sandyhas3chucks Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 i know this may be really odd thing to be suggesting, but there are some hungry brave foxes out there. Likeastar has had the attacks & naturally the fox keeps coming back for more now.their normal, well old food, rubbish bins has now been taken with Weelie bins. perhaps if they WERE fed, down the road somewhere they might not be so desperate to get to the hens???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 It is possible. My barmy neighbor round the corner feeds them bargain chicken breasts. I would never put food out for them myself. If you pay Danegeld...you never get rid of the Dane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 hmmm I know. people over the road feed the foxes a lot. It gives them pleasure, & me I just hope that keeps their bellies full and not needing warm fresh my girls the thought of it makes me want to curl up & cry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 The scenario is that if you feed the foxes they then thrive and produce a larger litter of healthy cubs. You then have the problem of feeding more and more foxes. They then become tame and are not frightened of humans and become more and more of a nuisance. Do not feed foxes. Instead, Just make sure your chickens are safe and secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeastar--x Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 i see the logic behind this but i think foxes have natural instincts to kill, even if they are not hungry. if the chickens are free ranging and put in front of them they will kill them if they get the chance. the fox that attacked my chicks wasnt thin and emaciated, it was fat and healthy looking and my neighbour feeds them with cat food. now that wheelie bins have been introduced the foxes are starving to death. keep the chicks safe and allow this process to happen, and we will almost certainly see a decline in urban foxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 maybe feed them hormone pills then as they give dogs... i wish, gamebird I was thinking that too but it is a tricky one,there was the post where the fox spent time at night digging under fence & forced pop hole open on wooden house! that was no free range stick it in front of mecan't help myself fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I think feeding foxes: a) Makes them less wary of humans b) increases the population c) does nothing for their instinct to kill d) could well be feeding rats, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccroft Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 No don't do it. I've got all my fingers and toes crossed that the fox starves (that's sounds really bad I know) but like it was said above, don't feed them and they'll leave to go else where looking for food. Do foxes come into cities because of the bins, I guess that they might leave one day then, if I'm lucky. I knoiw foxes killing chickens is the way things work but until it happened to me I never dreamt I would feel so much hatered for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Sounds like a good idea in theory until you remember that foxes will kill whether they are hungry or not. You ideally need them moved away as far as possible rather than encouraging more into the area if they know there is lots of food being provided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Couldn't agree with chickenanne more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 The scenario is that if you feed the foxes they then thrive and produce a larger litter of healthy cubs. You then have the problem of feeding more and more foxes. They then become tame and are not frightened of humans and become more and more of a nuisance. Do not feed foxes. Instead, Just make sure your chickens are safe and secure. Here, here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
