Mr Fox has to be every poultry keeper’s number one enemy. Sadly, many people have lost their chickens or other poultry to a fox. When it happens, it can be devastating. Foxes and chickens don’t get along, so we need to be careful to keep our birds safe from foxes.
When I was 7 years old, I went down to our chicken house to open the outer run door to let our small flock of hens out for their usual free range of the garden. I saw all of our hens killed inside the house with their heads removed on opening the door. Only one hen had survived and was petrified, hiding in a tree where she had escaped the attack.
Whilst I love nature and have a live and let live attitude towards most things, this experience has given me a vivid memory of a fox attack, and that makes me pretty vigilant when it comes to keeping my chickens and ducks safe. I appreciate that not all of the protection methods here will suit everyone, but I will give you as many ideas as possible to help you keep your chickens safe.
Which method(s) you choose is up to you, but I appreciate many people like to see foxes around, yet others don’t and would rather kill them…This article aims to give you some practical advice on how to alleviate or eliminate fox problems. You can choose the methods that work best for you based on how you feel about foxes and how much time and effort you need to put in based on how big the problem is. Whatever your view of Mr Fox, I hope you manage to keep him and your poultry apart!.
Foxes are smart hunters that can do a lot of damage to a flock of chickens. You should know how foxes hunt and kill chickens if you own chickens. This will help you protect your flock. We’ll talk about how foxes hunt and how they actually kill chickens in this article.
How Foxes Hunt Chickens
Foxes are sneaky hunters who will grab any easy prey they can find. Chickens that are free to roam are more likely to be attacked by foxes. Foxes will check out chicken coops for any holes or weak spots in the fencing that will let them get to the chickens.
As soon as a fox gets into the chicken area, the hunt starts. Foxes use their excellent hearing and smell to locate chickens. They will sneak through the trees and quietly get close to their prey. They pounce on the chickens and grab them with their mouths when they get close enough. When they first bite, they usually go for the neck or head.
Foxes will kill multiple chickens in one attack They cache or hide away the dead chickens to eat later Foxes may only carry one chicken away to eat right away before returning for the rest of their prey.
How Foxes Kill Chickens
When a fox grabs a chicken by the mouth, its strong jaws and sharp teeth quickly kill the bird.
The most common killing technique foxes use is biting and breaking the neck of the chicken. Foxes clamp down with their carnassial (shearing) teeth that are designed for slashing meat and sinew. This severs the spinal cord and causes the chicken’s death.
Sometimes, foxes immediately bite the head or neck area to puncture and crush the brainstem This is also a very swift killing method
If the chicken has a larger body, the fox may first bite the back or flank area to get a better grip before repositioning for a killing neck bite. Larger birds take more effort and multiple bites to dispatch.
Foxes try to use the quickest killing technique possible to avoid injury from the panicking bird. Chickens with spurs can certainly fight back, especially large roosters. Foxes ideally want the chicken immobilized immediately to avoid getting scratched or spurted.
Additional Fox Behaviors
Some key facts about how foxes interact with chickens:
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Foxes usually hunt and kill chickens at night when the birds are asleep and vulnerable. However, bold foxes may kill in broad daylight too.
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Foxes can kill every chicken in a coop during one attack. They will return over subsequent nights to collect any cached prey.
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Foxes are able to carry chickens much larger than themselves. They may drag the birds away or discreetly hide them nearby to safely eat.
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Foxes only need small openings to access coops. They can dig and chew their way into poorly protected runs.
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Foxes kill solely for food, not for sport. They do not waste chickens needlessly. Any uneaten birds are stored for later meals.
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Young fox cubs rely heavily on adult foxes to provide food. Chickens are an attractive, easy protein source to feed growing families.
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A lack of other prey animals may cause foxes to target chickens aggressively. Good wildlife habitat around the coop can provide alternative fox food sources.
Preventing Fox Attacks
The best defense against foxes is prevention. Making coops and runs as secure as possible with good fencing, roofs, and locks will deter fox attacks. Removing any food attractants and keeping vegetation cleared away from the coop also helps.
Guard animals like certain dog breeds can keep foxes away too. Motion-activated lights and sounds may also scare foxes off.
Securing chickens at night is paramount. Foxes primarily hunt under the cover of darkness. Making the coop impenetrable at night eliminates this prime opportunity for fox attacks.
Understanding how foxes hunt and kill chickens allows us to better protect our flocks from their cunning tactics. While foxes are just trying to survive, chicken keepers certainly don’t want to provide them an easy meal. Fortifying coops, managing free-range time, and utilizing deterrents will convince foxes to look for food elsewhere and leave our chickens alone.
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 automatic chicken door closers on my coops to make sure they are safe after dusk. I have them open automatically again at 7:30 am which also means I don’t have to rush out of bed on the weekend to let my chickens out.
When are my birds most at risk?
The times your birds are most at risk is when foxes are feeding their cubs in the spring. Another time to be careful is around August time when the mother leaves the cubs to go and find their own food. You are more likely to have a visit from a fox during the daytime when the cubs are learning to hunt and aren’t so wary of people. At this time of year, young foxes have sat at the end of my garden and watched me let my ducks go to their run.
Hunting Down the Fox that Killed All My Chickens
FAQ
How do you know if a fox has killed chickens?
If you find dead or missing chickens with little to no blood, feathers all over the place, and maybe footprints or digging near the coop, you can be sure that a fox killed them. If the chickens are free to roam, foxes will usually only grab one or two at a time. If they get into the coop, they may kill more.
Why do foxes kill chickens and not eat them?
Foxes kill chickens but sometimes leave them behind because of their instincts, the fact that they can’t carry as many, and the chance to hide food. They are driven to hunt when they encounter a large, accessible food source like a flock of chickens.
What to do if a fox is killing your chickens?
In response to suspicious activity, immediate and suitable action should be taken to protect your chickens. This may include clearing any nearby undergrowth around the coop or relocating the enclosure if it’s too close to the property’s edge.
How do you tell what killed my chickens?