I've gotta kill that Fox!!!

[radioman]

good idea. start with a caged in area and then if time and money permits, setup a semi large free ranging area with fenced in area for them when you are home.

 

[radrock]

I've been monitoring your challenge since the beginning of your invasion. I use to have those exotic chicks. Silky,s polish top knots and I can't remember what else. I started seeing several dead in the pen one day and didn't really know why. I kept seeing a dead one here and there for several days. Then one day I saw two dead by the little door on the chicken house. I went inside and dang if there wasn't two or three more and a dang black snake with a very large lump in the middle of his belly. It was his last meal. They still kept dying off so I gave up on exotic birds.

 

[Stick895]

Foxes are bad to have rabies. Coons too. If they come right up in the yard like that they are too habituated to humans, they need to go. I wish I were in a position to help.

 

[dmccarty]

... I am surprised though over the number of Guinea losses as they are decent sized birds...

Personally I would leave the foxes alone and build runs for the fowl. It's the only way to guarantee survival but I also understand the Guineas especially you'd like to free range as they get rids of ticks.

A neighbor bought 75 Guineas a few years ago.

The carnivore critters ate well for a year or two. I think they lost every bird. They now have chickens and there is one Guinea so I suppose it could have been one of the 75 but I doubt it. Most likely this one Guinea is a new one.

I would think the resident owls and hawks also took out some of the Guineas. Our chickens are in a Chicken TANK I built to protect them. The wifey came home one day and there was a hawk standing near the Chicken TANK trying to figure out how to get to the chickens.

The neighbors got the Guineas to get rid of ticks. We have so many deer and mice that there are ticks all over the place. Short of a fire in the woods or chemical application on the deer or mice, Guineas really cannot control the ticks at our place.

Later,
Dan

 

[JRobyn]

My FIL (across the field from us) has a family of foxes denned under his barn. It's about 50 yds from their cabin. They sit on the front porch and delight in watching them play. He actually takes them dog food! I have been trying to warn him that having foxes that close is NOT a "cute" situation, but to no avail. Maybe after a few of his cats go missing he will begin to get it.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Foxes are bad to have rabies. Coons too. If they come right up in the yard like that they are too habituated to humans, they need to go. I wish I were in a position to help.

Stick,

It is not that bad of a drive. Just between exits 110 and 118 on 95.

Feel free to come on down and help me look for them some weekend...

You will be welcome here.

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Our chickens are in a Chicken TANK I built to protect them.

Later,
Dan

Dan,

I am adding a door and 50' of welded wire and chicken wire to the front of my "Chikn Shak" to form an open topped "Chikn Run" where I can create a small fake pond for the ducks and the guinea's can fly to top, and fly out to go on tick patrol, and easily return. At night, foul weather, extended absence, etc, all will be locked into the "Shak" as they have been for over 2 weeks now.

This is my wife's suggested solution for the time being. I will add it's outrageousness to your Chicken Tank thread as I make progress...

At the end of the day, just like Stick895 said, those foxes have gotta go. Daylight raids etc there is simply too much risk letting them live.

Be well,
David

 

[dmccarty]

...

This is my wife's suggested solution for the time being. I will add it's outrageousness to your Chicken Tank thread as I make progress...

...

Outrageousness like the dining room furniture your feathered fowl friends have in the Chicken House? The corner shelf? Or the nice Chandelier? :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Outrageousness like the dining room furniture your feathered fowl friends have in the Chicken House? The corner shelf? Or the nice Chandelier? :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

Dan, Dan, Dan... For the last time, there is NO CHANDELIER! and the table has no glass... :laughing::laughing::laughing:

You know I used all that junk because it was here, I did not want to haul it off to the dump, and I assumed they would LIKE places to nest... some of them get used for roosting, most not. it will be interesting to see if the cold makes a difference come winter...

But I am making a PsuedoPond for the ducks inside the Chikn Run... I am really looking to find a way to seperate the ducks, because they are shockingly messy with their drinking water... I need to build a Duck Domicile and enclosure by the pond... But I'm not willing to enclose the entire pond... So... Wes shall see...

David

 

[murphy1244]

Well, What happened to Mr. Fox?

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Well, What happened to Mr. Fox?

Murph,

We've seen no foxes since before Memorial Day. I do have a guinea missing, but we all suspect (and pray) she is brooding on her eggs (which also started dissapearing 3 weeks before she did). The ducks and chickens are safe in the "Chikn Shak & Run" (see pic) we finished Memorial Day.

My neighbor had the same thing occur. Maybe when they get down to one female, instinct becomes overpowering...

But neither have we seen a rabbit, squirrel, etc. I suspect the at LEAST 3 families of foxes have done some damage to the local rodent populations...

I did see, at like 4:30 pm, a giant ground hog in my back yard right next to the deck. He headed north and crossed over my new dry creekbed.

My USMC sniper buddy is planning to come over some friday evening and we will rig up a decoy and a call and see what we can get.

Lots of racoons, they've been getting into my recycling bags...

David

 

[dmccarty]

Murph,

We've seen no foxes since before Memorial Day. I do have a guinea missing, but we all suspect (and pray) she is brooding on her eggs (which also started dissapearing 3 weeks before she did). The ducks and chickens are safe in the "Chikn Shak & Run" (see pic) we finished Memorial Day.
...

Did you bury the fencing in the ground? It looks like you did.

I need to mow so I can move our Chicken Tank. We had some trees taken down so I can move the Chicken Tank and build the girls a run. I think I need to bury the fence wire and put netting over head to keep out he hawks.

Later,
Dan

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Did you bury the fencing in the ground? It looks like you did.

Later,
Dan

Yes sir! the bottom chicken wire is a 3' wide section buried 12" deep at an angle approx 40 degrees out so diggin critters encounter wire ASAP to discourage them.

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Re: I've gotta kill that @#$% Fox!!!

Peoples PET Dogs!

That is outrageous and irresponsible of the owners.

I simply do NOT understand people who think it is OK for their PET to wander all over other peoples property...

In the city I became VERY irritated about the neighbors cats... Grrrrr... Even here, it is almost 1/2 mile to the next house (driving) and I get a couple different house cats wandering about my place at night...

Thanks for sharing.
David

I have a Kiwi friend in Christchurch... He is a professor & occasional missionary. Great family... Someday I wish to visit NZ