Yes, I had a fox in the hen house!!!!

[Kakaruk]

So....... I felt like my chicken run perimeter was pretty secure. It is a dog fence after all and I've covered it with 2 inch chicken wire on top. However, there were a couple of corners that have been hit by my mower and one that had been 'breached' by an animal about a year and a half ago before I had the roof secured. Those edges were still loose and I had not secured them with wire properly but I thought they were heavy enough to keep the predators out.

I was wrong. I woke up Monday morning with feathers everywhere and a trail leading out the side edge. That day on the way home from work I bought a trail cam. I wired the loose parts shut and put up my trail cam. Here's what I took a pic of that night:

 

[Doc7]

Soon you’ll have a fox mounted in the living room, I hope!

sorry for any chicken losses.

 

[Tamdog]

Oh me, that is a sneaky old fox! I wake up every morning and go down to the chicken pen wondering if all will be well. You just never know, predators are so smart.

 

[Kakaruk]

The bottom wire was loose enough that the fox could pull it out just enough to get it's head and body in there. It only took the one hen, feathers in a couple areas in the run, then a trail of feathers leading back out that corner where it made it's exit. It was one of my great layers but I still have lots of good layers in my flock. It was a good learning experience.

I guess I would add: Yes, make sure all your corners and edges etc. around the perimeter and completely sealed and secure. Use wire or screws or nails etc. to make sure it is all secure!

I have a friend who said he buried his chicken wire a foot or more down into the ground and buried it, covered it so that it was fully secure from below and nothing could dig underneath it. I don't know that I'll do that but it is something to think about.......

 

[centrarchid]

It is time we all work together and start putting a dent in the fox population. I am hobbling effort by providing too much quality habitat for them.

 

[Kakaruk]

Ha, well yes! It's not me providing the quality habitat but my neighbors....... There, I've passed the blame off to someone else! On the other hand, I guess I provided at least a quality meal for a couple of them.