Best way to get rid of foxes?

[cobsarefab]

We have three which now come into our garden day or night trying to kill my one remaining hen. Our other three chickens were killed by these foxes and we're very worried about our rabbit also. What is the best way to get rid of them permenantly?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

A good marksman.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

look on your local agricultural FB pages, see if anyone is offering pest control. sorry about your hens, once they know they're there its very difficult.

 

[GirlFriday]

To be honest you really need an entirely enclosed (top, bottom and sides) run for chickens/rabbits if you can. Or, if you want them to be able to dig/scratch a bit then the edges of the pens need to be very well buried (someone will tell you a few feet down - I'm not sure).

Also, check the catches on any doors are proper bolts not those swivel pegs tht can be undone by paws.

Sorry to read of your loss.

 

[chillipup]

Sorry to hear about your chooks C, you will need to Fort Knox your set up for the them and the rabbit I'm afraid. And even if you do dispatch the 3 foxes visiting you now, (guess they maybe feeding young?) once they are gone, another will take over the territory sooner or later. Good luck.

 

[Clodagh]

Look for a good pest controller, check he has refences and insurance.
Electric fence has saved my chooks, we shoot about 20 foxes a year but now the cubs are being evicted and are desperate they still try.

 

[cobsarefab]

Just had two more of the bl**dy things in the garden! Went out with a broom but they ran away at the sight of me. They were sniffing round the rabbit and the coop. We've brought rabbit in and checked the hen is ok (the coop is secure) I'm really mad now, they've taken my three beautiful pets and are coming back for more grrr!

 

[cobsarefab]

To be honest you really need an entirely enclosed (top, bottom and sides) run for chickens/rabbits if you can. Or, if you want them to be able to dig/scratch a bit then the edges of the pens need to be very well buried (someone will tell you a few feet down - I'm not sure).

Also, check the catches on any doors are proper bolts not those swivel pegs tht can be undone by paws.

Sorry to read of your loss.

The ones on the coop are proper bolts but not the ones on the rabbit hutch.

 

[GirlFriday]

Try to buy some as soon as possible. You can get the little brass bolts in a DIY store (eg Homebase), hardware shop (eg Robert Dyas) or similar. Only a couple of pounds. Get brass or something specifically shown for outside use and it should last OK.

To put them on you need a bradle (ideally, to start off the holes) and a screw driver. They should come with suitable screws and only cost a couple of pounds.

 

[Wimbles]

Alpacas! Not massively practical but lots of fun!

 

[ester]

Why wouldn't they come back for more? You need to secure your animals, if you get rid of these foxes they will surely be quickly replaced by others if you are providing easy enough pickings.

 

[Moobli]

I am also of the opinion that you need to secure your pets so the foxes can't get in. Sorry for the losses you have already suffered.

 

[paddi22]

we have had chickens for years now, and foxes come along with them.

The only time we ever had a break from foxes, was when our chickens were beside or septic tank and we had pymgy moats in them. For some reason the combo of those 2 things meant we never had an attack!

But foxes will always be a fact of life with chickens. I was devastated by the first few hens we lost, but you grow to cope with it. It's just nature, but if you want hens to free range there are always risks. The only other option is to securely pen them in and make sure nothing can get over or under.

 

[Zero00000]

Foxes are having cubs now, they need feeding so will grab animals at every opportunity they get,
I've had 2 rabbit's killed and all 10 cooks in 1 night, 6 we had hatched ourselves and they were not even fully grown, I hate the things but they are a wild animal, I spent many a night outside waiting to get it,
My dogs have got loads and killed 5, not that I'm proud of that, but that's what we have 'taught' them to do unintentionally by forever telling them to 'get it' when ones in the garden

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive heard that peeing round your boundary helps keep them away, I have no idea if thats true and you might get weird looks from your neighbours if you have any next door!

Otherwise, you can get a humane trap. Trap it then go and release it in a forest far away. This is what we used to do if we had a fox worrying our ducks. Dont kill it, why kill something thats just doing what comes naturally. But really if I were you I'd get a decent chicken house / run which is fully wired so they cant get in?

 

[MagicMelon]

My dogs have got loads and killed 5, not that I'm proud of that, but that's what we have 'taught' them to do unintentionally by forever telling them to 'get it' when ones in the garden

Personally, I would be absolutely horrified if my dog ever killed even one animal let alone 5 foxes.

 

[Equi]

Personally, I would be absolutely horrified if my dog ever killed even one animal let alone 5 foxes.

So he eats vegan food then? Cause if not, he is eating an animal that has died to feed him..but meh

OP - put up an eletric fence around the area you need, or have a shed or similar that you can lock the pets up inside every night. And possibly have some sort of banger to go off and scare them away? Also get into the habit of NEVER leaving any sort of food out. failing that, a good marksman will do the job, but as a last resort really.

Thankfully we don't have foxes here...for one the neighbour is gun happy (not a bad thing, i don't want foxes around my miniature foals!) and the only one i ever saw was found dead in the middle of my field. Killed by a car or my horses i dont know...but never seen another one since it.

 

[Clodagh]

Otherwise, you can get a humane trap. Trap it then go and release it in a forest far away. This is what we used to do if we had a fox worrying our ducks. Dont kill it, why kill something thats just doing what comes naturally. But really if I were you I'd get a decent chicken house / run which is fully wired so they cant get in?

