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.

Yet they (cat owners) would be the first to moan when their cat gets hit by a car.
There is a cat that keeps coming into my garden, and if my dog caught it, I don't think it would be going home.

I’m surprised by this comment from you. You’ve said your dog keeps you alive by giving you purpose, I thought you would be an animal lover or at least not be so flippant about other peoples pets getting injured knowing the importance they play in their lives.

@MissMarplesGoddaughter

We have neighbours who feed the foxes breakfast and dinner every single day. Consequently we are over run with foxes. They mess everywhere and I am constantly clearing up after them. They have bitten through our garden football net and three different sets of outside Christmas lights. We saw a fox running through our garden with a pheasant's head in its mouth and the body was left in our garden. We have also seen a fox burying a dead rat in our garden and the remains of a pigeon covered in fox poo was left in our back garden.

I live in a built up suburb.......

Bleddy fox should have left the intensively farmed pheasant to be shot. The cheek of it.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/14/game-birds-poland-undercover-footage

And yanbu op - feeding foxes is asking for trouble; there’s enough food for them in the wild without semi-domesticating them

@User112

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?

Op would do fine round here. I live in the the countryside and foxes would generally be shot. Not by me but I’m between two big estates that employ gamekeepers. You have to be careful not letting your cat out at night in case it’s mistaken for a fox. Your neighbour is unreasonable foxes aren’t pets, they can feed themselves and shouldn’t be encouraged.

Anyone been called a townie yet? I call bingo.

Foxes are a protected species - you can't shoot them.

@Pat123dev I'd contact a wildlife charity and ask for advice over the foxes (especially if you feel your own pets and kids are at risk)

Also I take it you've used Google and got less aggressive advice than shooting?

Oh gamekeepers, the custodians of the countryside…

raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2021/02/04/gamekeepers-responsible-for-more-illegal-raptor-killing-than-any-other-profession/

Anyone who genuinely loves amongst these people knows what really goes on.

Anyone who genuinely loves amongst these people knows what really goes on.

Indeed.

The actions of the neighbours has altered the natural behaviour of the foxes. She treats them as pets- but they're not.
So those saying it's not natural behaviour for foxes to be in my garden attacking, out during the day etc, I know that, thats why it's an issue.

My chickens are secured- (just incase any others don't want to read pp)

If my dog were to go running worrying sheep, I'd count myself and the dog lucky the farmer didn't shoot it.

Neighbour used feed the foxes.
Night camera would show the foxes eating along side hedge hogs.
There was a couple of cars too but even though they kept their distance no one attack anyone.
We only ever saw 2 foxes (one a cub).
Additional my grandma used to tell the story about if a fox got in the hen house, they'd kill everything, and leave the carnage- they didn't kill for food.... don't think grandma liked foxes very much.

Cats not cars d'oh

It's nobody's fault other than your own that your chickens aren't secure. YABVVVU and I'll stop at that. Poor foxes. Shame on you.

Chickens attract mice and rats I'd rather have foxes and if she's feeding them there's less chance they will eat the chickens

@ATTA45

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.

Agreed. We have foxes visit every night and not once has any of them chased/hurt my cats. They didn't even attack my old cat when she was on her last legs. All this ripping cats apart is what the hunting brigade want us to believe to justify their ripping of the fox apart by their hounds.

I'm a bit worried that you didn't know that bird flu season is not approaching but already here OP. I knew that and I don't even keep chickens.

I also fail to see how your neighbour not feeding the foxes is going to help your chickens? Surely the foxes would be even more hungry and go for your chickens even more? 🤔

My local foxes help themselves to the hedgehog food. They are often out in the day as well. For us a massive housing development has probably pushed them further down towards us. I live near a school field and a beck so very urban just in a green strip.

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel

It's nobody's fault other than your own that your chickens aren't secure. YABVVVU and I'll stop at that. Poor foxes. Shame on you.

Please read the whole thread.

You are unreasonable. Get a bigger run and better fences and lock them in at night

Thank you for the useful suggestions.

I will contact the council and the local wildlife protection and get their advice.

Foxes and cats are naturally very, very wary of each other, each instinctually knowing the other could inflict serious injury. They each keep a wide berth of each other.

OP, your first post was about your chickens being killed, then you changed the focus to be on your children and safety because you didn’t get the answers you wanted. 🙄

You don’t like foxes. You think you should be able to control your neighbours. You can’t.

Additional my grandma used to tell the story about if a fox got in the hen house, they'd kill everything, and leave the carnage- they didn't kill for food.... don't think grandma liked foxes very much.

Of course they kill for food (it's only humans who kill for fun). They kill everything to cache it for later.

Oh my days.

I do know that birdflu season is here. Our regulations where we are, are to feed under cover at the moment.

Although it's irrelevant as they're actually in a barn right now.......

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“

That sounds like nonsense.