To be annoyed with neighour feeding the fox

[Pat123dev]

My neighbour feeds the fox, which has now turned to foxes, they keep eating my chickens. They are having to be shut in to protect them, which miserable!!

We've had an offer of help by shooting them. I said to my neighbour we wouldn't do that, of she stops feeding them. She thinks I'm unreasonable.

We've had the odd fox attack over the years, it's part of country life, but now we're over run they literally take any birds and fight with dogs and attack the cat.

Yanbu. Foxes are beautiful creatures deserving of respect. That doesn't mean treating them like pets.

Get a bigger chicken run.

You cannot just go round having animals shot because they inconvenience you.

Perhaps the neighbour really really dislikes your chickens? 🤔

As a farmer and poultry keeper I say YABU. They are taking your hens because your house / run isn't secure enough. You are feeding the fox, not just your neighbour.
Build a decent large fox proof run and know allow them out when you are in. Don't let them out whilst we are in the middle of a bird flu pandemic!

We would get a bigger chicken run, but I can't let the dogs out, the cat is petrified. The foxes walk around my garden even when we have children there, if my 10 year old wants to play football, we need to stand out with him as the foxes will come regardless, the fox just attack the dog there in my garden whilst he was playing football. It's scary.

• We will get a bigger chicken run.

YANBU the woman who lived in our house before us used to feed the foxes and they won’t leave us alone it’s exhausting. Like yours they are bold as brass and will come into the garden when I’m
There with small children. Our dog barks at them but they give 0 fucks.

Oh, and they shit everywhere. They also manage to get into our milkman milk but tbh I find that quite impressive so can’t complain about that. Amusing to watch on the camera playback though 😆

They cause havoc. I'd call the council. And I too would be worried about small children being attacked. Our neighbours were feeding them for a time and sharing photos that they were all cooing over. Then the bins were getting knocked over, property destroyed etc...... They all realised what idiots they'd been and we hear no more of it thank god.

We had our chicken run dug right into the ground and roofed, can you do similar?

We had tons of foxes about but never lost a hen. It's an expensive PITA to have done but well worth it to not have Mr Fox eat them.

I still think foxes are lovely beautiful little frisky buggers.

Does anyone remember Harriet the poster that fed a family of cubs and they'd come to her window?

Not helpful, but “Thank you Tony Blair” he regrets banning hunting now but it’s too late!

Yeah- I probably put the wrong emphasis in my post. I can protect my chickens, and it's hitting bird flu season anyway. But we can't enjoy the garden safely. The cat was so badly attacked a couple of months ago, she was lucky to live, and that was outside the back door. I am worried about the children.

You expect foxes every now and then but they're so full on now that we see 5/6 x a day, she puts tins and tins of food out.

The onus is on you to protect your chickens and build them a house to keep them safe, not just shoot the foxes so you don’t have to bother.

Sounds to me like you're being incredibly patient. I'd be sending her the vet bill at the very least. I would be having a stern word and telling her you will take it further if she doesn't stop immediately. It's not reasonable for her actions to directly impact your ability to enjoy your property.

Foxes are native...cats ,dogs,chickens are not.Why would your cat have more rights to be outside than a fox does?It must be irritating ,but harming wild animals is not the answer.

FFS foxes attacking cats and dogs is urban myth! I've seen my dopiest cat chase off a fox numerous times! You are either a scaremonger or you're trying to justify not liking foxes, either position is shit.

Oh.... but foxes don't attack cats.
Or dogs or chickens or possibly little children. Or they don't poo all over your garden either.

I'd probably take up the offer, I'm sure other people around you will have issues with the foxes.

Can the council get involved

She is being a bit selfish in feeding them and not considering you but YABVU to want to shoot them. It's really rare for foxes to attack or kill a cat unless it's a weak kitten or very old sick cat and dogs are more likely to attack foxes than the other way around.
I thikn you're just looking for things to blame on the fox because you can't be bothered to make your chicken fencing fox proof tbh. You live in the countryside , fox proof your chickens or don't be surprised when a fox (fed or otherwise) kills them.

@Gubanc

Oh.... but foxes don't attack cats. Or dogs or chickens or possibly little children. Or they don't poo all over your garden either.

I'd probably take up the offer, I'm sure other people around you will have issues with the foxes.

Cats poo all over other peoples gardens and it's absolutely disgusting too but as the OP is a cat owner she doesn't seem to be too bothered about that.

How many hens do you aim to keep?
For small groups, Omlet have very secure fox-proof set ups
www.omlet.co.uk

Doesn't help the cat much

Secure your chickens. How arrogant to think you can have them shot since they bother you. They are part of the countryside and have as much right to live there as you.

The onus is on you to keep your chickens safe from foxes. I thought fox proofing their run would be basic husbandry.
I don't think YABU in asking your neighbour to stop feeding the foxes. They don't need feeding... they are wildlife and can fend for themselves.

Isn’t your garden fenced?

I’m assuming you are ok with someone getting your dogs/cats/chicken shot because … ?

You aren’t really suitable for country living - are you?

We're overrun with urban foxes here as so many people put food out for them, for the last 20 years.

I have to say though the only time I've ever heard of a dog being bitten by a fox, was when it poked its head under its owners decking and a vixen was protecting her cubs.

My dogs and my cat have never had any trouble at all from them thank goodness.