That is illegal. It is illegal to catch and relocate vermin, it is also pretty cruel to the fox, dumping it in someone elses territory.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Otherwise, you can get a humane trap. Trap it then go and release it in a forest far away. This is what we used to do if we had a fox worrying our ducks. Dont kill it, why kill something thats just doing what comes naturally. But really if I were you I'd get a decent chicken house / run which is fully wired so they cant get in?

really, really wrong.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I am lucky, I live next to a sheep farm that controls the fox population. we have way more badgers about than foxes and had one take a favourite duck this year-I'd shoot the damn thing if I were allowed, we've badgers everywhere.

as for foxes being quickly replaced by others, thats not been true of various places I've lived but then they've been on managed estates as well.

 

[PorkChop]

You either have to shoot them, or make your enclosure fox proof. Covered, wired sides dug into the ground and a low level electric wire.

 

[MagicMelon]

That is illegal. It is illegal to catch and relocate vermin, it is also pretty cruel to the fox, dumping it in someone elses territory.

Actually I believe that DEFRA have never classified the fox as vermin so if thats the case, this statement is incorrect. A local guy used to deal with foxes and this is a service he offered us.

 

[MagicMelon]

So he eats vegan food then? Cause if not, he is eating an animal that has died to feed him..but meh

Well as allowing a dog to kill the animal in regard to fox hunting and hare coursing is illegal - I dont see much difference cruelty-wise with allowing your dog to hunt and kill an animal in such a horrid way. Of course my dog eats dog food, but thats a by product of animals killed via strict regulations. Im not going to get in an argument about how cruel it is or otherwise to kill animals in an abattoir, however I do believe it is a pretty horrific death being chased and then torn apart by a dog.

 

[ponyparty]

Oh for goodness sake, here we go again with the bunny (or rather, fox) huggers...

Anyway, OP - I got electric poultry netting and that kept foxes not only away from my chooks, but also out of the entire garden! No more nasty fox poop on the lawn and I could sleep easy knowing that the mangy ******** weren't going to get their teeth into my flock. I think I paid about 150 quid for 25 metres plus all the required bits and bobs to set it up. Can't really remember off the top of my head.

Something like this: https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/vo...i3-Y30IheoOY6BZFjx3Y2Q_4qF-rzX5_xQaApNz8P8HAQ

 

[Tiddlypom]

A local guy used to deal with foxes and this is a service he offered us.

And you believed him?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Actually I believe that DEFRA have never classified the fox as vermin so if thats the case, this statement is incorrect. A local guy used to deal with foxes and this is a service he offered us.

but even if this is the case, relocating them and making them someone else's problem (quite apart from putting them in another fox's territory) is ok with you then?

 

[cobsarefab]

Well as allowing a dog to kill the animal in regard to fox hunting and hare coursing is illegal - I dont see much difference cruelty-wise with allowing your dog to hunt and kill an animal in such a horrid way. Of course my dog eats dog food, but thats a by product of animals killed via strict regulations. Im not going to get in an argument about how cruel it is or otherwise to kill animals in an abattoir, however I do believe it is a pretty horrific death being chased and then torn apart by a dog.

I'm sorry but my pets being chased bitten and then ripped to pieces while alive wasn't pleasant either.

 

[MagicMelon]

I'm sorry but my pets being chased bitten and then ripped to pieces while alive wasn't pleasant either.

No, but this is nature. Foxes have to eat, they cant just keep to creatures that humans have no want for. When we had ducks, we had the entire lot of them wiped out by a fox so I know what its like but I cannot blame the fox. However, allowing a dog to do it for fun is totally unnecessary IMO. I have chosen to not have any more ducks, have always wanted chickens but Ive decided against it as I dont want a fox killing them all.

Relocating the fox is not necessarily moving the problem to someone else. Not everyone has poultry for a start, I live in a very rural area with properties very spaced out, its not like the higher populated areas down south. There are foxes everywhere, so its not like it was being moved to an area that didn't have any and suddenly there would now be issues.

And BTW ponyparty - why be patronising calling me a "bunny/fox hugger". That term really is ridiculous and childish. Yes I believe that wild animals should be allowed to be wild animals and that we as humans dont have a right to kill them in a barbaric way by setting dogs on them.

Obviously I expect to get slated on here since the vast majority here are pro hunt given the website this forum is hosted by. I normally dont reply to things like this for that very reason but when people say to just set dogs on it, it really makes me mad.

 

[ester]

I'm sorry but my pets being chased bitten and then ripped to pieces while alive wasn't pleasant either.

don't put your pets in that situation then?

I do think relocating a fox is pretty nasty, for the fox, and I hope it didn't actually happen.

 

[tim_]

I do some pest control on a local farm and control foxes. It's fact that when you remove 1 another will take its place so if control is a method you employ it's not going to be something that you can do and then stop doing.

If you're determined to keep pets outside then you need to make your enclosure as predator proof as possible. Animals will go over, under and through a number of surfaces. You have to keep trying until you find what works for you.

Whilst animal charities try to release captured foxes where they were taken from, there are plenty of stories about foxes being released on other peoples land. The popular story is of a fox being shot which still had a shaved leg/dressing on, if one would be released this early after treatment I don't know. There was a piece in the news recently about a fox that died from having a flea collar attached when it was younger by someone thinking they were doing the right thing..

Control the pest number (shoot them)/Contain your animals or fowl (prevent access) or dissuade them from visiting by using other animals. Have to work out what's best in your situation.