# Proverbial Fox in the Hen House



## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

My neighbor called this morning about 7:00 and said a fox was in is hen house and had killed some chickens. Grabbed the .22 and went down there. The fox had retreated up into the rafters/sill as neighbor had a big lab that must have kept it from dashing out. Any way I had to shoot through a 1" pine board under the back eave of the hen house where I could see some fur through a crack. I put 4 fast shots through the board and into the fox-it raised it head and gasped and was finished. It had killed 6 hens in his hen yard this am. It or some other critter had killed 2 the day before. We have lost about 10 hens ourselves over the last 3 months. That ended this chicken killers career-hopefully it was the culprit in our hen killings. It is an adventure living out here and our chickens have a good life until they are killed!! TTT


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

This is the time of year where a LOT of critters are going to try to fatten up for winter & feed theirselves & any young still with them. ***** & fox are the worst culprits lately with coyotes, opossums & bobcats a close second.

Where I live out in the sticks, we have been blessed that nothing has gotten to the flock yet. We have a large dog that free ranges the place just as the chickens do & patrols the area at night (birds are locked up at night). We are also trapping & setting snares EARLY due to the drouth. Coyote pups were kicked off mom early & are roaming all over.


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

I feel bad for the fox as he was just trying to survive. BUT...I would have shot him also for killing my livestock. My survival and my families out weigh his at that moment!


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

awhile back, I experimented and bunked a couple of my Rex rabbits out in my old greenhouse. Several groundhogs had already sampled the goods inside that year, so I didn't kid myself about what might happen.

I had the rabbits suspended above ground level by wire from the rafters.

Just in case I set a couple of traps underneath, only to be greeted one frosty morn as a red steak exitted the greenhouse, abruptly tumbled over by the right front foot held firmly in a #1 Blake & Lamb. He was dispatched with two sharp taps to the nose. Just goes to show, domestic animals, specifically small stock, are like a chum slick to predators. Coyotes as well.
Forewarned is forearmed.

Glad you got him and you had a .22 capable of doing the job. Nice to have a dog assist as well.

Good luck on the next one, maybe no next one this year.......





TnTnTn said:


> My neighbor called this morning about 7:00 and said a fox was in is hen house and had killed some chickens. Grabbed the .22 and went down there. The fox had retreated up into the rafters/sill as neighbor had a big lab that must have kept it from dashing out. Any way I had to shoot through a 1" pine board under the back eave of the hen house where I could see some fur through a crack. I put 4 fast shots through the board and into the fox-it raised it head and gasped and was finished. It had killed 6 hens in his hen yard this am. It or some other critter had killed 2 the day before. We have lost about 10 hens ourselves over the last 3 months. That ended this chicken killers career-hopefully it was the culprit in our hen killings. It is an adventure living out here and our chickens have a good life until they are killed!! TTT


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