BEST WAY TO GET RID OF FOXES

[pokey]

ok, i hate to kill something but we have lost two birds and tonight was there was a third unsuccessful attack thanks to our lab. i did put out poison after the live trap failed. our birds are in dog kennels and i could add smaller wire around them, but electrifying
will take time, so is there anything that will deter them? we plan to leave the dogs out tonight and i know it ate some poison, but any suggestions? i also feel rotten about this, but what else?

 

[JohnL11935]

How is the fox getting in? What do these dog kennels look like? Plastic box crates? Chain-link enclosures? Are they on bare ground or concrete?

A little more information about how they are currently housed would help everyone make helpful recommendations.


My neighbor lost 10 birds over the course of two weeks in three separate fox attacks.

He had what I thought was the most 'predator-proof' run I'd ever seen. Regardless, the fox always dug under all obstacles in its way.

He and his boy ended up sitting out one night in their lawn chairs and ended the problem with a .22 bullet.

In my opinion, using 'poison' for something as large as a fox isn't an option. Poison takes too much or requires something too strong for me to leave sitting around.

Traps? OK, you trap it, now what? There are all sorts of regulations about trapping and releasing.

So if you post some info about their current accomodations and you will surely get lots of advice.



.

 

[jjthink]

Poison oftens claims unintended victims. I would personally never use it.
I am really sorry about your birds. Predator proof like crazy and post a guard until then! (not pleasant I know...)
JJ

 

[spook]

Unfortunately, once a predator finds a meal, easy meal too, its your time to secure the boundaries. Wire down below the top of the soil, wood, logs or rocks laying on the wire and a cover to your pen. Security is the only way to out fox a fox.
Placing a dog out with your hens is the other alternative. Good luck and call a game warden to have this problem fox relocated.

 

[pokey]

the birds are in 8x8 x4 dog kennels. the problem is i think the fox is pulling the birds out through the holes in the chain link (these are bantams) we can't find any blood just feathers everywhere. and the fox hasn't tried to get to the standards i have in another pen. the first night it dug in, second night i don't know how it got the cochin,but last night it tried to pull one through as it was roosting close to the chain link. we have already decided to stake out the pens tonight with the gun, but i know all you other working people like me don't want to stay up looking for a stupid fox. by the way, dept nat resouces won't do anything about trapping one here,which i find good and bad, but its legal to shoot, trap, ect...if it is killing your livestock or destroying personal property. i just hate to do it......

 

[claud]

Chain link is not a secure enclosure for them. You will lose them all eventually to any type of predator. You need to but hardware cloth all around at least the bottom half of the run. It also helps for digging predators if you dig a trench the size of the kennel all around the perimeter then sit the kennel down in the trench.
Raccoons, cats, foxes - almost any predator will take a bird through chain link.

 

[chickenannie]

I had a fox problem a few weeks ago. I haven't lost any of my pastured turkeys since I pen them up at night in a hoop coop with a tarp around it secured at the base heavily with blocks (I lost 9 turkeys in 2 weeks to this fox). I lined the floor with small woven wire just in case mr. fox decided to dig in. I also lined the fence with 1" chicken wire to make it doubly hard. It's been a month since I did that and no sign of mr. fox. I also called a neighbor to trap foxes here (the season in Pa. started last Sunday). However, the trapping will never get rid of every single fox -- its just a maintenance measure to keep their numbers down. But as the trapper told me, even if he got all the foxes in my area, eventually other foxes will move into that territory. So it's better to have a predator proof pen.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
Thank you. Using 1/4" is best. Yes, it cost more but baby mice are kept out. Once they eat, they can not get out again. That I learned from a wise old poultryman.

Sorry for your loss. I know it hurts. I just do not like to kill anything. With all due respect, we put food in their faces and then we get upset when they eat.

 

[ivan3]

A quick and cheap defensive move is to pick up a roll of .5" hardware cloth and some heavy duty UV resistant cable ties. We get 50' rolls of 30" .5" for $40.00. This can be unrolled, cut to length and attached along outside of fencing. Laying some flat on ground around outside of pen and weighing down with rocks/pavers/tires/whatever! prevents digging.

Leg hold traps have worked so-so here. Live traps? Only two in four years (I sold the big havahart as it pretty much stayed empty - or filled up with coon, etc. too much trouble): The little bit of vermin below and one old scruffy female. We have taken the majority with lead (one was sleeping in the dog house we use for the outside cat on the front deck!). If you want to use traps check out this : http://backyardchickens.yuku.com/forums/71/t/Predators-and-Pests.html (the trapping stickies).

If you free range (without armed supervision) the flock can be wiped out quickly. Our neighbor's 13SLW pullets were all killed and carried away by a pair of foxes in the space of 15min. (went in to cut up treats). We've shot them after dark and early in the morning, but the ones around here prefer late afternoon/evening attacks.

Good Luck!

 

[BaronRenfrew]

Foxes are hard to get in live traps as they are smart and fearful of human scent

I know one trapper that has to boil the traps (to remove any trace of scent) and then handle them with brand new gloves to get a fox.

What I've done (yep I'm a redneck) is "drain my potatoes" so to speak around the bird yard leaving a LOT of human scent and this scares them away. (you might want to do this when neighbours aren't watching.)

I also keep the brids in a coop at night and not in the yard near a fence.

good hunting......