I live on 5 acres on the edge of a large city. My problem is foxes. When it first started , foxes went into the hen houses at night.They got 7 white sultans the first night. I set traps and killed 3 within a few days. I also installed a night light in the chicken yard. Everything was o.k.for awhile, now another fox has moved in, a very wise one. He knows to avoid traps which I baited with squirrels (dead) He does not go into the hen house,woe to the hen who wanders a bit away from the house. HE GETS THEM IN DAYLIGHT ,and I am at wits end. He is about to put me out of the chicken business . HELP!!!!

-- George W. Wilson (cwwhtw@aol.com), April 02, 2000

Answers

Last year I had a fox dig under a fence that was buried in the ground 6" and grab a chicken during broad daylight. I couldn't get down there fast enough with the shotgun but took our dog throughout our whole yard for the next several days, letting him flush out anything in the tall grass and leave his scent everywhere. Never did see the fox after that. What would happen if you contacted your local DNR about the killer fox? I don't live on the edge of a town so I have "other" options.

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), April 02, 2000.

Sounds like you need a Great Pyrenees dog. We live in an area with abundant coyotes, fox and even black bear. It took us a year to build a good chicken coop and free range the birds. With our two dogs around, we only lost 1 chicken. We have young lambs in open pasture, with no problems (yet!?). The male dog thinks he's the mother of all the new lambs!!!

-- David C. (fleece@eritter.net), April 02, 2000.

Boy, does that sound familiar! We free range our chickens, and yesterday my wife looked out toward the barn and there was Mr. Fox chasing the chickens. By the time I got outside he had one and was headed home. The first shot from my .357 caused him to change direction. The 2nd came close enough that he dropped the chicken and reversed direction at high speed. Next shot had him shift to warp speed. The chicken is OK physically, but a psychological wreck. Hard to actually hit a running fox with a pistol at 75 yards though. So, as I have done in the past, I found the den. And as I have done in the past I will treat them to a sulphur smoke bomb. These are available at feed stores and usually used for woodchucks. You'll need the big ones which go about $1.50 each. Good luck!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), April 03, 2000.

I agree with David, our female Pyrenees is the best at taking care of our stock to include the chickens. We do get the occasional coyote and fox but she has yet to have a problem with any of them. We are looking for a new male for her as we lost ours not too long ago. They are good friends as well as good working dogs.

Brad has a valuable point as well, if you can find the den it's easier to handle the problem. I would rather take the fight to them instead of being reactive when they have a chicken and on the run. Good luck.

Jim

-- Jim Tanner (tanner_jim@hotmail.com), April 03, 2000.

This may seem gross to some but here goes! *If you have boys in the house have them pee all around the hen house or barn .If no boys you can always pee in a bucket and pour it around.Also if you have a dog that needs a hair cut , spread the hair around .I haven't had any loses since we started this and the boys don't mind ,it's easier than going in the house!

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 03, 2000.

Patty, I must question your solution on 2 counts. First, I and my dogs don't seem to have had the advertised effect on the local foxes. To wit: I am not about to go back to the house if I'm working in the barn and my back teeth begin to float, so don't. Fox probably thinks it's cologne! Secondly, I would not expected you of all people, to be sexist! "If you have little BOYS!!" What about the equal opportunity for little girls? I point out here that it was my Grandmother who taught me how to micturate (look it up!) behind the barn. "No point running in the house to stress the septic system!" she told me. Sort of reminds me of the cat we had that was primarily a house cat. It would get frantic to get back inside so it could use the litter box! A lot like your average, just moved here from the city, yuppie! Anyway, have fun & good luck!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), April 03, 2000.

I thought maybe pee on the chickens!!!! That could work.....Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (kirkay@yahoo.com), April 03, 2000.

O.K. boys behave yourself .Yes I can pee in the woods as well as any man! I just can't write my name.My girls are too girly to do this at times , and I didn't want to offend anyone. It always seemed acceptable for boys but not girls.How many women do you see on the roadside?By the way if your on the side of the road peeing and someone drives by and beeps ,just wave its me "but watch your feet".

