# Will an electric fence keep Foxes away ?



## pred (Aug 10, 2008)

I again am having an issue with a Fox, Earlier this year I had a Fox come and take 15 Pullets out of the coop, And I was able to get that one, But now one young one came to visit and took 1 adult layer, And at 6am this morning was jumping with glee in front of a 3x8 run with Pullets in it,,, Run is 100% encased with chicken wire,,,
I have 265' across the back that is unfenced, And I am wondering if I run 3 electric fence cables at 6" 12" and 18" if that would teach a fox a lesson and it would not come back, Or would it be a waste of time?
My yard is fenced on the two sides, The front is street access only and the rear backs up to RR tracks, That is the side (rear) that I am thinking about an electric fence, BUT I dont want to waste time and $$$ for something that will not work.
Any suggestions or ideas about keeping foxes away?
besides introducing it to some hot lead? I am in an area where discharging a firearm is a big NONO,,,,,, The last fox I was able to take a shot from 5-6' inside the house through an open window which seems to be pretty quiet outdoors,,,,, BUT I hate to think that I can only have a fox,,, Or Penned birds.....
Any suggestions are VERY welcome!
I will even pay you to rid me of the Issue...
Thank you for ANY imput you may have!
Peter


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

yep. electric works on fox. I'd do a 4", 8" and 12" tho....the 4" out further than the other 2 by a couple of inches. (keeps crawling/digging animals from doing so.)

You could also put out a couple of live traps in the area they run to catch anything that dropped down from above 

We have fox and ***** mainly as predators, with a sprinkling of owls, possums, and coyotes. both the foxes and ***** stay WELL away from electric after the first touch....although that first time is mighty entertaining


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## Wingdo (Oct 5, 2002)

Heya Ann... how you doing... been a while.

Personally, I don't trust electric fence for much more than splitting/rotating a field for the stock, but I've chased enough cows, goats, horses, and a couple of jackasses once, to where I don't trust much of anything that doesn't have a safety and a trigger.

You might have some success for a while, but eventually, especially when winter sets in and their hunger increases, they'll figure it out or just take the pain and come through anyway.


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## Yellow Creek (Nov 15, 2007)

Some info that may help:

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/predator.pdf
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/wldlf2/C620.pdf
http://www.zarebasystems.com/IMAGES/PDF/Zareba_FncPlnGd.pdf

Most of them talk about Coyotes and dogs. I suspect you should run another several wires. I run the five wire (including two grounds) and I've seen it chase off a coyote. It also has enough height during the winter so that I can disconnect the lower one or two strands (because of snow accumulation) and still have a barrier for the coyotes. I use a weed burner charger connected to AC I ran out to the field. I wouldn't mess with a battery operated job. Doesn't seem like they would generate enough pain.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Heya Wingdo!! <picture a big scratched up hand waving at you!>

I've been reading your posts and glad to see you're around and life is going well 

I might be having such good luck with the fences because we're in the middle of farm country and there are a LOT of field mice, wild rabbits, wild turkeys, etc....loads of prey that ISN'T behind an electric fence. Dunno. All I know is when a **** hits the fence it does a backwards somersault 5 feet in the air  when they hit the ground they're running the opposite direction


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

If you go with the electric fence make sure the fox hits it by putting tin foil smeared with bacon grease or something on the hot wire in an area you know has a good ground to complete the circuit. You want the fox to be afraid of the fence and not just view it as a physical barrier.

Canines remember. Once my dogs have run into an electric fence from that moment on they were afraid of wire. I've even seen them stop and walk around wire laying on the ground in the woods years after touching an electric fence.


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## kbshorts (Dec 6, 2005)

I am running a fox feeding program with my chickens and the electric fence is the only reason I have anything left. I have a poultry netting fence that they won't get near. I did have an incident this spring when my charger was hit by lightning and I purchased a cheap, temporary while mine was being repaired. The temporary was not strong enough and I caught the varmit trying to wrestle out a tom turkey. I have also seen a bear stopped by the fence, just by as much charger as the budget allows.

Keith


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## Wingdo (Oct 5, 2002)

Been blackberry picking there Ann... cobler is my favorite!

I believe it is all relative, about the wire. My dogs hit it once and they're very wary from that point on, however, if a ****/fox is on the other side it is still dead as a doornail... some things are worth the pain I reckon.


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## pred (Aug 10, 2008)

I have a live trap set up and so far I caught my own Beagle :bash:
I am trying to keep costs down until the chickens start laying golden eggs, But IF I plan on keeping chickens I think I may need to move to the electric poultry netting across the back yard,, For now I have a Baby monitor set up in the coop so I can keep an ear out for nervous chickens in the sunrise time of the day, It seems like the fox attacks come with the rising sun......
I hope to find a good used controller that is 110V soon for a good price,,,, I would need about 200' or poultry netting,,, What power of a controller would I need to get?
Peter


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## kbshorts (Dec 6, 2005)

Check out Premier One, they have a lot of info on their website that should be helpful. I get my net from them and have been very pleased. Mama fox was walking the net barking this morning.

Keith


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

You should be able to find a good hot charger for $75 or less. Then you'll need ground rod(s).


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

pred said:


> I have a live trap set up and so far I caught my own Beagle :bash:
> 
> 
> 
> Your dog doesn't chase them off?? Try posion then get a better dog.


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