Lost half my livestock this week

I feel for the farmers.
Bloody fox killed two of my chickens on the weekend - and then came back last night to dig up the carcass of one it had buried in the garden unbeknownst to me. They do that apparently.
Second time I have had a fox attack.
The only way it can get into my backyard is to scale a two metre Colorbond fence. I would be impressed if I was so annoyed.

Scott

 

You also get them in the city,but it may be a feral cat,every now and again you see a fox very smart ..

 

A feral cat doesn't bury a chook and then come back a few days later for another meal. That's fox behaviour. (I guess zombies might do that sort of thing, too.) I used to like the fact that we had wildlife so close to the CBD. I don't anymore.

 

Maybe just set up a 20 dollar solar light,with a movement sensor they don't like light..

 

I think a few people would be surprised to know whereabouts in Sydney this tragic loss occurred.

The per-capital chicken ownership in the inner west would be pretty low.

 

I've got a .22 you can borrow.

 

Problem with that I would have to sit out there all night hoping it comes back.

 

Get an alpaca, that should protect your chickens

 

That's a lateral thought. I might swapping one problem for another.

 

Buy eggs from the shop from now on?

 

I took my dogs to a friends house once. The Lab had no problem with the chickens, she's a live and let live dog, but she'll eat it if it's dead.

The terrier was a different story. Nice lap dog, but she enjoys killing chooks, rabbits, possums, ducks and anything else that can't defend itself.

 

I'm going to win. I still have two chooks left - two no doubt nervous ones. I now lock them up safely at night, but the novelty of that is going to wear off. I'll have to make their backyard enclosure fox proof. I would still love to get that fox, though.
I'm declaring war on the rats, too. The back lane would be a highway for rats and foxes and the chooks attract both. So I have just bought some good traps.
I have a mate who is doing a PHD on native animals and has some cameras that he sets up in the bush near his traps to see what's doing. He's coming over this weekend.
I'm feeling a bit like Bill Murray in Caddyshack.

 

See if council has a fox baiting program

 

I hadn't thought of that. I'll check. I know foxes were declared pests last year.

 

???

Been pests since they arrived here.

Get your mate to set up a trap for you while is there.

 

Yes, but the declaration or whatever it was meant baiting could take place. His traps aren't big enough. His PHD was on small marsupials. I might have to try and make one.

 

That's funny. Sorry, not 2 of your chooks getting killed, but I was expecting 150 sheep to be dead via drought or something.

 

Hi Scott

I feel your pain We're on our third lot of chickens (6 lovely cage-bound rescue ladies) after the last two lots got taken by foxes. It's quite devastating isn't it? Our solution has been to erect one kick-ass fox-and-cat-proof coop that not even our salivating mini-dakkie can get a paw into (the border collie, in the meantime, just stands gazing at them adoringly like a mother with new chicks ) I do hope you get a resolution via traps or other means shortly... it's tricky to keep them out as they not only climb but dig well too.

Re: feral cats. Though they may not have been responsible this time we just got back from a family trip to the NT and the Desert Park ranger at Alice Springs was telling us there are 18million feral cats roaming Australia... massive problem for our native wildlife (hence the virtual extinction of many of our smaller marsupials) as they can kill (but not necessarily eat) up to 8 small animals per night. Another good reason to ensure that all cat owners lock their kitties up at night !

 

My chickens haven't been laying solidly since October. Broodiness, moulting, and now cold weather.

Fortunately my over night pen is very fox proof.

 

Might be time to consider making some chicken soup?