redranger Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Got home from work, and my other half was in a panic - basically, he'd left the patio doors open, was reading a book in the lounge, when he saw out the corner of his eye the cat plonk itself down beside him at the foot of the chair. Except it wasnt our cat, it was a fox! We have three running around in our back gardens. They're relatively young and I think that they live at the bottom of someone's garden a few houses away as they always retreat there when we shoo them out of our garden. I'm guessing that the people whose garden they live in feed and interact with them, so they're fairly tame. I'm actually a little bit jealous and wish it had happened to me Not that I would ever encourage it, what with us having chickens etc - I normally chase them away at first sight - but it would have been fascinating to watch - or maybe that is just me! Anyone else have tame foxes visiting them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend21 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Sorry red but since having chickens I now dislike foxes, used to think they were quite cute but now see them as public enemy no. 1. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexbex Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 wow, it's a shame they're so evil lol I love foxes and love it when I see one running and playing in the wild.. although one in my garden or house would be different! I could never personally hurt one but can see why they are a pest to people keeping livestock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbier Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I thought you meant into the henhouse when I read the thread title! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redranger Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Hehe Debbier - no, fortunately the hens are fully protected from any fox visits, so not too worried about them - as I said, we chase them away whenever we see them (we have to, they have started to ignore the foxwatch now ) - but the other day I was watching them from the bedroom window, all 3 were playing and rolling around in the neighbours garden, it's a side of them we don't normally get to see. I've even seen one of the foxes laying down next to my cat, who was perfectly at ease... Bizarre goings on in South London... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 We used to have a fox that used to visit our garden before we had chickens. We have a garden storage unit under our kitchen window outside and it used to jump up on it and peer in. Then one day we saw it lying in next doors garden not moving much, we think it must have been ill as we never saw it again and assumed it went into the woods and died. It gives me so much peace of mind knowing that my girls are secure in their WIR as you never know when another Mr Foxy might decide to make an appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 now that would have freaked me right out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 H'mmm. I have a bit of a problem with the idea of people feeding foxes and attempting to "tame" them: they will get bold, but not trained or safe-around-kids or anything. Seems a bit like an accident waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 If this happened to me I would be excited and nervous for my girls at the same time as I love all animals. But I do understand where Chickenanne is coming from though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 If it had happened to me I think i would have had a panic attack, and I've never had one before and then I would have screamed loudly!!! What a wuss I am! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beulah59 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 It's a while ago and in our previous house (no chickens then!) that I came face to face with a fox on our stairs ... I was going up and he was coming down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redranger Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Wow, that would have been a bit scary! I have wondered whether the foxes would try and come in through the cat flap at some point... I looked on our council's website but they don't offer any form of fox-control. So for now I'll just have to keep the patio doors closed and be more alert, so we don't get a repeat performance - I'm fine with scaring them away from our garden, even if someone else is making it easy for them to live nearby. I guess people just see fox cubs in their garden and think 'aw, cute!' and throw them bread, and don't think about the consequences - I know I have done it in the past (many yrs ago). The foxwatch is having no effect whatsoever any more, so annoying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I'm sorry you find the Foxwatch isn't having any effect, I swear by mine - are you sure it's working? I know at least two people who've told me they found a fox in the house, it's more common than you might think - in both cases it had wandered in through an open door, found its way upstairs and then got frantic when the owner came back and it found it couldn't get out again the same way. I really wish people wouldn't feed them, not just because I have chickens, but because foxes breed according to the available food - if there's plenty then they will have a large litter, if food is scarce they will have fewer cubs. It just encourages more and more foxes in over-populated areas and of course they are so used to humans that they are very bold. Most urban foxes have a miserable and short life, often suffering from mange and other illnesses as well as being at huge risk from dogs and cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vix_Chicks Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I'm a primary school teacher and this year my class name is... foxes!! . My beautiful chickens arch enemy!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenfreek Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 That must have been really cool having a fox just make himself comfy. not good however for chickens or cats. I havent got my chickens yet but there are a few foxes around my area that constantly have ago at my cats. So far I've been lucky that my cats manage to get away. However me and my other half were chasing the foxes away at 4 am in our jim jams and slippers the other day. Foxes are definately becoming my enemy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redranger Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 I've been there too Greenfreek - when the foxes first started sniffing round the chickens, I'd also be in the garden chasing them away in the middle of the night with a pair of BBQ thongs The foxwatch is definitely still working Olly, it just doesnt seem to have any effect anymore. The only thing I can think is that the ears of the fairly young cubs may not have developed properly yet? It used to work on the adult foxes, who incidentally, we don't ever see any more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I really wish people wouldn't feed them, not just because I have chickens, but because foxes breed according to the available food - if there's plenty then they will have a large litter, if food is scarce they will have fewer cubs. Most urban foxes have a miserable and short life, often suffering from mange and other illnesses as well as being at huge risk from dogs and cars. That's so true. I used to give out syringes of ivermectin to dose chicken ( sorry, pre-chicken era) pieces to put out for mange ridden foxes. I don't often see them here but when I do I get a glimpse of a beautiful healthy animal with a glossy red and black coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'd love to have seen that . I love to look at foxes (as long as they're not anywhere near my girls ). I'd also be in the garden chasing them away in the middle of the night with a pair of BBQ thongs The mind boggles . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 my hubby found a foxcub when he was about 13. its mother was lying dead a few feet away so he took it home. his family used to breed jack russels so he put the cub with a litter. it survived and stayed with my hubby. he said he used to get some weird looks when he walked down the tow path with six jack russels and a fox! foxydoodle as he was called also used to work with daves jack russels when they went to farms to rat hunt. apparently he was brilliant at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