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 04, 2000.

Another vote for Great Pyrenees! I currently have 3, a female with the goats and sheep full time, a male in the yard full time and another female that works in both places. The yard pair don't bother the chickens although found them fascinating early on. A tin can with 2-3 rocks inside and the top crumpled and hurled at the offender's feet stops undesirable behavior quickly without their associating it with the human. We have foxes, raccoons, oppossums, coyotes in ridiculous numbers and more stray dogs than Carter has little pills and so far, knock wood, haven't lost a critter. They are also wonderful comfort to the kids as the babies will snuggle next to the dogs while the mamas graze.

I've tried the urine trick to keep deer out of my garden and put "Irish Spring" soap in fruit trees which a neighbor swears by. Didn't work here and I'm only 2 miles from the neighbor. The dogs worked beautifully. Marilyn

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), April 04, 2000.

I think it's the testosterone in the urine that makes it work. So sending the boys out to do the job has nothing to do with being sexist and everything to do with hormones. I have read where it works for some and not for others. Why this is I have no idea.

-- Yesteryear Cottage (oberg@watervalley.net), April 04, 2000.

The peeing thing works because it leaves a predator scent behind. To get that scent you have to eat a predator's diet, i.e. meat, and from my experience red meat and plenty of it. For me it's worked pretty well to deter rabbits (a prey animal) but I've never tried it to keep another predator (foxes) away from prey animals (chickens). I suspect it would have very mixed results in that regard.

After dark when I won't be causing raised eyebrows with the neighbors I commonly pee around the various garden plants that commonly attract rabbits and it's worked pretty well for me. Seems to be most effective when I've been eating at the local barbecue joint. My wife has, uhh, declined to assist in rabbit deterence in this manner.

So far as protecting free range chickens are concerned I think a Great Pyrenees or similar type of animal that you've confirmed will behave itself is the way to go. That and being a good shot, that is. For my poultry I'm going to keep them in their own yard and make sure the fence is stout. Between the fence and a shotgun or .22 I don't think I'll have any problem.

.......Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.ProvidenceCo-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), April 04, 2000.

If none of the above work for the foxes at least we had a good laugh!

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 04, 2000.

If I laugh out loud any more my husband is going to think I'm crazy. What a great way to end the day!

-- Jennifer (jkmills@freewwweb.com), April 06, 2000.

I am the man who has Fox trouble. I appreciate all the answers that I recieved, , some more yhan others. I cannot get a great Pyronese(spelling) as my dogs live a long time, and I dont think I will be around so long. ( i am 80 ) I tried to cancel the question, but for some reason my computer cant seem to get to the proper person. I enjoy COUNTRYSIDE very much , and have almost every issue since volume 61 and cost $1.00. I will be in touch

-- George W Wilson (cwwhtw@aol.com), April 07, 2000.

George, there are still some tricks available. You say you have a trap-shy fox. Are you using the old standby, a # 1 1/2 or # 2 jump? I have found longsprings to be less effective, but still useable. Sounds like you know your way around (I'm not a young pup, but I could call you "Dad" if you weren't too slow to mature!). Anyway, is this fox absolutely staying away from your traps, or do you find them sprung? If it's the latter, that bugger may be turning them over, then stepping on them to spring them!.. The cure is to set the trap UPSIDE-DOWN! When he upends it and steps - WHAM - you've got him. I find the "buried meat" set to be one of the best, but most susceptible to this smart a fox. You can also try a a 2nd and 3rd trap 2 to 3 feet from the "bait", but be sure you have been careful in not leaving scent. Another possibility is coyote urine, tho that has been made fun of around here before. Thing is - at least here, if you have coyote problems (thank God they're still a couple of miles away!) you don't usually have foxes. Grasping maybe, but it might work. Good luck!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), April 09, 2000.