Fox with a chicken habit
By savypat
@savypat (20216)
United States
December 3, 2011 2:04pm CST
Our ranch has always been a wild life habitat until we got the chickens, now we are having to shoot chicken eaters, racoons and now foxes. This really upsets me, I find us between a rock and a hard place, like they say. I don't feel it's fair to put the chickens in harms way at the same time wild life safety was our goal. No one is going to be happy no matter what we do. Can I came live with you?
4 people like this
7 responses
@finlander60 (1804)
• United States
3 Dec 11
The trick facing you is how to convince the "Chicken Eaters" that THEY REALLY DO NOT WANT CHICKEN FOR SUPPER, or any other meal. Now, how to find the best solution to this problem. My suggestion is to make up a big batch of Habanero Hot Sauce and spread it around the chickens area. If you just happen to have chicken for supper some day you could dose the throw-away parts, liberally, with the Hot Sauce and HOPE that the foxes eat some of it. That ought to cure them of wanting chicken for any meal, for a long time. Now that I think a little longer, also make sure that there is a BIG BOWL OF WATER BY YOUR BAIT.
2 people like this
@finlander60 (1804)
• United States
4 Dec 11
I would consider that to be to your advantage. What do you think?
@GardenGerty (169453)
• United States
4 Dec 11
Well, the foxes and the raccoons are doing what comes naturally to them. My grandparents always had chickens, and cattle, and all kinds of wild visitors. I know grandma put the chickens in the hen house at night. I only remember being there when she shot a snake once. I am sure there were other critters I did not know about.
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
4 Dec 11
Humans are often kept out by fences that have extensions that reach outward or razorwire on the top of the fence. Maybe you can adopt something like that? There are repellants, too. I just looked up "fox repellant" and found a lot of ones that you can make yourself.
2 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
4 Dec 11
Come on over...you can help me guard my little dogs from the hawks and owls..lol...we haven't had to kill any one them though. They make me nervous when they circle. Maybe you could bring a Llama! That would be neat and my neighbors wouldn't know what to think.
2 people like this
@163Mandolingirl (1052)
•
5 Dec 11
Ever thought of keeping a couple of Alpacas? Apparently, they keep all predators at bay and are very effective guards for all sorts of little creatures as well as chickens. Their fleece sells for a lot of money too, and they are very good natured around humans.
@finlander60 (1804)
• United States
4 Dec 11
A slightly different route that you could use would be to get a large container of coyote urine and sprinkle it around every couple of months. The foxes and other predators, except maybe owls, would not be likely to come around as they would be their mortal enemies. This would be worth a try.
