[Gemjt]

Hello,

A fox got one of my chickens today when they were free ranging in the garden.  I onlyt have three left - they are shut up in their run now bytfoxes keep coming into the garden and I don't know what to do to stop them from getting my other three....
I am worried they are going to dig under the run and coop and get them
Please please please, does anyone have any advice???

[ANHBUC]

Sorry to hear that the fox got one of your hens Gemjt.  They are very determined and will be difficult to get rid of. 

My coop and run are sat on paving slabs which is in a large enclosure.  If you can put yours on paving slabs that would be a good way to stop them. 

If you have seen them in the garden you could spray them with cold water.  If you can lay in wait for them that is.  Won't stop them but might deter them to try somewhere with easier prey. 

Have read that they don't like flashing lights but don't know if it is true. 

You can get traps for them but you would need someone to dispatch any you caught.

Other members will give you loads more advice I am sure.  Good luck.   

[Gemjt]

Hello there,

Thanks for your response.  My coop and run has slabs encircling it and it is on very chalky ground.  I was told that foxes will dig next to the coop and don't realise they would be able to dig under if they moved away from the slab... not sure how true that is but I guess time will tell.  I am hoping the chalky ground (very chalky indeed!) will help to stop them getting in.  I have just never seen as many foxes in our area as I have today.  I have seen about 5 go past the back of the garden (as we back onto woods and common ground) and I think there has definately been more than one - or certainly more than the one who got my chicken in my garden since... I think there have been three different foxes.

My father in law has a fox repeller (electronic thing) that seems to be working in his garden, but I am not sure what it does to the poor chickens, whether they can also hear the high pitched sound - does anyone know if these affect the chickens? or indeed do they work?

[ANHBUC]

I would advise you to have your coop and run area fully on slabs and not ones just around the edges.  Have read that they can dig under them if the edge of the run is just sat on slabs.

Loads of members have been saying that the fox problem is very early this year and could be down to the mild winter.  Think they are breeding earlier than normal so will be extra hungry. 

Electric fencing is also one of the best deterants but is a costly outlay.  May be worth your while in the long run as loosing hens is expensive emotionally as well as financially.

Have no experience of the electronic fox repeller, other members may have though.

[sneezer]

I use a simple electric wire system, using three wires (top wire being about a foot) this goes all round the enclosure conected to a farm battery, this seems to be keeping them at bay (touch wood) I've not used this website but there are some examples of energisers not too expensive- ukcountrystore.co.uk they have the wire etc, I hope your other girls are fine.

[helens-hens]

Hi Gemit, really sorry to hear about the fox problem, it must have been very upsetting losing your hen like that.

Like ANHBUC, My hen's house/run is on slabs. They are just cheap, basic paving slabs from B&Q, about £2.20 each & you may well be able to get them cheaper than that. Mine aren't on a proper concrete base, I just levelled out the ground as best I could, using a bit of gravel here and there and though a bit uneven in places it has worked well for the last 18 months or so. It is a covered run and I use easibed or similar as a 'flooring' which the girls can scratch about it in. It is also easy to keep clean.

The reason I did it was because the ground was getting very muddy & unhygenic but it is also a useful barrier againt foxes.

Hope this helps and that the rest of your hens are OK.

[rowlandwells]

 although we don't keep chickens now a friend of ours keeps chickens in an open field what she has done is set the chicken coop on slabs as suggested
then buried the chicken wire into the ground  and chicken wire on the top of the run and coop sealing the pen they have also put a small fence up with coloured plastic tapes?

the pen is certainly open to the fox attack where it situated but although foxes are rampant in this area and are seen quite often they have left there chickens alone
 

[Tony H]

Hi foxes are still classified as a pest so you could kill them, 22 pellet guns are quite cheap and will do the job, but if you couldnt do that then electric fence is realy your only choice to protect your girls.
unfortuanatly foxes are creatures of habbit and will keep comming back at this time of year when there natural food is hard to come by.
I know some farmers use poisons but in my opinion thats a bit risky in the garden enviroment.
Chucks get petrified at the sight of them and will get stressed if bothered to much, good luck with getting rid of them and i hope you dont loose anymore 

[joyfull]

Please do not advocate shooting them, most people are not good shots and this can lead to an animal suffering a slow lingering death.

