Now What Are You Up Too?

[BGKYSmoker]

I better keep an eye on the girls tonight.
Looks like someone else is up to no good.

 

[jcam222]

They are so cool looking but not so good for chickens!

 

[SherryT]

I better keep an eye on the girls tonight.
Looks like someone else is up to no good.

View attachment 649483

I hear ya!

I think every chicken predator there IS lives in my woods...foxes, coons, 'possums, hawks, coyotes.

When we first bought our place and got our first chickens, we tried to free range, but quickly learned we had to fence in a yard for them.

 

[poacherjoe]

Lot's of people don't realize that Foxes have claws like a cat and can climb the face of a wooden barn to get to the hay loft .

 

[jcam222]

Lot's of people don't realize that Foxes have claws like a cat and can climb the face of a wooden barn to get to the hay loft .

I didn’t even know a cat could haha

 

[DougE]

If I let my chickens free range, I'd be out of chickens in a hurry. I keep them in a welded wire enclosure and the wire actually runs several feet out on the ground from the enclosure, covered by flat rock to keep the beasts from digging in. I also had to run a smaller mesh hardware cloth on the welded wire at the bottom to keep coons from reaching in and killing chickens through the welded wire.

 

[jkc64]

Fox sticks??

 

[pit 4 brains]

Fine looking hat running there..

 

[tbern]

Predators are so smart and adaptive, it's a constant battle against them! Good luck with keeping your girls safe!

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Odd to see one during the day. I'd eliminate him fairly quick! Just in case

 

[DougE]

Odd to see one during the day. I'd eliminate him fairly quick! Just in case

Fairly common to see foxes during the day around here. Coyotes, not so much, but I see them during the day now and then.

 

[DougE]

Best way to protect your flock is to eliminate access to predators with fencing. You can't kill them all. You will never get rid of all the foxes, coyotes, possums, coons, weasels, not to mention predatory birds like hawks, owls, etc which you really aren't supposed to "eliminate" legally, anyhow. I don't generally lose chickens to predators, but I don't free range the girls, either.

 

[indaswamp]

Hey Rick....










What did the fox say?

 

[wimpy69]

Nothing that a conibear trap couldn't take care of.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I can't put a 223 down range, houses around.
Might have to get the Gamo out.

 

[mike243]

Fox's are bad about getting rabies , have read they like skunks and thats where they contract it from, had a buddy bit by a fox when I was a very young man, glad he got the shots as his buddy was faster than him lol. fox was caught and tested positive,

 

[BGKYSmoker]

All went good last night, goats and Eggers all ok.

 

[Fueling Around]

That's good. Maybe it will move on to the neighbors'
I hate to shoot fox. They're still the best mousers on 4 legs.

 

[SherryT]

It also helps to have a big ol' badass GS...if it moves, Jake thinks he's supposed to kill it.

He won't bother my cats or my other dogs (Lucy and Cookie), though...I guess it's because he knows they're "supposed" to be here.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I have not seen mr/mrs fox back this way again