Fox ate 2 chickens!

[Bigbluefrog]

Yeah we find fox scat around our coop all the time

Do you know if a fox can climb a 6 foot chain link fence?
I buried fence too.
I am learning about electric fences- I have 4 gates- not sure how this will work.
I read 6- 8 inches off the ground.
I bought the wire- cheapest part.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Do you know if a fox can climb a 6 foot chain link fence?
I buried fence too.
I am learning about electric fences- I have 4 gates- not sure how this will work.
I read 6- 8 inches off the ground.
I bought the wire- cheapest part.

Chain link? I’m not sure if they can but from what I have read depending on how large the chain link is they can sometimes fit through it. But 6 foot inc buried in the ground I wouldn’t think they could climb over but please don’t take my word for it as I don’t have much experience with fox’s and chan link fences

 

[Folly's place]

Some dogs can climb chain link, and foxes and raccoons will have no trouble with it at all.
Mary

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Some dogs can climb chain link, and foxes and raccoons will have no trouble with it at all.
Mary

Just watched a video of a fox scaling a fence! Yep they can! This adventure of chicken owning is getting quite expensive- I will protect them to my best ability.
if they all die I am going on vacation and never looking back

 

[Guernsy]

I am so sorry that happened to you. I am a new chicken/duck momma and I am so worried about a fox, coyote, or bobcat to come in and steal one of my babies. Yet, it is the risk I am taking by letting them free range. It is nature and there is not much I can do about it. If I want them to be safe, I have to keep them in the coop run all day. However, that is not as much fun for them. If anything would happen to my flock, I would be devastated. I would come running to this forum, cry and hope for some comfort. However, I also understand, that the predators are out there and they are doing what they have to do to survive.
I also have teenagers. Every time they leave my house and want to drive over Highway 17 (very deadly mountain highway), go to a huge concert, or travel to a faraway country, I worry sick about them. I know in order to keep them completely safe, I would have to look them up. However, that would be no fun and not fair to them.
I understand your frustration and how sad you must feel to lose your hens.
I am sending you good vibes and hope that the rest of your flock will be safe.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I am so angry! We tried to make a safe place for the birds. We do free range. We have a dog. We have super safe coop and Run.
This morning a fox got 2 hens!
The friendliest one - Piper! And Big Red.
All I found were feathers! Feathers everywhere! It was 10 am. And there was a fox about a 100 yards away running back and forth hoping to get another hen!
I shooed the hens back into the coop and run.
Now I am thinking free ranging is out.
I only have 4 chickens now. Our neighbor traps- maybe I will ask him to set some. I don’t really like killing animals- but sometimes- I am okay with it.
mice- traps no problem. Fox that ripped my hens to shreds and left feathers everywhere- yep I am okay with shooting it. Live trap and move it -mmm I would do that too.

kinda bummed today- it’s been a tough week.

Crush the hottest peppers you can get your hands on and poor it around where your chickens free range the fox won't pass the hot pepper line it will deture predators from coming near your flock

 

[Folly's place]

Teenagers! That's why many of us have lots of gray hair, all earned. It's amazing that we all lived through those years ourselves, and it's hard watching our children when they hit those 'magical years'!
Mary

 

[Bigbluefrog]

I am so sorry that happened to you. I am a new chicken/duck momma and I am so worried about a fox, coyote, or bobcat to come in and steal one of my babies. Yet, it is the risk I am taking by letting them free range. It is nature and there is not much I can do about it. If I want them to be safe, I have to keep them in the coop run all day. However, that is not as much fun for them. If anything would happen to my flock, I would be devastated. I would come running to this forum, cry and hope for some comfort. However, I also understand, that the predators are out there and they are doing what they have to do to survive.
I also have teenagers. Every time they leave my house and want to drive over Highway 17 (very deadly mountain highway), go to a huge concert, or travel to a faraway country, I worry sick about them. I know in order to keep them completely safe, I would have to look them up. However, that would be no fun and not fair to them.
I understand your frustration and how sad you must feel to lose your hens.
I am sending you good vibes and hope that the rest of your flock will be safe.

So true! Our hens love to free range!
We will most likely do that again once the fox is removed. This one is boldly visiting our home area. I saw it out the window yesterday trying to catch a red squirrel. Without much success! Now those red squirrels are obnoxious- at least the fox could make itself useful!
The main reason we got hens was to eliminate ticks. My husband got very sick from lymes disease. And we have seen the free ranging being very successful and we have only found one tick on the dog.
So we will still free range- I keep them in a secure run when not home.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Teenagers! That's why many of us have lots of gray hair, all earned. It's amazing that we all lived through those years ourselves, and it's hard watching our children when they hit those 'magical years'!
Mary

Oh you hit that right on the head! Mine are grown- and L’Oréal takes care if the hair!
It has been 11 months since I got chickens!
I need more L’Oréal

 

[Folly's place]

I've always thought that those little red squirrels were cute, until this year, when they invaded our attic, chewed holes through the wood soffet and roof, and needed a pest control company to eliminate them. I'm over it!
Like raccoons, cute and interesting until they kill the chickens!
Mary