Guest Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Er, or maybe not quite. But I thought you'd enjoy this one anyway. My mother in law has a friend who keeps chickens, but she also has a local fox that hangs around on her garage roof. She now buys chicken breasts from the butcher, which she feeds to the fox on her garage roof, to discourage him from needing to take hens. Apparently it's worked so far. Mother in law is not the sort to tell tall stories and it has has remained consistent through a number of tellings since we declared we were getting chickens, otherwise I would never have believed it ! "That once you have paid them the Danegeld, You'll never be rid of the Dane" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Strange but true!? Novel & expensive idea, but somewhat flawed methinks. Still, perhaps she's attracting all the foxes that would otherwise have been around here. Could very soon have an enormous problem on her hands ...well, garage roof. I like the quote at the end, sums it up nicely. Thanks for the handy tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Hmmm ... would encourage regular feeding habits in more than just one fox, so I will not try this myself . Also I did post about foxes on the Nesting Box at the weekend ... re. Alsation Dog being torn from the insides by a Fox in Cambridgeshire. They will have a go at alot bigger game, than a garden hen ..... (this was reported in the Telegraph, on Sat, so not a sensational tabloid) just be careful to what you attract to your garden . Also, as a rule generally .. any Carnivore/hunter will always kill. even if satieted (full belly) as a result of survival instinct, so don't expect a returned favour . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Sorry .. post at the weekend re.dog killing fox was here on "chickens" page 2 of the Fox problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 15, 2005 Share Posted March 15, 2005 I am encouraging the local pheasant population to the garden by recycling any food the girls don't want in the hope if there is a fox in the area he would prefer some game to my girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted March 15, 2005 Share Posted March 15, 2005 With my naturalist hat on I can admire foxes. As a hen keeper with many years under my belt pre 'eglu in the city' days I can assure you that foxes will kill for the excitement/pleasure of it even on a full belly. I once lost about a dozen hens and when I'd picked up all the bodies and bits I realised that the ******* fox hadn't eaten even one leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicola mazey Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Little Mimi chicken was foxed in front of my husband a couple of weeks ago. He had to fight it to stop it from getting the remaining 3. Next morning, whilst brushing my teeth, I saw it sunbathing on our lawn and it refused to shift despite me running at it stark naked with a rake! Sadly, after 6 months of freedom, we only let them out at weekends when we're in the garden and armed with the hose pipe! A friend advised the fox cubs are born at this time and therefore foxy is bolder. I think the fox problem will worsen with the hunting ban and more people keeping chickens etc.. We're thinking about making a large portable run for the garden this summer but feels wrong somehow as they love running about the garden and exploring. We're all missing Mimi very much although my daughter thinks she's gone off with a friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Nicola, How sad - poor little Mimi, it has bought a tear to my eye Olivia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 That's really sad Nicola Do you happen to have a friend with a shotgun? If the fox is that bold then it should be an easy shot and if you get it now then there shouldn't be any cubs to worry about. I'd be worried about a large fearless carnivore treating my garden as a sun bed - what if you have a baby or young child in the garden one day - doesn't bear thinking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Nicola, so sorry to hear about Mimi, glad you saved the others, & that Mimi had a wonderful life before this event. Thanks for telling us so we never slip our guard. Jane has a really good point there but depends where you live. Mmmm....even my OH wouldn't use a shotgun in a residential area, I think. But if the location is suitable, good idea. Best wishes for a solution & do let us know how the others are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Nicola - how distressing. They are quite fearless though when raising cubs. I think the regulations re shooting are that you are not allowed to use a shotgun if you are within 50m of housing or a public highway Let us know how your girls are getting on. Even though we haven't seen a fox for a couple of weeks one of us stayed with the girls all the time on Saturday while they were out. Was your husband close by when the fox struck, Nicola? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Sorry about the chook . We had a fox around about 6 weeks ago, at 2am screeching in the front gardens - we live in a cul-de-sac. I am in 2 minds about foxes having helped hand rear one when I was young .. to being part of the Beaufort Hunt on my pony ... then owning and using a shotgun in Scotland, when I lived there. Make sure you are LICENCED to own or use any firearm!!!!! ... it only takes one neighbour who has a grudge to report you . 12 bore shotguns depending on the cartridge used have a wide spread of shot .. so at garden distance will pepper unless on target, more than just the fox!!!. A rifle will probably be better, or a 2:2 air pistol with pellets ... this will not totally kill/maim the fox .. but may be just enough deterrant . