How do I deter foxes in broad daylight?

[chickendreams24]

Boy I've heard and lived this too many times.

We have a large flock that we free range and last year we lost 30 birds to fox and coyotes during all times of day and even while we were out there. Penning our flock is not an option as it's so large and they would be unhappy we also don't own this property and can't fence off access to the field around us.

We used as much as possible for deterrents and a gun for offense. We have only lost one bird since February to an unknown predator (likely hawk but idk). I would contact the DNR or equivalent if you can't shoot at it or run an electric wire around your fence. We tried the male urine but they were undeterred. We also have dogs(one of which is a Great Dane) they'd run from the dogs but they would show up even with the dogs out.

Be unpredictable if you can. They will learn and use your routine. Don't let your flock out until noon if you can help it.

 

[Howard E]

Normal powder burning guns are not allowed, but what about air rifles? Many fur trappers in the US use them to dispatch the varmints they catch.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think electric fence would keep them away but, that is probably not allowed either.

 

[drumstick diva]

The fox around here (suburb surrounded by Forrest Preserves) show up at any time, day or night - often we both almost run into each other and take off running. Boy, they can jump fences very well. One time it jumped the fence into the neighbors yard with a BIG Staffordshire Terrier - fox was very lucky the dog wasn't out.

 

[Naser]

I wouldn't catch and relocate, if you catch you should dispose, it is not fair to relocate a trap smart predator near someone else property

 

[rebrascora]

I too have had problems with foxes coming through the day. There were occasions when I have chased after it and managed to get the hen back only for it to return half an hour later and take another. My flock are sadly now securely penned.... it takes a lot of the joy out of chicken keeping for me when they are not free range but at least I have chickens to keep!

An old timer keeps telling me to paint diesel down the back of my hens when they are roosting at night and that will repel the fox from getting hold of them, but I am not sure that it will be healthy for the hens since they preen their feathers with their beak, or that it will definitely work.... Has anyone else heard of this and/or had success with it?

 

[aart]

An old timer keeps telling me to paint diesel down the back of my hens when they are roosting at night and that will repel the fox from getting hold of them, but I am not sure that it will be healthy for the hens since they preen their feathers with their beak, or that it will definitely work.... Has anyone else heard of this and/or had success with it?

Pred may well spit out 'dieseled' bird...but agree, wouldn't be good for the bird.

My flock are sadly now securely penned.... it takes a lot of the joy out of chicken keeping for me when they are not free range but at least I have chickens to keep!

Exactly.


Had 6(that I saw) wild canine(fox and coyote) attempts this summer, all in the middle of the afternoon. Thinks all of them ran smack dab into the fencing, rang their bells it did. Only got pics of the red in May. There was a gray in Aug, and a coyote (the same one I think) tried twice within an hour 2 days in a row. Never saw any digging at fence afterwards.

Gratuitous pics and anthropomorphic captioning:
OuchOuchOuch!

WTH!?

Not sure I'll try that again, but boy they sure do look tasty.

 

[Patterson Farmer]

We started our flock in the fall so this is our first spring and we just lost one about 2 weeks ago to a fox. I managed to spot it as it was coming back for seconds and chased it away (only then did I realized we were missing a hen). It hasn't been back, and we leave them unattended for hours at a time. Two days ago I bought a cheap radio and wired it up to the coop and with talk radio going on at full volume, just in case. We live out in the country, so my hunch (and hope) is that the foxes here are more skiddish of humans than they would be in a more suburban area. I really don't want to fence the girls in, they are so happy free ranging. I had heard good things about using radios. Fingers crossed...

 

[The Blue Bird]

Sadly, we do not have a safe place to lock them up during the day. Their coop leads straight out to the backyard.
Guns are not an option either.
Setting a trap and relocating might be an option, I know laws for capturing and relocating possums are stupid - you can only release them so far from where they were captured. Not sure what the legality of foxes are.
Did some reading and saw somewhere else someone suggested a radio. Will definitely turn that on when we are not home.
Also saw the an human adult males pee can deter. Told my other half to use the backyard as his bathroom
We also went out and bought one of those ultra sonic deterrents this morning.
The other half is fixing a gap in the fence as I type, that is the most probable entry/exit point for Mr Fox.
Thanks for your suggestions!

We freerange also otherwise i wouldn't have chickens, we are rural surrounded by National Park in the Hunter Region. Even with 4 dogs foxes will try their luck during the day especially in breeding season.
The 2 best things we have found have helped are:
1. Leaving radios playing around the boundaries during the day on AM radio with lots of talking.
2. Motion sensored animal repellent sprinklers by Safeguard available from Bunnings BRILLIANT!! Day or night movement or body heat activates them, and they pack a punch, we know because we had to test them!! When activated they sound like the old oval sprinklers and hit hard, they have a good range too, we have heard them activate during the night on a few occasions so something was getting a sharp burst of water to the head.

Good luck with your girls xx