Are they in a fenced area? Generally a fox will go for the smaller prey.
Predators
So, I have two goats, one is CAE positive and not terribly healthy (we are working on it), but recently we have had a fairly sizeable fox around, it swiped two chickens and killed a duck...we have the chickens in, but my question is, should I be concerned the fox will bother my sickly goat? I think my other goat would defend, but if there is a real concern, then I will simply keep them in for a while...Bert is probably 90ish pounds and Zoe is a good 120 pounds, so they aren't small goats but not huge either...
Anyone else have issues with a fox? and have suggestions for how to encourage them to move on! They are wily enough that simply shooting it isn't an option and I don't trap...Ideally, I would like to just convince it that moving on is its best option (I suspect it is a she and has kits somewhere nearby...this isn't the first spring we have had issues with it stealing chickens). Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Anyone else have issues with a fox? and have suggestions for how to encourage them to move on! They are wily enough that simply shooting it isn't an option and I don't trap...Ideally, I would like to just convince it that moving on is its best option (I suspect it is a she and has kits somewhere nearby...this isn't the first spring we have had issues with it stealing chickens). Any advice is greatly appreciated.
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The fox won't pose a threat to goats of that size. As for convincing the fox to move on to a different location, I don't think that is possible. You could try to run it off, it will come back to it's territory and/or den once the immediate threat is over.
Absolutely not a concern for your goats but yes they do get pretty brazen about poultry when feeding kits. Supposedly both parents bring prey back to the kits. They will move the kits if there is much human activity around the den when the kits become active and start coming out. If you can find the den and visit a couple times a day they may move them further away.
What @SalteyLove said! It's common for mama foxes to move their dens. We had some kits playing under a burr oak tree nearby for a week or two. One day I saw someone sitting in their SUV with a huge telephoto lens on their camera waiting for the perfect photo (it was so idyllic). I never saw the foxes again after that. That was 2 or 3 summers back.
Just a couple weeks ago we had a fox (presumably) kill most of our laying flock when our electric fence failed during a storm . They took about half of what they killed and left the rest dead strewn about the pasture. It was incredibly windy and hard to find evidence but one carcass (only one) was eaten clean, the rest whole and dead. That bird's wing was about a hundred yards away, past two failed electric fences, in the goat's pasture. We had 5 kids up there with 2 does, each a little smaller than yours. It's worrisome but also telling. (The electric fencing was also in a perimeter fence with electric wire- all tied to the same source- on top and barbed at the bottom).
So much for showing chickens in this year's fair; they left us with 3 Red Stars and two pretty old Russian Orloffs. I did save a Light Sussex that anyone in their right mind would have culled. I felt so bad and she was the only one with injuries left alive so I did my best. She was found standing still in the pasture, a sphere of feathers, tail tucked, naked necked, with her head hanging straight down like a plumb bob, not moving. She's a miracle chicken!
Just a couple weeks ago we had a fox (presumably) kill most of our laying flock when our electric fence failed during a storm . They took about half of what they killed and left the rest dead strewn about the pasture. It was incredibly windy and hard to find evidence but one carcass (only one) was eaten clean, the rest whole and dead. That bird's wing was about a hundred yards away, past two failed electric fences, in the goat's pasture. We had 5 kids up there with 2 does, each a little smaller than yours. It's worrisome but also telling. (The electric fencing was also in a perimeter fence with electric wire- all tied to the same source- on top and barbed at the bottom).
So much for showing chickens in this year's fair; they left us with 3 Red Stars and two pretty old Russian Orloffs. I did save a Light Sussex that anyone in their right mind would have culled. I felt so bad and she was the only one with injuries left alive so I did my best. She was found standing still in the pasture, a sphere of feathers, tail tucked, naked necked, with her head hanging straight down like a plumb bob, not moving. She's a miracle chicken!
I haven't heard fox to be wasteful killers like that! Do you have fisher cats? Domestic dogs are the most likely culprit in poultry murders where there is just mass killing without feasting but since there was some eaten I wonder what it was. So sorry about your flock 
Yes the fox seem to particularly hate having photos taken of kits newly exiting the den and will move them promptly in our experience!
Yes the fox seem to particularly hate having photos taken of kits newly exiting the den and will move them promptly in our experience!
It would be unlikely to have fishers around here in southern WI. Aren't weasels really messy, like a bloodbath? It seemed like this animal probably was really hungry, ate one, killed the rest and kept making trips back to get more for backstock until they had what they wanted. I don't think coyotes would be agile enough or smart enough to get through the 3 or 4 fences multiple times. I haven't seen dogs out around here for years... fox was just our best guess. IDK. And they did come from the direction of the old den, though that family is dispersed by now.
I agree with the others.
I would actually suspect raccoons in that situation. The fox has always taken what it killed and no more...but we have had issues with raccoons in the past just slaughtering our chickens and leaving them afterwards...grrr.What @SalteyLove said! It's common for mama foxes to move their dens. We had some kits playing under a burr oak tree nearby for a week or two. One day I saw someone sitting in their SUV with a huge telephoto lens on their camera waiting for the perfect photo (it was so idyllic). I never saw the foxes again after that. That was 2 or 3 summers back.
Just a couple weeks ago we had a fox (presumably) kill most of our laying flock when our electric fence failed during a storm . They took about half of what they killed and left the rest dead strewn about the pasture. It was incredibly windy and hard to find evidence but one carcass (only one) was eaten clean, the rest whole and dead. That bird's wing was about a hundred yards away, past two failed electric fences, in the goat's pasture. We had 5 kids up there with 2 does, each a little smaller than yours. It's worrisome but also telling. (The electric fencing was also in a perimeter fence with electric wire- all tied to the same source- on top and barbed at the bottom).
So much for showing chickens in this year's fair; they left us with 3 Red Stars and two pretty old Russian Orloffs. I did save a Light Sussex that anyone in their right mind would have culled. I felt so bad and she was the only one with injuries left alive so I did my best. She was found standing still in the pasture, a sphere of feathers, tail tucked, naked necked, with her head hanging straight down like a plumb bob, not moving. She's a miracle chicken!
Thanks all for the advice. I think we will try to find the den and see if we can discourage them that way. I really don't mind the wildlife, but I feel bad that I can't put my chickens out. I am glad, however, that they aren't a threat to the goats.
I would suspect Raccoons... they are EVERYWHERE, there are no real predators for them, and they are horribly destructive. We have had LOTS of issues with them.It would be unlikely to have fishers around here in southern WI. Aren't weasels really messy, like a bloodbath? It seemed like this animal probably was really hungry, ate one, killed the rest and kept making trips back to get more for backstock until they had what they wanted. I don't think coyotes would be agile enough or smart enough to get through the 3 or 4 fences multiple times. I haven't seen dogs out around here for years... fox was just our best guess. IDK. And they did come from the direction of the old den, though that family is dispersed by now.
Yes, they are fenced in. and I always shut them in at night because we have coyotes around as well, and although we haven't had any issues with them, I don't want to tempt fate.Are they in a fenced area? Generally a fox will go for the smaller prey.
Mine was not a raccoon kill. The dead chickens were bloodless, probably killed by broken necks, but raccoons often pick out the breast/crop to eat and really tear them up. The one that was eaten was picked clean. The predator hauled away 4 whole birds too, which ***** don't do. They are certainly around but we've had little trouble protecting from them.I would suspect Raccoons... they are EVERYWHERE, there are no real predators for them, and they are horribly destructive. We have had LOTS of issues with them.
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