I totally respect foxes and do enjoy seeing them....not near my chickens though.

I don't have a problem with controlling them as I have seen, and taken part, in studies to show how much damage they do to ground nesting birds, some which are on the red list.

There isn't anything out there now, that will take a fox so I honestly believe, they need controlling.

Helen

Foxes may be beautiful creatures but I doubt they struggle to survive, and I agree that they kill indiscriminately, not just what they need for food, which is why all chicken farms here have to spend thousands to keep their barns and yards safely enclosed.

And foxes here carry rabies, which you in the UK do not have to worry about, which is one reason we do not complain about additional municipality taxes to empty our bins twice weekly.

Oh for gods sake some of these posts are ridiculous, I thin when you have small stock in a reinforced wire coope, with all doors with three bolts on, and right next to your house you do not really expect it to be broken into in broad daylight. And let's clarify it was nothing about "not outsmarting" the bloody vermin, or "not protecting" what choose to keep, the fox had done what they tend too with coop situations, worked away at mangling a spot until its weakened and the burst through. But hey ho apparently inbred reinforced steel. I'm not surprised by half of the posts here, frankly it's just ridiculous but one has come to expect no better really . Foxes are vermin, and the ones round here are exhibiting bizzare behaviour which seems to stem from the fact we are grossly over populated with them and have been post hunting ban, they aren't glorious creatures for the main round here they are scraggly looking things tht are too over populated of one area thus come and pester me and my neighbours! Realism is a great thing sometimes. Oh, look i can be a patronising and condescending individual too.

I make no apology for liking foxes, we live in close proximity and have done for decades in London. I have no issue with them entering my garden. They are exceptionally bold and I've found them peeking in the french doors on several occasions. My cats don't feel threatened by them at all, they have been known to chase them off. You see them in daylight sitting on street corners and crossing the roads to poke about in gardens. I managed to keep rabbits when my kids were small without incident but to be fair if you know you have foxes in the area then you know the risk you run. I don't want them run out of town, I quite like seeing them out and about and they are only adapting to life and survival of the fittest. Each to their own hey.

Bloody good post

Would you feel the same liking for foxes if you knew that rabies was endemic where you live and that foxes are carriers?

The reason urban foxes look so bad Luke is because often they're elderly and have mange.In the countryside they would have died a natural death due to not being able to hunt efficently,but in suburbia they get to live off our waste,kill pets/poultry and misguided people feeding them.

Since the hunting ban though,more foxes than ever are trapped and shot yet the population seems to be going up.I work at night in various towns and cities and the amount i see is unbelievable.

I suppose it could be worse.You could be an unlucky suburban fox,get picked up by the RSPCA,get treated for mange/worms/fleas and have a tracking tag collar fitted then get dumped in the unfamiliar countryside-then get shot very soon after.

So sorry to read this...

I am fairly lucky in that I live close by a game hatchery... they are very good at spotting and shooting foxes, and have some lovely boys on quads with guns who will come over and get rid of Mr Fox when necessary...

It isn't though is it, so not something I need to worry about.

Also urban foxes are not usually elderly and manky because the average lifespan for an urban fox is 2 years, they get bumped off at an alarming rate by cars.

Well, in the UK it isn't something that we have to worry about.