The Poultry Keeper

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

Well, I got the fox trap through the post today - will be setting it up tonight and hoping it's full in the morning.

Watch this space!!

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

Why is it that I can't make a single mistake without the fox exploiting it to full advantage but when I set a trap it's no-where to be found? It's not even as if it's coming into the garden but is wary of the trap, it's just not visiting anymore.

Now I'm away every night for a week and I have to trust someone else to make sure they're locked away I just hope I can catch it before I go to Africa at the end of the month - one week is bad enough but 3 weeks with no way to check what's going on will be torture!

I know once this fox is caught there will probably be another to take it's place, but maybe I'll actually be able to get some sleep without jumping out of bed at the slightest noise. I am utterly exhausted, I can't even get back to rest after I've let them out in the morning because every time they fight or fly up to a perch or do anything my heart stops for a second as I listen harder for tell tale sounds of distress.

I think I'm going crazy.

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1394 Location: Carmarthenshire

Isn't there anyone round near you that can organise a fox round up and shoot? I personally don't like hunting with dogs but, knowing that foxes can do lots of damage, can cope with the idea of putting foxes up to the gun. A quick death, rather than being chased for miles terrified. I know a friend has the hunters, with just a couple of dogs and guns, come on his land regularly - last time they got 7 foxes within the first hour!

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

unfortunately not, these are urban foxes though it would be amusing to watch an urban fox hunt! Even the neighbours that like the fact I have chickens are not too happy with me wanting to destroy the 'cute' fox they feed *grumbles quietly*

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1843 Location: norfolk

You could try to persuade them that this particular fox is a "rogue" fox which has a taste for chicken and that subsequent foxes might not behave the same way.......

Dopey · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject:

were i live (Heathrow) there must be at least 10 to 15 of them, like you say, get rid of one and another will be along to take its place, the trouble is everyone thinks there cute (like cats) but like cats, its there natural instinct to kill, if we didn’t have to many cats (un natural balance of nature) we would have a lot more singing birds, but you cant have it all ways can you? people like pets, but cats at least need collars, with bells on them, a good excuse for people who don’t do this is that the cat will get caught up in it etc, but that’s only because its not fitted correctly in the first place, as for foxed when they have been trapped, they need to be killed after, if you let them go your just pushing your problem on to someone that lived further away from you, urban foxes will go back to an urban environment, they don't know how to fend for them selves in the wild, and have to learn this, so its easier for them to just find another town or village, and start again

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2130 Location: North Cornwall

What have you baited your trap with. It needs to be something nice a smelly. They like rotting fish as its not something they have everyday. Then it takes about 3 weeks before they start to go near the trap. You would be very lucky to catch it on the first night but urban foxes may act differently to country foxes.
I was once told by an old game keeper that the best way to use fox traps is to bury them baited, making an entrance like a den.

Dopey · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 10:26 pm Post subject:

best if you don't even set the trap, and leave it that way for a week or so, then if there's 3 or 4 of them and you put food in at the entrance to it and introduce it further in the cage each time, they will think nothing of going in there, if on the other hand 3 or 4 of them are watching one of them go in, and it gets trapped for the first time, what's the chances of the others going in after that in the following weeks? there not stupid, and are very suspicious of anything, and they will stay well clear of it next time, slowly slowly cache monkey, get them at ease and to trust that is a good source of food, and it safe to go in there.........and then wham!! lol

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

Good idea! I'll phone my mum and get her to put the unset trap out with something smelly and enticing near it.

When I set the trap the first night I was naively expecting to catch the fox that night so I put the smallest of the roosters in a cage attached to the back of the trap thinking the fox would go in to get it - I know it's not the most humane or ethical way to do things but I was listening out and would have been out at the trap to let out the chicken in less than a minute. To clarify the chicken was not in the trap and there was no way for the fox to get at it.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 113 Location: nottinghamshire

maybe couldn't get at it, but the rooster would still be really frightened! Confused

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

I know - hence my statement about it not being the most humane or ethical way to do things.

