Yes we have lots of foxes in UK. Their main prey is rabbits, and also rodents. Whenever I hear of anyone here upset about a fox getting into their chickens, I can only blame the chicken-caretaker. It's necessary to make sure all chickens come in as it darkens towards twilight -or even earlier. It's necessary to also have quite fine chicken-wire (each hole an inch or even less) at least 6ft or more above the birds' area, wire on the top also, and sunk in a trench 18" deep all around -to stop the foxes digging in.
Some people are dismayed that once a fox has breached the camp, and caught a chicken, it will come back as often as it takes, to kill the lot. These bodies are not always carried away, so the fox has been left with an unfair reputation for being a wanton killer, beyond its food needs.
This is just an instinct with the foxes. As far as they see it, they have now built up a cache of food, and left to their own devices, would return again and again to claim some dinner. Not only for themselves, but for their young. They don't kill for lust. A wild animal always kills for food. Humans should understand that but they don't, and go off on a negatively sentimental rant about foxes, then persecute them terribly.
I happen to like them. They have every right to hunt. They can't go to the local store for their meat like most humans can. Woe betide chicken-keepers who don't lock up their chickens securely though!
Some people are dismayed that once a fox has breached the camp, and caught a chicken, it will come back as often as it takes, to kill the lot. These bodies are not always carried away, so the fox has been left with an unfair reputation for being a wanton killer, beyond its food needs.
This is just an instinct with the foxes. As far as they see it, they have now built up a cache of food, and left to their own devices, would return again and again to claim some dinner. Not only for themselves, but for their young. They don't kill for lust. A wild animal always kills for food. Humans should understand that but they don't, and go off on a negatively sentimental rant about foxes, then persecute them terribly.
I happen to like them. They have every right to hunt. They can't go to the local store for their meat like most humans can. Woe betide chicken-keepers who don't lock up their chickens securely though!
