Chickens/Foxes/Dogs

ladyearl

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Am looking after some chickens just now and tonight arrived to find four bodies. At first I thought fox but then I was thinking the dead ones had hardly been touched - just one head removed. I then wondered if it might actually have been a dog that had got into the garden and had a bit of a turn with them all. As I understand it fox really only kills and takes what it needs - or am I being idealistic about foxes??

thanks for any insights
 

Dobiegirl

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Foxes will kill the lot and probabley only take one, are there any survivers? were they not fenced in?. Foxes have cubs to feed atm so can be seen hunting during the day and once they have visited a hen run they will keep coming back until the last hen has gone.
 

ladyearl

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They can't get in now as have locked them into their fenced run, normally they have a very free range day time. I was being nice about foxes just thought they'd take the spoils of their kill and only come back when they were hungry for more. Not leave untouched bodies lying about!
 

ladyearl

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Sorry yes there were survivors and a cockerel who was up a tree. Normally there is a Goose running with the hens and I reckon she's been keeping them safe - or at least giving them notice of danger to fly.

Complicated place - the Goose is temporarily in with the new peacock and hen so wasn't on nanny duties for the hens!!!
 

paddi22

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we had fox attacks and each one had different results. A few did leave bodies in various parts of the garden.
 

Luci07

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And the fox is the only animal besides a human who will kill more than it needs and leave the bodies. As anyone who has ever lost their hens will testify.
 

ladyearl

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Got another two back (they had obviously been hiding) and everyone is staying locked in for the next wee while!!! Not loving the work of Mr Fox I have to say - wasteful to kill and not eat!

~thank you for your replies
 

CorvusCorax

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In fairness to foxes I think they do intend to come back and get the rest later (they can't carry them all!!!) but we tend to come across the kills before they do, as mentioned.
 

Nikki J

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Am looking after some chickens just now and tonight arrived to find four bodies. At first I thought fox but then I was thinking the dead ones had hardly been touched - just one head removed. I then wondered if it might actually have been a dog that had got into the garden and had a bit of a turn with them all. As I understand it fox really only kills and takes what it needs - or am I being idealistic about foxes??

thanks for any insights


You're being idealistic!! Foxes, if they get into a chicken run, will usually kill the lot and take one away at least. They will keep coming back to get the rest to store for laters. Sometimes they will come back to and fro to and fro until they have collected all the bodies, sometimes they won't.

To me, this does sound like a fox, especially regarding the head removal. A dog would not have done that I don't think - if it were one of mine, they would have gobbled up one chicken, maybe more, feathers and all, and then legged it - if given the opportunity to get into a hen run that is. Not something that is likely to happen, but if it did, my 2 are not saints, they would definitely kill and eat at least 2 chickens.
 
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