foxes always cross this time!) I ran out ready to defend them, the fox walked casually by, stopped and looked at them and me-one chicken was pretty close to it and started making a commotion, but the fox just continued walking. He wasn't bothered in the least! I think even if I hadn't been there he still wouldn't have been bothered.

We have lost a couple of ducks to a fox (my fault as I had let them out very early that morning and they were not secured) and one tried to steal a chicken but only because it was first chasing a wild rabbit and then saw my flock out. Basically we are so overrun with wild rabbits that the foxes do not cause us any problems generally-I'm still careful with them, I don't take it for granted, but I also don't hold the view now that foxes will always go after chickens at every opportunity-I'd like to think they know they can't have my chickens (ok that might sound a bit naive!) but they have never tried to get into our pen. They have enough rabbits to keep them from being hungry enough to try. When I first got chickens I expected to lose them all in a few months due to foxes, we have been very lucky not to have had that.

That is because the fox saw you and didn't want to try. If you weren't there, the fox would of got your chickens. Foxes are opportunistic eaters. Read up on them. I am sure you have but just some tips. Good Luck

 

[GGBEAR]

I'm sure you wouldn't want to eat the same meal every night so if they can have variety all good