I figured if it got rid of the fox that had been terrorising my chicks it would be worth it. if the rooster seemed too stressed then his time would come early - he was destined for the pot in any case.

I think it would cause him less stress than the fox clawing at the pen sides in the mornings as I have found it doing on more than one occasion and would result in that stress being relieved for the rest of the birds. In my mind it was worth it.

Teasal · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

A friend of mine has been having trouble with a fox - coming in daylight and helping himself to a couple of hens at a time. Friend is like you, all jumpy at the slightest sound. He has now penned up remaining two hens and cockerel (he lost 8 hens in all and two cockerels)

He went on holiday leaving me to feed his animals and hens. Had set the trap with one of the dead chickens in. I checked it every day, but nothing. Midway through the week I heard squawking from the garden. Rushed down and there was one of the cats. He had gone in and been pulling the feathers from the dead hen. Oh well, at least we know the trap worked.

Friend is a big softy with animals, so when I asked what he was going to do with a live fox his reply was he would drive it down to our farm and release it. You can imagine what I said to that!!!

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

well the trap has been out every night I've been home and there has been nothing, not even so much as a cat.

I've been baiting it with fish scraps, both raw and cooked - meat, eggs... I've been putting the bait around the trap so it can find something tasty to whet its appetite before venturing into the cage - come morning even the stuff outside the cage is still there so it's just not visiting...

it's very frustrating!

Elly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 289 Location: Norfolk

Dopey, Even properly fitted cat collars can and will get caught as cats push their heads into small gaps Sad

Our cats never wear collars and rarely have they caught a bird. They have been known to bring us a mouse or vole as a present, generally still alive Shocked

Our chickens free roam and the cats show no interest in them at all. Mind you they are 8 & 9 now, so happy to sleep most of the time Laughing

Our chickens have a coop and large, covered run, with the run being made of weld mesh, which they stay in if no-one is going to be home all day. This is rare and most days they free roam. Hubby is in the process of sectioning of part of the garden and it will be fenced and covered in mesh so they have a large roaming area that is relatively safe (about 45sq ft with bushes and trees in).

We are surrounded by fields and have seen a fox or 2, but they dont seem to come in the garden. Our garden is surrounded by fence and that is covered in bushes and trees which blocks the view into it. Not sure if that is some of the reason Foxy does not visit Confused

Or could be that the fields are for crops and the farm across the field has lots of chickens on offer Exclamation

I think the best thing to do is to make the chickens as safe as possible, but accept that nature may have different plans. Yeah, I know I'm a crazy person Cool

Keep smilin
Elly

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1334 Location: Manchester

The fox is still visiting - and must just be ignoring the trap and food around the trap.

I find this very bizarre. Why would the fox ignore food?

I heard a bang outside about 30 minutes ago, then what sounded like a cut off scream, I thought the fox was finally in the trap (I used some raw mackerel as bait) however when I got out to the garden the real reason for the scream was revealed - an open coop and one bird gone.

I closed the coop up (I have no idea why it was open, I am absolutely sure I closed it when I set the trap) and went to watch from the bedroom window, saw him trotting across my neighbours garden but then didn't jump the fence, not for about 10 minutes - by which time I was downstairs starting to write this - I heard the fence bang and took my camera out, thinking at least I can get some sort of a 'shot' off at him as the rifle I have will only kill a fox at point blank range. (waiting on my FAC)

I went out and heard the fence bang again as he left, but when I got out there was the chicken he'd taken from the coop - still alive (barely) I think it was too heavy for the fox to carry off.

So the trap is obviously not working - I think my only option now is to get my FAC and then sit out one night waiting - only problem is that I don't think i'll get a safe shot, my garden is not very big. Unless I sit up on the outhouse roof and shoot down into the garden...

I guess this fox is already trap shy.