Advice Fox prowling

Hi everyone can you help with some advice?
The weather is awful, torrential rain, and high winds, but I still let my chooks have free range this morning, however, we spotted a fox making off with one of my ladies :cry:  :cry: I put them all away into their houses, although not sure if this was the right thing to do, as it means they will be inside till tomorrow. They have food and water in their houses, but I do not like to confine them during the day. The fox has been around a lot, as he is used to picking off the chooks when they are on their own. I want to get him to move on. I do not want to have my chooks in a run, so what would you all do?
I intend to start to breed chickens from next Spring, and am still deciding which breed to go with, what are your suggestions.

He knows where the food bar is now I'm afraid and will patrol regularly.

He needs sorting out in a permanent way. I don't know what your views are on this or what sort of area you live in but you could do with contacting a local gamekeeper or fieldsports enthusiast who will do the job quicky and with a minimum of fuss.

Day time foxes are a nightmare.

Thanks Bodger
I have no problems with someone coming to de[atch humanely. or to move it to open countryside. When are the fox cubs due, I would not like to see them harmed.
Go on all of you, say it, you cann't be soft when a fox has become predatory with the hens.
Any more advice?  :?:

Electric Fence Viv  :!:

I've no idea about electric fences I'm afraid.  I've only got a tiny back garden  :roll:

Bodger and others will know though  

We have a lot of foxes and live in a rural area. Firstly, cubs are born around March/April and the vixens in late spring are very bold in order to feed their cubs. October the cubs generally will seek their own territory. So as you see late spring can be dangerous as well as winter when food is scarce. The problem is foxes have very defined routes and if he has found your hens he will just keep coming back and they are very very resourceful I'm afraid. Killing your fox will be OK for a while then another will just fill the space. We use electric poultry fencing 50m 1.2m high and is very effective. We have attached to an "energiser"which attaches to the fence and this is powered by a leisure battery - lasts about 6weeks before recharging. (we have an energiser that can power X3 50m fences sometimes attach more than one)I have seen Mr.Fox actually pace around the fence no closer than 2 foot as if he knew it was on. There are a lot of "starter kits" available on the internet you could check out and they are also very helpful! Hope this helps!  

Fox cubs tend to be born around February time. You will start to hear  foxes calling in the next few weeks as the mating season starts.

Foxes will always move into an area, but its not every fox that hunts in the daytime. This one must be fairly deperate for food and will return.

Try this very interesting site, www.foxforest.org