Fox stealing chickens ideas?

ryanwheelock · Sep 22, 2009

I've got a fox that has been stealing my chickens over the last few months. Only seen him a few times but never enough time to get my gun. Tried for a long time to get him in a big live trap but hes to smart. Only other option I can think of is a foot trap but I dont like them because it puts them in pain until released or killed. Cant afford to loose any more chickens. I know somebody will say keep em pened up. I do for the most part unless I'm out in the barnyard.

ddl · Sep 22, 2009

i got a sneaky coyote that does the same thing. i just keep them penned up now. Really liked to watch them wander but would rather have the chickens than have them come up missing. i have heard you can get guineas and they will make a ruckus but that won't help unless they run with the chickens

ryanwheelock · Sep 22, 2009

had guineas too and 3 of them got killed. still one left.

GeneMO · Sep 22, 2009

Could you stake a chicken out in the open? Tie it to a stake with a light rope around it's foot. Then take up a hidden position with your favorite scatter gun and wait him out.

Gene

dhermesc · Sep 22, 2009

Once they figure out where a free is to be had they keep coming until the kitchen is closed.

Do you have a dog?

Otherwise a baited trap is you best bet. 3

We've found coyotes coming right into the yard in the middle of the day without any reguard for our dog (who is sleeping in the sun or in his pen). I've gotten two but the coyotes have three chickens. The last one got a couple hundred yards out and sat and watched the commotion he created. To bad I only had the .22 in hand at the time - next time I'll reach out and touch him with my .243.

Dick L · Sep 22, 2009

Fox stealing chickens ideas?

When I read the title I was gonna say you don't need to give them any ideas.

Sleep ina day time and set up all night with overhead bright lites and a 20 gage.

Ultradog MN · Sep 22, 2009

I would just name him external_link and figure not much can be done with him till the next election.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 22, 2009

You seem confussed,,, at first point, you say,,
the fox is gone before you get your gun,,, then,,, you say,, don't want to set a trap cause it will cause foot pain,,, gosh,,, what are you going to do with your gun,,,, wave it in the air and scare the fox,,, if he could,, the fox is going to laugh at you,,,

you best protect your your chickens the best way,, get rid of the fox,, or the fox will get rid of your chickens,,,

Foghorn Leghorn · Sep 22, 2009

Well, you could try getting a really mean rooster. I have one that no creature will get within about five feet of, but on a more serious note--a pack of coyotees or even a few dogs on the place will keep the fox away.

ryanwheelock · Sep 22, 2009

The trap is kind of inhumane in my opion. The gun is a quick and painless for the animal.

ryanwheelock · Sep 22, 2009

The trap is kind of inhumane in my opion. The gun is a quick and painless for the animal.

souNdguy · Sep 22, 2009

here's the delima.. you can't loose any more chix.

he's not ther ewhen the gun is

and you don't want him in a foot trap.

my vole is for the trap checked often and have the gun nearby... or.. keep buying chickens..

soundguy

CJ3b_jeep · Sep 22, 2009

how about some electric fence on the ground where the fox comes close to the chickens?

James Howell · Sep 22, 2009

You might try <a href="http://www.predatorpee.com/">pssng</a> the fox off.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 22, 2009

Your never know, unless you try it out yourself, who says, a fox as human feelings,

GordoSD · Sep 22, 2009

Buy one of those 6 dollar cottontail rabbit varmit calls. Set up at dawn or dusk with that .243.

Gordo

Anonymous-0 · Sep 22, 2009

Set your large trapp again and bait it good. Get a bale of pine straw, cover the trap with straw and straw around it completly, even entrance. Next morning haul and release him where you wish.

Billy NY · Sep 22, 2009

Should be easy enough to bait him in, I agree with making the trap less conspicuous, I don't really like the leg traps either, knowing there are other options. I've had them come in many times after providing food, last year I left a couple of dead goslings out in the backyard, in the heat, cooking like 2 days, real ripe, and one afternoon that red fox came right up and chowed both of them down just about whole, took a few photos of that too. You can learn a lot about whats around, by leaving things like this out, though probably not a good idea if you live where there are dangerous predators. I do that with deer carcasses every year, had a bald eagle stay for 1 week last year, we don't have any black bears, well once in a great while, so I don't usually worry when I do this, hawks, vultures, fox coyote, right in front of my window, good opportunity to dispatch same if need be.

PJH · Sep 22, 2009

A local guy, now deceased, was good at trapping fox. He would set a wooden fence post in the edge of the woods and fasten a live chicken to the top of the post with fence staples. He'd also set several leg traps around the post. Fox would jump for the chicken and come down into a leg trap, then thrash around and get into a couple more. He checked his traps often - said he didn't want the fox to suffer long.

Apparently had little regard for the chicken.

I'm not suggesting that you use this method, I'm merely telling how that old timer handled chicken catching foxes.

He also dealt with hawks by setting a 10 or 12 foot pole out in the middle of his field. He'd fasten a leg trap to the top of the pole. Hawk would land on the pole and trip the trap.

Don't try this either - it can cost you some money and get your name in the paper.

Paul

DRL · Sep 22, 2009

We set up a baby monitor in the chicken house. The chickens will start making a fuss long before the fox or any other varmint gets in. It has given us enough early warning that, so far, anything that threatened the chickens has died of lead poisoning long before they had a chance to do any damage. If you wait until the chickens get loud enough to hear them from the house w/o the monitor, it is usually too late.

Old Roy · Sep 22, 2009

No one can say for sure what kind of feelings a fox has.

But maybe ryanwheelock has compassion for Gods creatures. and wants to have as little suffering as possible.

You used to preach good words . but you never follow them.

How is it in wedding vows ? Let no MAN put us under? Seems you forgot that.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 22, 2009

Would it be asunder? meaning separated.break it up.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 22, 2009

set rabbit traps and return some of the pain he[it] is giving you.

Old Roy · Sep 23, 2009

Yahh !! dats the word kinda like an old grey fox tryin to rule anothers hen house.

ryanwheelock · Sep 23, 2009

thanks for your ideas. gonna try a few of the ideas you gave me
Thanks again

greygoat · Sep 23, 2009

Fox got hungry kids..just trying to make a living

Fox stealing chickens ideas?

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