[plumseverywhere]

We live in a house that used to be inhabited by a fox-loving lady who reared cubs and hand fed adult foxes. Now the neighbours have only told us this in the past year or so and they used to think the poor woman was a bit daft. 
Next door lives one of the main illustrators of 'Fantastic Mr Fox' - they also love them.


I've only lost 2 chickens in 5 years (touch wood) and consider ourselves very lucky, having read some of your really sad stories on here. Both times, I have to say it was my fault - I knew the 2 that kept getting out and wandering about too far from the flock were at risk and only did a half hearted attempt at wing trimming (because I was scared to cut too short)


Last night, while I was watching the footie with my 4 daughters we noticed a large red 'dog' sitting directly outside my bedroom window, watching us - watching him. The girls got up and said "ooh, its a fox...", they opened the window, shouted at him to 'go away' and he carried on sitting there staring! It went on for about 10 minutes, he was fascinated by the children.
I should mention that this fox had just walked  past 14 chickens and a pet rabbit to get to that part of the garden, bit of a worry really that he's that confident! My eldest ran outside and came back to tell us the bushes 'stunk' - definitely a dog fox then 
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[Moleskins]

There must be dozens on the forum who would love a chance like that, to shoot him.


I would guess  he's learned to just turn up at the dinner table without having to actually do any work if people have been giving him food. That probably explains why you haven't lost many chickens too, neighbours feed him why go to the trouble of catching food.

[plumseverywhere]

I know! Its weird though because half of me wanted to shoo him away/shoot him/shout obscenities but the other found it quite mesmerising!
The foxes do have a field packed with wild rabbits and with the weather as it is, he probably has a good food source, come winter or the colder, darker evenings I think I wouldn't feel too happy with him sitting there!


There's a family of deer that have taken to visiting that part of our garden too - its quite nice to sit with the curtains open of an evening just to see what's out there at the moment.

[tizaala]

It will be a sad day when you wake to find headless chicken corpses littering your lawn , act now before it happpens.
 

[plumseverywhere]

I think the OH plans to.  But my worry would be that once you dispatch one dog fox will another just move into this territory?  If he was going to massacre the hens in the run wouldn't he have done it by now (been here 3 years)? 

[SteveHants]

I'd have some heavy-guage cartridges with his name all over them.


I'm lucky though, I live next to a gamekeeper. Not a breed known for their love of foxes...

[arl]

An old dog fox used to hide in our shed when the hunt came to our area he used to leave his scent all over and we never lost a chicken rabbit  turkey or anything
 

[in the hills]

Where I lived previously Mr Fox would sometimes lie sunbathing with hens free ranging around him in the garden. He didn't seem interested and would run off when I ran out screaming ...... until one day ...... when he killed 7 out of 8 hens and was coming back for the last poor girl.


Don't trust him Plums.    !!!!!!

[deepinthewoods]

catapult and a stale egg. that ought to put him off.

[plumseverywhere]

Funny you should say that DITW, my 5 and 10 year olds are out there as we speak - in pj's, wellies and brandishing a plastic fly swatter 

[MAK]

Our 83 year old neighbour told me to lock up the chickens,ducks, rabbits and pigs becuase her dogs have escaped. She had a Jack Russel and mad terrier locked away to keep the "fox" away. I have seen her beat the crap out of a dog with a log and carry it by its hind leg back to its cage. No wonder it escaped.
So - although a fox was seen nearby we are all on alert becuase of her mad dogs.
Sorry to tell you dogs are often chained up in a cage outside all year ( given we get  -25 in the winter I think it is wicked).
Right - off to lock everyone up in case the Fox or mad dogs return.

[Lesley Silvester]

I have lost chooks to the fox.  Take every possible precaution.

[SteveHants]

If the bloody thing just sits there, think of it as natural selection. 

[arl]

what happened to live and let live? lock em up at night, we are surrounded by foxes i can hear em calling at night, iv only ever lost one chicken and that was taken off the lawn by a buzzard i saw it, but i never felt like shooting it

[Roxy]

Being right next to a derelict railway line, ideal for foxes, we are now over run with the things.  Vixens probably have 6 each litter, so imagine how many foxes we must have!!
 
A man nearby feeds foxes at his back gate.  Therefore, a lot of our foxes here have no fear of humans.  Numerous people have said they have come across foxes lay sunbathing on the footpath over the field, clapped their hands and the fox ignores them.  I myself, saw a big dog fox strolling round my horses field one morning.  He did not object when I went to see what he thought he was doing, and even had the cheek to have a sit down and watch me!!
 
I used to visit an old lady at a farm, and quite often she would disappear into the kitchen at a set time, and then go out into the garden.  My curiosity got the better of me, and she explained that she was putting out a slice of bread and butter on the lawn for her fox!!  This was a farmers wife.  When she died, I often wondered what happened to the poor fox, who would be waiting for his daily treat!!