dogmad Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I collect my first chickens tomorrow and I am ultra paranoid that suddenly a fox is gonna appear and get into the run that we have built. I have never seen a fox where we live although we do back onto farmland so I should imagine they are not too far away. At the moment I have rabbits and guinea pigs as well as dogs and cats. Do you think we would have seen a fox by now with us having the other small pets in the garden or do the dog/cats smells put them off? Anyway I was just wondering what is it that attacts foxes to chucks - is it the smell or the noise they make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Do you think we would have seen a fox by now with us having the other small pets in the garden or do the dog/cats smells put them off? As Egluntine once said, if you haven't seen a fox yet, it is because there has been nothing in your garden of interest to it. Anyway I was just wondering what is it that attacts foxes to chucks - is it the smell or the noise they make? It is the promise of a chicken dinner. I am sure that foxes for miles around can smell a new chicken within minutes of its arrival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Foxes have at least 250 million scent receptor cells (humans have only 5 million). They are also very tuned into what they find tasty to eat - so the smell of a chicken is high on their scent list Don't underestimate the fox - he's not called sly for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Foxes will always be attracted to anything which is remotely edible and easy to kill.Foxes however are terrified of dogs and scent marking may deter the opportunist perhaps,but always be on your guard.I still think pevention is best and make access into garden as hard as possible. Crafty,sly and a fantastic hunter-never underestimate the humble Fox! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 We'd never seen any signs of a fox in our garden. The first night our girls were here we woke up next morning to fox prints all over the eglu and we have six foot fences all round to keep our bouncy spaniel contained. It must be a smell thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmad Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 I am secretly hoping that because the farm behind us have chickens that just free range, that a fox would think them of being easier picking rather than having to chew/scratch their way through a run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
