Got him! Fox that was attacking my chickens & ducks

Mark

Founder
Staff member
Premium Member
GOLD
Joined
May 27, 2012
Messages
5,192
Location
Bellmere, QLD
Website
www.selfsufficientme.com
Climate
Sub-Tropical
Here's the fox that has been creating hell for our chickens and ducks over the past 6 months or so...
fox getting my chickens and poultry.jpg

We "did" have a fox proof pen until he eventually found a weak spot and pushed/chewed his way through knocking off every last hen and duck we had...

Until now, we hadn't had a fox attack in the pen for about 5 years (since I had fitted the pen with the anti-dig dog mesh around the perimeter).

He had been getting through our outer dog fence that "protects" our free-ranging area and attacking the odd bird in broad daylight (such was his desperation) but the other night he got through the chicken wire and dog mesh skirt and into the pen. :mad:

Guess what I'll be doing before we get any more poultry (chickens and ducks at least - we still have quail)? That's right, I'll be making an even stronger boundary fence, a much-reinforced poultry pen, and maybe even incorporate a solar electric fence. I WILL WIN... Oh yes... I will win...

I used a Bushnell Aggressor Trophy HD Cam 24mp Trail Cam Camera that I got off eBay to snap this shot - he was just outside of the pen and must have heard the cam kick in turning his head looking right into the lens.

At least I know who it was now...
 

Bamboochicken

Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
63
I
Here's the fox that has been creating hell for our chickens and ducks over the past 6 months or so...
View attachment 3193
We "did" have a fox proof pen until he eventually found a weak spot and pushed/chewed his way through knocking off every last hen and duck we had...

Until now, we hadn't had a fox attack in the pen for about 5 years (since I had fitted the pen with the anti-dig dog mesh around the perimeter).

He had been getting through our outer dog fence that "protects" our free-ranging area and attacking the odd bird in broad daylight (such was his desperation) but the other night he got through the chicken wire and dog mesh skirt and into the pen. :mad:

Guess what I'll be doing before we get any more poultry (chickens and ducks at least - we still have quail)? That's right, I'll be making an even stronger boundary fence, a much-reinforced poultry pen, and maybe even incorporate a solar electric fence. I WILL WIN... Oh yes... I will win...

I used a Bushnell Aggressor Trophy HD Cam 24mp Trail Cam Camera that I got off eBay to snap this shot - he was just outside of the pen and must have heard the cam kick in turning his head looking right into the lens.

At least I know who it was now...
If you catch him please don't kill him I love all animals I understand that it is annoying to have all your animals killed but maybe he has a family to feed so please don't.......
 

Mark

Founder
Staff member
Premium Member
GOLD
Joined
May 27, 2012
Messages
5,192
Location
Bellmere, QLD
Website
www.selfsufficientme.com
Climate
Sub-Tropical
I'm not going to try to catch him but I will stop him from entering our pen or free-range area.

Foxes are an introduced pest here in Australia and because of these animals thousands of native animals are needlessly killed every year and are now endangered or extinct because they were not used to foxes or their ruthless hunting practices.
 

AndrewB

Valued Member
Premium Member
GOLD
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
428
Location
Albury, NSW
Climate
Temperate (all seasons)
Did he get through, over, or under your fences?

They are smart critters, so it will be a constant battle of wits unless you do something to make it really not worth his time.

Electrifying that fence would certainly make him think twice about chewing on it.

The dig proof mesh should have the underground attack sorted. If not, burying loose wire, barbed or normal will make it super awkward to dig.

If he is climbing over, the cheapest method would be to roll the top of the fence over 90 degrees. Straight fences won't stop a motivated critter- I've seen a staffy climb an 8ft fence to play next door. If they can get those front paws over the top, then the rest will soon follow.
 

ClissAT

Valued Member
Premium Member
GOLD
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
1,842
Location
Pomona, Qld
Climate
Sub-Tropical
Actually I think 'he' might be a 'she' & probably has pups (is that what fox babies are called?).
Could soon be many more looking for a free feed.
Anyway, good that you have got an ID on that rascal.
Next time he/she comes a calling ask for their ID! :D
 

Lois

Active Member
Premium Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
73
Climate
Sub-Tropical
Good luck. We have a fox that we hear barking nearly every night. Haven't sighted it and our chook pen has been repaired recently. I do doa a check every day in case though.
 

ClissAT

Valued Member
Premium Member
GOLD
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
1,842
Location
Pomona, Qld
Climate
Sub-Tropical
I wanted to post a link to a couple of good videos about electric mesh fencing since that seems to be the only way to protect chooks and other farm animals from land borne predictors. It won't protect against birds.
A caveat to note is the mesh fence must be installed correctly and the sufficiently strong energizer must be working properly all the time.




I'm investigating this mesh now myself because foxes have just arrived at my place since the new neighbours moved in with all their rampant noisey assorted poultry that's not properly fenced!

I've found scat placed strategically around my garden. So if I get chooks again without proper protection, I'm just asking for trouble. I always lock them up at night but if the foxes get really blatant, they will come in the late arvo and maybe that will be before I get home from town for example. Or the foxes might get at the chooks behind my back in the late arvo while I am feeding the horses on the other side of the house yard.


I have another reason too. I'm thinking of using a couple of dairy goats to eat some weeds in one of my paddocks. Again, with the recent arrival of the foxes, the goats won't stand a chance if not protected properly. Also the goats need a strong fence to keep them in. The best fence for goats apparently is this type of chicken mesh fence.
 
Last edited:

Wayland.

Active Member
Premium Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Messages
34
Climate
Temperate (all seasons)
We have had fox problems continually for the past six years or so. I have even lost a pet dog who took on a fox and died from blood poisoning from a bite to her face. My chook pen now looks like colditz. We have a six foot chain link fence buried a foot and two strands of electric wire over the top. I will never say that we are fox proof. Clever bubbers. My problems is all tied up with the lack of rabbits. No rabbits in my area for six years. The attacks that we have had has been during the day, and by both dog and vixen. She has starving cubs in the den. This has to be the case to risk a daylight attack. Sorry as I am for their plight. They will be shot if they try it again.
 
Top Bottom