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 So - in theory Sarah - the shot might 'accidentally' get a neighbour as well as the fox? hmmmm....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Good one Lesley! Asked OH last night. Would def. not recommend a rifle near housing....it can travel too far past target......( ) Air rifle unlikely to be effective enough. However, going back to Motherhen's shotgun suggestion (licenced friend if you know one). OH said he would in our garden if it was a "safe shot" ...direct, downward aim, which would be possible on basking fox. Definitely worth thinking about as this particualr one will prob. just keep coming back. Depends too on neighbours how fuss-free this can be... He agreed there was nothing your OH could do at the time...once its got one it will just go for others despite humans, unless killed. He asked where you are....Merseyside, sorry too far...but good luck in getting rid of it & sympathies in having to deal with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 We're all missing Mimi very much although my daughter thinks she's gone off with a friend! Reminds me of when an American friend's dog died, and he sent us an email informing us that 'Max has gone to the farm to chase rabbits.' I relayed this to our friends one evening with my (then 5 year old) daughter present, and everybody else present understood the coded reference. It must have been at least 6 or 9 months later when my daughter suddenly asked out of the glue "Where's the farm where Max went to chase rabbits ?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 So - in theory Sarah - the shot might 'accidentally' get a neighbour as well as the fox? Depends on the neighbour really Also ... a while ago I quoted the Telegraph newspaper report .. that a fox had killed an healthy adult alsation dog .. so be carefull when approaching a fox, as if they feel backed into a corner so to speak, they can be pretty viscious. A good heavy shovel should help .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Also ... a while ago I quoted the Telegraph newspaper report .. that a fox had killed an healthy adult alsation dog .. so be carefull when approaching a fox, as if they feel backed into a corner so to speak, they can be pretty viscious. A good heavy shovel should help .... Sounds as though the fox that lay there sunbathing could be dealt with in that fashion. On the other hand - not for the squeamish, otherwise you're left with a (not terribly pleased) fox with a broken leg that needs finishing off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 I suppose I could use the shovel on the neighbour?.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Er no Lesley Seriously folks if you hurt a fox it could be deemed cruelty under the wildlife and countryside act and its even worse if it is on your land as you are responsible even if the creature wandered in by itself and someone else hurts it Also the protection of animals act doesn't allow you to poison an animal without reasonable cause so you have to prove it is terrorising your chooks. If you can kill it outright there is no problem as its vermin so the friend with the gun depending on your circumstances might be the best solution. Its a bit of a minefield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Its a bit of a minefield ..... thats it ... you need a minefield . Only kidding Louise, forgot about all the countryside acts . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 A good heavy shovel should help .... quote] That was the other method that OH suggested for a sitting target (sleeping), but I wasn't brave enough to pass it on. Well done SarahJo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 A minefield could work I don't recall seeing that in any legislation in this country Problem is there are people who think they are cute and cuddly who would love to get you into trouble so that is the reason to be careful. If you get done under these things the penalties are not huge but often you aren't allowed to keep pets so neighbours who don't like your chooks might get pleasure out of it Some people don't appreciate how vicious foxes can be and now they are not so easy to control it might get worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicola mazey Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 thanks to you all for taking the time to write about Mimi, I was very touched. Our neighbour has offered to shoot the fox should he come back, ironically, we've not seen a sausage of him since. The memory of Mimi will live on as she's part of my passwords at work. my daughter has been rather disparaging as she felt that Mimi should bring her friends home! I've been overindulging the remaining three with cake (which they love) and endless hugs and kisses (maybe not as keen) and we only let them out when we're in the garden and have put chicken wire around the perimeter hoping that it at least keeps them in the garden rather than the woods where we'd have no hope of catching and saving them. I persuaded hubby to pee around the garden as advised in omlet literature, however, it's quite a performance as he insists on peeing into a jug and then pouring it discretely in the garden. Can I have a show of hands (to reassure him) whether anyone else's men do this? Many thanks again for the support, it made a big difference. Nicki x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I mentioned this method of fox control, but my man made a sort of manly noise and walked away. The 5 + 6 year old boys promptly peed all down the path before I relised what they were up to But I'm sure that they are too young to have the effect. I would be glad of the useof the jug, but I get the impression this is not a matter for discussion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
