Worried about foxes.

[emmaie892000]

A couple of my neighbors have reported seeing foxes around the neighborhood, a pair of them. I haven't yet seen them, or had any problems with my chickens, but I'm worried they'll find my coop soon and just go crazy one night. I'll be building a new coop soon, but my current coop is fairly old and probably underprotected against a fox. Am I worrying about nothing, considering they haven't been attacked yet? (Note: I can't shoot or trap them, and I haven't even seen them yet. The neighbor who saw them did say they were quite a ways from my house, so maybe they won't even venture this way?) My chickens are my babies, and if I lost them, I would feel horrible.

 

[Primo]

Need more details on your coop setup. If your neighbor saw them then they are by you as well. Unless your neighbor is a couple miles away.

 

[Folly's place]

If your coop and run are predator proof, you are fine. Consider only free ranging your birds in your presence for now, or keeping them in lockdown. My birds are in a safe coop at night, and a fairly secure run if there's a threat (as a hawk). A hungry fox might attack during the day, so that's not total safety, but night time is definitely predator time! Arrange a safe coop ASAP, or some critter will take out your flock. Mary

 

[birds4kids]

If they saw fox within a mile of your place I would assume they have been on your property. They are not often seen, but are pretty common.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

A couple of my neighbors have reported seeing foxes around the neighborhood, a pair of them. I haven't yet seen them.... I haven't even seen them yet.......

If your neighbors have seen foxes the foxes have seen or at least winded your flock. The fact that they have not attacked yet just means that the fox-ies have plenty of grub without eating your chickens. But do be advised that all predators are opportunistic feeders. If their tummies tell them that its meal time and they see an opportunity for a meal they will explore a way to get at that meal. Eternal vigilance is the price of chicken ownership.

 

[new user]

A couple of my neighbors have reported seeing foxes around the neighborhood, a pair of them. I haven't yet seen them, or had any problems with my chickens, but I'm worried they'll find my coop soon and just go crazy one night. I'll be building a new coop soon, but my current coop is fairly old and probably underprotected against a fox. Am I worrying about nothing, considering they haven't been attacked yet? (Note: I can't shoot or trap them, and I haven't even seen them yet. The neighbor who saw them did say they were quite a ways from my house, so maybe they won't even venture this way?) My chickens are my babies, and if I lost them, I would feel horrible.

I would take a look into this, http://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensing...8-wildlife-taken-without-a-depredation-permit

Quote:
If a fox gets in your coop or kills or chickens, that would be considered destroying your property. Just keep a close eye on things till you get your coop built

 

[birds4kids]

I posted earlier from my phone. Just to expand on the presence of fox. In 4 years at my house I have seen it in my yard once and on a nearby road once, but tracks, trail camera pics, fur and feather piles and droppings say this is as much his yard as mine. My chicks are still in the garage but my plan is a small solar electric fence around the tractor perimeter. Strong deterrent right off the bat, and probably 6" or so of welded wire fence laying on ground around the proposed tractor, that way digging is met with resistance too. I hope to avoid having to fence the bottom.
Fox eat a lot of rodents and such while I am an experienced fur trapper, in my current setting/situation I hope I an protect my birds and still let my kids have opportunity to see all the natural predators around, they have seen the fox, hawks, owls, possum, skunk. Racoons I have less patience for, they decimated my corn last year, hopefully I have that problem resolved.

 

[emmaie892000]

Thanks everyone for responding. I think my current coop should do okay while I get the new one built.