What pets do you have please

lovelyperson

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Well they were never pets, not a single one of them had been named, but as of last night we have no chickens or ducks left. A fox got into the bird shed and killed every last one of them, 15 chickens + 1 cockerel and 1 duck + 1 drake. It's been a very subdued day all told.

I really can't understand how people can feed foxes when they create carnage like this.
How terrible and I can imagine your feelings at this moment.
Best wishes to you.
 

PaulR

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Thanks. I have the job of disposing of the carcases today. I'll be nipping out to the recycling centre at lunchtime but I don't think they'll be of any use to anyone.
 

sonnetpete

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In the past, I have had a fox take the odd one or two chickens during the day here and one one occasion when the chicken shed door was left open all night five including two cockerels. (The helper whose job it was to close the door was suitably mortified and bought some replacement chickens). It's not a pretty sight and your heart does go down to your boots. You have my sympathies Paul....
 

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Well they were never pets, not a single one of them had been named, but as of last night we have no chickens or ducks left. A fox got into the bird shed and killed every last one of them, 15 chickens + 1 cockerel and 1 duck + 1 drake. It's been a very subdued day all told.

I really can't understand how people can feed foxes when they create carnage like this.

Sorry to hear this Paul, my experience of foxes is that they need little or no encouragement to forage for food and are not as timid as people think
 

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A problem. The recycling centre wouldn't let me dispose of the birds. Not even in the non-recyclable skip as even this is, apparently, sorted through by hand. They could only suggest we contact the council. Oh how I laughed inside.

Our domestic non-recyclable, bin won't be collected until next Monday but I think we'll have to go for that. Our neighbour will probably let us put a couple of the bin liner bags so it'll be less obvious.
 
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Archive4

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Well they were never pets, not a single one of them had been named, but as of last night we have no chickens or ducks left. A fox got into the bird shed and killed every last one of them, 15 chickens + 1 cockerel and 1 duck + 1 drake. It's been a very subdued day all told.

I really can't understand how people can feed foxes when they create carnage like this.
I cannot ever try to fathom how you feel. I know you said they have no names and they weren't pets, but, I cannot imagine loosing so many in one go

Sorry, my heart is with you
 

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Sorry to here about this Paul:(, haven't you got anywhere to bury them ?.
 

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We've buried a few dogs and other animals over the years in our postage stamp size front and rear gardens but we'd need a digger to make a hole big enough for this number in one go! I think the regular collection next week is the best option.
 

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Well they were never pets, not a single one of them had been named, but as of last night we have no chickens or ducks left. A fox got into the bird shed and killed every last one of them, 15 chickens + 1 cockerel and 1 duck + 1 drake. It's been a very subdued day all told.

I really can't understand how people can feed foxes when they create carnage like this.

That must have been an awful sight. I would have been stupefied until I gathered my wits about. I mean even when it sinks in you still wouldn't be able to believe it. I really am sorry for your loss Paul.
Sometimes I cannot get to grips with nature creatures.
 

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With no disrespect, we all know that foxes will do this and we need to keep them at bay at all cost, one of the farms I metal detect the land, the farmer has kept them for over 40 years and never lost one to a fox, his pen is well maintained and the fence is under ground a few feet to stop them digging under it.

Do Foxes Kill for Pleasure?

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/...-city/articles/all/do-foxes-kill-for-pleasure
ad63815c-113b-499a-983f-2d49ea085177.jpg

Reports of foxes breaking into chicken coops and slaughtering fowl, has helped propagate the idea that foxes kill for fun. But, this is actually… false. Foxes kill for survival.
Food is not always consistently available to a fox, so when it does find more food than it actually needs it will continue to hunt and store the excess. This is called caching. The fox buries his food to be consumed at a later date. Although this is an excellent survival strategy, it can sometimes go wrong.
For example, when a fox uncovers a nest of birds or a hen house, it will immediately kick into survival mode and use the opportunity to kill and cache food. In the commotion of the moment the fox may panic and bite whatever’s in sight, without actually retrieving many of the dead hens.
The result? Wasteful overkill. Although it may look like the fox has killed for pleasure, it is actually down to their innate survival strategies.
 

sonnetpete

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Paul : Are you absolutely sure it was a fox? Martin's post got me thinking and in all the times we had chickens killed, there have never been remains to clear up, just a few feathers to show what has gone on.

Granted the last couple of sentences in his post may apply to your unfortunate situation but is there a chance it could have been dogs??
 

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Pretty sure it was a fox. Of the 18 birds we only recovered 8 carcasses, the others were presumably taken for stores - consistent with fox behaviour.

It was my wife who really did the nasty work collecting the bodies. Full marks to her for that. She also managed to get rid of them yesterday so even more house points to her.
 
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Archive4

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Molly´s last night tonight, she has stopped eating and can hardly walk now. Spinal nerve has given out.
The Matriarch


molly-jpg.76564
 
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Sorry to here that Brian :(.
Thanks Martin, I won´t be dancing in the rain tomorrow, but am currently filling the next large brandy to cope with tomorrow. Wish it was raining, Spain crying for the loss of my girl
 

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Time is a great healer, my thoughts are with you and yours Brian.
 

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Sympathies to you on this Brian. Our last dog, Timmy, died some five or six years ago at the age (we think, he was a rescue dog) of 14. He'd had a good life with us and just passed away quietly with my wife holding his paws. Didn't stop us blubbering about it though.

I buried him in the front garden along with our earlier dog, Pebbles, one of our eldest daughter's dogs and numerous hamsters, gerbils, etc.
 

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Sorry to hear that :( I know very well what it's like to lose a pet and it's no easier than losing a human member of your family. How old is Molly?
 
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