What's on top of your shed
Well a neighbours shed, this fox stayed there for ages,
we could not see what he was watching, no chickens in the garden, even when we made a noise he turned to watch us and then sat back down.
The local foxes are really very bold.
Urban foxes are every where.
We have loads around our estate, they are getting bolder, most nights we chase one out of our back garden as it tries to get next door, Purdy our cat will chase the fox, which scares us because she could be hurt badly if they fight.On Facebook our area has it's own local page, I love to keep in touch locally, it's used for so many great things, if we have stuff to get rid off, we always post here 1st, and often it goes. We also have picked up a few useful things from the page. It also keeps us up to date on local events.
It is very common for people to show photo's of them feeding the foxes in their garden, one person leaves chicken outside for them most nights, our mad cat lady next door feeds them dog food in the back lanes behind the houses. Everyone thinks a great idea to encourage them, the litters are cute.
BUT, these are wild animals, not cute and fluffy, they have flees and ticks, and you would not want your children too close to them. A few years ago, I kept chickens, we lived on the edge of a farm, their pen was was dug in and we thought protected, in one night we lost 15 of our girls, only one survived the fox attack.
I am concerned, if the foxes are being well fed their litters will be bigger, all will survive and we will be overrun with foxes, Where will they get their food from, their natural instant is to hunt, rabbits and other small animals in the garden.
I am not the only one is our area, who feels the same. If anyone voices their concern, they are kill joys, but still these are wild animals, what do you think.
We do have foxes around here but we don't see them very often. I suppose if people are feeding them they'll keep coming back for more.
ReplyDeleteThey might be cute to look at, but they're still wild animals. Feeding them upsets the natural ecology and might even hurt the animal if you feed it inappropriate things.
ReplyDeleteI think people don't see past their own ideal - thinking it's cute to feed them or feel sorry for the foxes need to hunt for food. We as humans, are creating a problem with them as you rightly point out. Only last night was I asked if a fox would attack a small dog or child as the person had them outside their house. I fear we will only see more cases of it.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, we have lots of poultry and if a fox comes round here it'll be asked to leave and never come back one way or the other. We lost a load to foxes at our previous place and it's devastating. they don't just take what they need, they are killing machines. People may not agree and that's fine, this is my opinion and I agree with you
Urban foxes are on the increase because its easy for them to get food, I do think there numbers should be controlled, people will soon start complaining there pet rabbits, cats small dogs puppies and kittens are dinner, it will happen because it happens in rural areas, any fox we see is shown a gun its the only way we can control them, i lost my ducks to a fox and last year my bantem chickens were lost to cubs who were learning to hunt.
ReplyDeleteI love to see the foxes and love to watch them, but we wouldn't feed or encourage them. As you say, they're wild animals and shouldn't be encouraged in our gardens xx
ReplyDeleteIt is scary as they are wild. That doesn't make them bad but you also can't domesticate them by feeding them. They will still attack if provoked and you have no Control.
ReplyDeleteSounds like someone from your local conservation group needs to let people know they are creating a problem.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of deer in our area and I know there are coyotes in the forested areas around the edge of town. Nice to look at but we know not to feed them or they will become a nuisance.