Did you know for the first time in many generations, more people are moving to the countryside than leaving it and keeping chickens is the UK's fastest growing hobby?
There are two options here which are THE most effective means of protection if done properly: a tall fence or an electric fence. A tall fence should be at least 6 feet high and ideally have an outward sloping top to prevent the fox from climbing over into your chicken run. Electric fences are becoming more popular and are really quite good at keeping foxes out if they are working correctly. If the battery is flat, or the fence is shorted to ground via some overgrown vegetation touching the wires then it is a pretty pointless exercise. Electric fences come in two varieties - the poultry netting that has electric strands running through it and the electrified ‘wire' that is placed in front of the existing fence to stop a fox digging under or climbing over the fence. To be effective, there needs to be electrified strands at sniffing height. A fox will always use its nose to investigate first and after receiving a shock from the fence, it will act as a psychological barrier.
The following video clip was taken from a BBC Documentary called "The Private Life of... Chickens" and shows you how easily a fox will squeeze under a fence:
2. Locking up your birds at night
This seems to be obvious - and of course it won't stop visits during the late afternoon or early morning but you are more likely to have a fox visit during the night. So lock up those birds EVERY night without fail! I use an automatic pop hole opener made by AXT Electronic in Germany for my chickens. These cost you a few bob but work very well indeed. They close your pop hole when it gets dark and reopen it when it gets light. I also use the additional time clock module though which keeps the door closed until a preset time in the mornings - this stops the chickens from going out at 4am during the summer months when they could be at risk from a fox and also keeps my noisy cockerel inside until a sensible hour in the morning!
3. Secure accommodation
Another fairly obvious one but imaging a strong dog with a tugger toy, a fox is no different in terms of strength and if he can get hold of a panel or door he can tug quite hard to open or break it. Flimsy door catches on a hen house in an unfenced area present no great challenge to a determined fox.
4. Traps
Humane fox traps can be bought from various country stores and online suppliers. These are large cages that are baited. When the fox enters, it triggers the trap, closing the door behind him. Traps need to be placed on a run known to be frequented by the fox. Traps need to be camouflaged since foxes are very intelligent creatures. Traps must be inspected frequently and of course the big question is what to do with it if you succeed in capturing it.
Re-homing urban foxes to the countryside
I personally do not believe in ‘re-homing' a fox by trapping it, then driving out of town to the countryside before releasing it. Firstly, foxes are territorial animals and other foxes in the area will attack it, secondly, it will need to eat before too long and doesn't know where to find food in it's new environment. The fox may find somebody else's chickens but will probably starve to death. Thirdly, the local farmer will probably have to go out and shoot it. Foxes, like dogs learn from their environment as cubs. An urban fox has learnt different methods of scavenging and hunting to foxes in the countryside so it will be a very unpleasant or slow death for the animal.
Trapped foxes should really be humanely despatch inside the trap. A suitable shotgun is the usual method although the person with the shotgun (in the UK) must hold a valid shotgun certificate.
5. Flashing Lights
A flashing light can work as a deterrent as long as you move it around regularly. Once the fox gets used to it, it will no longer be scared but can be a useful deterrent in the shorter term.
6. Can our Dog keep Foxes away from the Chickens?
A family dog may keep a fox away. The fox can smell the presence of the dog which can put the fox off.
7. Llamas
Llamas apparently keep foxes away by driving them off. It is well known that Llamas are used to protect flocks of sheep with lambs from predators. The young Llama grows up with the flock and sees them as ‘family' and will apparently chase foxes away! A little extravagant for your average backyard poultry keeper but maybe worth thinking about for smallholders. Read our Using Llamas to protect Chickens against Foxes article
8. Shooting Foxes
Providing that the area is suitable for shooting, with the correct Shotgun certificate or Firearms Licence and the right sort of gun, foxes can be shot to keep their numbers down.
When fox numbers have reached a certain level, they will regulate their own numbers so shooting a number of foxes will cause a greater number of vixens in the area to have cubs the next spring. An experienced waterfowl keeper whose husband was a keen shooter said they do not shoot foxes in their area because they have learnt they can't get in to their field after touching the electric fence where they keep their birds so will not keep trying. If you shoot these foxes, more foxes will move into the area.
A separate article "Shooting Foxes" gives more information about the licence requirements in the UK and methods of luring the fox to within range of a gun if you would like to learn more about this method of control. If you don't think it was a fox that took your birds then have another look through the Pests and Predators section.
Common To All Poultry