Bloody foxes!

[Bailes1992]

Uncles been on holiday for 6 weeks and due back next weekend.
He had 5 chickens and I've been looking after them.

Went up today and a fox has broke the wire mesh and had the lot of them.

They might just be chickens but they were my Uncles pets and now I feel like utter shite!

[steve_earwig]

Sorry to hear that Sam, that's a bit shite. It probably won't help to know that the fox was only following his nature, an easy meal is an easy meal. If he killed all 5 he probably has some of the chickens stashed around for further consumption...

[Bailes1992]

They're all there, minus their heads.
Gutted the fox wasn't still there!

[davew]

i've got an allotment and have kept chickens before, that's what annoys my about fox's the won't just kill and eat a chicken if they are hungry ,they will kill all of them.

[Bailes1992]

None of them were even eaten! It's just ripped all their bloody heads off. What a complete waste.
I wouldn't be surprised if it came back tonight. Half tempted to wait up and see.

Last night I was with them for half an hour while I fed, cleaned them out and made sure they all looked okay. I remember thinking then that something was going to happen to them.
Then this morning I woke up about 3am thinking something wasn't right, I almost went over to check on them and I didn't go back to sleep!

I do wonder if we have a 6th sense sometimes.

[Doggy]

I wouldn't be surprised if it came back tonight. Half tempted to wait up and see.

My bro's got an app for that*

* Ruger 700 rimfire semi-auto, 2.5-10 x 42 scope, sooper cree LED gunlight

[Welly]

The Fox tends to dig under whatever fencing you have so some keepers will bury mesh fencing down into a concrete foundation; couple that with high above ground fencing and the Fox justs gets to look at the Chickens....

I'm sorry this has happened, it's not your fault of course, what a mess to clear up though what are you going to do with them now?

You don't reckon you can do the old 'Goldfish' trick and get new Chicken before he comes back?

[Bailes1992]

The Fox tends to dig under whatever fencing you have so some keepers will bury mesh fencing down into a concrete foundation; couple that with high above ground fencing and the Fox justs gets to look at the Chickens....

I'm sorry this has happened, it's not your fault of course, what a mess to clear up though what are you going to do with them now?

You don't reckon you can do the old 'Goldfish' trick and get new Chicken before he comes back?

The mesh was concreted into the floor but the fox actually broke the fencing.

Phoned my Dad to come help me tidy up as there was feathers everywhere and I was worried the fox was still in the coop.

Told my Uncle, I suspect he won't replace them.

Absolutely gutted this morning. Was looking forward to getting the keys to the house this afternoon!

[Welly]

Try not to think about it, get busy thinking about your new venture, your Uncle is likely to feel sorry for YOU in him having put you in this position (unwittingly).

Like I said, what else could you have done? camped IN the coop and stayed awake all night 'on watch'? it would have happened last night whether you or your Uncle was there.

What time you getting the keyz? I've got my overnight bag ready, just send me the postcode, I do sleep-walk in the nude when I get nervous I hope that's ok.

[OllieNZ]

I wouldn't be surprised if it came back tonight. Half tempted to wait up and see.

My bro's got an app for that*

* Ruger 700 rimfire semi-auto, 2.5-10 x 42 scope, sooper cree LED gunlight

Hear Hear

[benczuk]

Foxes are a bloody menace. Don't take it upon yourself, there is nothing you could have done, just bad timing.

We used to keep chickens, they do make great pets, as with any animal spend enough time talking to it and you see the personalities, plus edible eggs, as opposed to the kind a dog will generate

There was a fox that used to wander though the garden most nights (you could see the tracks in the snow) 99% of the time it would completely ignore the coop, but that 1%.. The way they don't actually take any, but kill them all just shows them up as the thugs of the animal world.

We tried all sorts to get rid of it, from staying awake with a rifle (never saw it) to wiring a bit of chicken mesh on the ground by the coop door to the mains live, and the hut itself to the neutral. nothing worked

[Welly]

as opposed to the kind a dog will generate

Richards?

I know someone what keeps Chickens and they said how entertaining they were when you 'got to know them' I've so far resisted meeting any of them, aren't they swarming with fleas usually?

[trufflehunt]

I believe that foxes are no different to any other wild animal. They kill to eat.
In nature that would mean one meal, one life, one chicken.

However, in a coop, filled with chickens, squawking, flapping, scurrying... a fox goes nuts.

Who decided to put chickens in coops for their convenience ?

Was it the fox?

[benczuk]

I believe that foxes are no different to any other wild animal. They kill to eat.
In nature that would mean one meal, one life, one chicken.

However, in a coop, filled with chickens, squawking, flapping, scurrying... a fox goes nuts.

Then why doesn't he even take one dead bird away after the killing spree? Not hungry anymore?

aren't they swarming with fleas usually?

Not if they are looked after, regularly cleaned out etc. Same with any animal.

[benczuk]

Was looking forward to getting the keys to the house this afternoon!

Well done. hope it live up to your dreams.