Will a Grey Fox kill my hens?

[Abirdbrain]

Face the facts. Chickens are way up on the food list, despite our names and inclinations to make them pets, and engage their personalities. We have lost barn cats to Hawks that carry Kits off , and of course small Hens. While we were building houseing it was disheartening to count one less every coupla days. Neghbor dogs are controlled or eliminated, just the same as any other predatory creature. Fenced or not, they WILL find a way in, and take what they want to survive. You will not educate them otherwise.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
When fox aren't afraid of people you get this: http://www.pressherald.com/news/aggressive-fox-killed-after-attacks-at-park_2011-07-08.html

Just so everyone knows the fox tested positive for rabies.

 

[janinepeters]

In the case referenced above, it might well have been the rabies infection entirely, and not habituation, that drove the fox to approach and attack people. But just so as people do not panic, it is important to note that cases of human rabies are extremely rare, only about 30 since 1990. And, since our domestic animals are the rabies bridge between wildlife and humans, the best protection is to get your pets vaccinated!

That said, I strongly agree with the need to keep wildlife at a distance, not only for our safety, but for theirs. Drawing them in leads to conflict, and we all know who almost always loses these battles. Not us. Many other posts on this forum bear testimony to that.

 

[1livelychick]

Quote:
So True! I had a friend whose dog was attacked by a rabid raccoon. The dog was unharmed, other than a mighty case of jitters....it is a pomeranian. The coon slobbered all over it, though. My friend and her room mate picked up the dog with the coon's slobber.....They brought the dog in that night, bathed it went to bed, woke up the next morning with the coon dead in the back yard...called animal control..they came out, took the coon to be tested. It tested positive for rabies....the dog was up to date on his shots....thank goodness the coon died in their back yard. But, because the coon slobbered on the dog, and the two ladies touched the coon slobbered dog they had to go through a series of rabies shots! So, yes...it is important to keep wildlife away from your home and family including kids with fur or feathers!
There is a reason not to feed the wildlife, for sure!

 

[fshinggrl]

We've had this grey fox hanging out in our field. I haven't seen it closer than 15 feet of the chicken pen, but it is coming through during the day (hence I see it).

 

[Gossie]

We have a gray fox walking around our yard and it tried to kill my goose. My guess is it could kill chickens too.