[teyhan1]

Hi. I am brand new to this site and have joined to specifically to offer advice on this. I was a pest controller for 15 years and have shot for the last 22 years. I have shot many foxes and have had to deal with both urban and rural foxes.
Unfortunately TONY H, I some serious concerns with your advice.
Firstly it is illegal to poison a fox. There is no product authorised for this use as it would pose a serious risk to other wild life and domestic animals. PLEASE do not attempt to use any poison as it would make you liable to a serious prosecution.
Secondly is the use of a gun. The only guns available to the general public are air rifles. These must not be used on foxes. They do not produce enough power and will only lead to wounding. If you are going to shoot at something your intention must always be to kill it.
Finally it really depends on where you are based. Shooting foxes in an urban environment is very difficult because of the possible backlash you will get from the local bunnyhuggers aswell as the interest from the police.
My advice:---
If you are in a town or city you will have to trap them. It is a very time consuming, foxes are very cunning but this method will allow you to release them.
If you are rural then go down the pub ask around and find a shooter with a silenced .22 rimfire rifle. He may well charge you a beer or two but we are a helpful bunch us shooters and not the bloodthirsty kill everything you see people we are often portrayed as. Also make sure that their firearms certificate is an "open" certificate as this will allow them to shoot wherever they deem is safe.
Other than that it will be fence building time
Good luck.

[joyfull]

thank you teyhan1 for your very sound advice.
Welcome to the forum - I'm sure your pest controlling legal knowledge will be an asset to here (speaking as one who has suffered mink attacks in the past).

[arugula]

That's a really helpful post teyhan1. Thank you and welcome from me too.

[Goldfinger]

Hi. I am brand new to this site and have joined to specifically to offer advice on this. I was a pest controller for 15 years and have shot for the last 22 years. I have shot many foxes and have had to deal with both urban and rural foxes.
Unfortunately TONY H, I some serious concerns with your advice.
Firstly it is illegal to poison a fox. There is no product authorised for this use as it would pose a serious risk to other wild life and domestic animals. PLEASE do not attempt to use any poison as it would make you liable to a serious prosecution.
Secondly is the use of a gun. The only guns available to the general public are air rifles. These must not be used on foxes. They do not produce enough power and will only lead to wounding. If you are going to shoot at something your intention must always be to kill it.
Finally it really depends on where you are based. Shooting foxes in an urban environment is very difficult because of the possible backlash you will get from the local bunnyhuggers aswell as the interest from the police.
My advice:---
If you are in a town or city you will have to trap them. It is a very time consuming, foxes are very cunning but this method will allow you to release them.
If you are rural then go down the pub ask around and find a shooter with a silenced .22 rimfire rifle. He may well charge you a beer or two but we are a helpful bunch us shooters and not the bloodthirsty kill everything you see people we are often portrayed as. Also make sure that their firearms certificate is an "open" certificate as this will allow them to shoot wherever they deem is safe.
Other than that it will be fence building time
Good luck.

Hi teyhan1, I'm a 'shooter' too.

If I remember correctly, you need to use the 'correct' calibre for the quarry? I think a .22 rimfire would be too small for foxes, only good for rabbits, unless you're very close to the target and make it a clean 'head shot'.

I think a .223 would be more suitable for foxes. Some people (I've heard of anyway) have used the .17HMR for foxes.

Still, if I had a fox problem (touch wood, haven't), I would go down the 'shot' route, It's no use just 'pushing them on', they will come back, a dead one won't!

Since the 'ban', I've seen on here and out there, more people are suffering attacks.

I think they need to be 'controlled' again, sooner rather when it's too late. 

[joyfull]

as shooters you would then be aware that fox hunting killed very few foxes - indeed quite the opposite as areas such as copses were introduced for foxes to breed in. The majority of  foxes are killed by cars.
Please do not turn this into a pro and anti fox hunting/shooting post otherwise I will be forced to lock this thread and remove or edit such posts.
In answer to the original posters problem it appears you will need to have either a completely fox proof run with the weld mesh either buried or placed at a right angle on the ground with a covered roof, or an electric fence. Remember chicken wire is just to keep chickens in and not foxes out - they can chew through that very easily.

[Tony H]

Hi thanks for advice on this subject i have spoken to the police and was told i would not be commiting any offence if i shot a fox as it classified as a pest, however when posting my reply i didnt take into account that you may not kill the fox outright and as you say that would be cruel, i know of farmers who do poison foxes but when you think about it its very difficult to make sure you are only going to kill a fox and not any other animal, I hope i havent caused any upset by my reply i was only offering an alternative to getting rid of the pesky things. jemit i suppose realy you only have two alternatives that is to live trap them or make sure your coop is fox and mink proof.