The Fox
The FoxAfter we found our girl injured tonight I bedded her down and went on the net looking for 'first aid' help in case there was something I could do that I hadnt thought of..
I went onto another chicken forum which has a topic on foxes / predators etc.. I dont know if its just me, but unlike the chicken keepers on there, who hated the fox and were discussing ways of trapping and 'disposing' of 'the vermin'.. The only one I've been angry with is me.. The fox is a beautiful wild animal following nothing but its instincts. I would no more condone killing a fox because it killed my chickens than I could ever condone fox hunting or any other animal cruelty.. "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Albert Einstein I'm with you Willow.
The fox (and feral cats) have severly damaged and erradicated some of our native marsupial species so there is no sympathy at all for the fox in our country. Not too long ago, we had a "bounty hunt" on foxes. For every fox tail that was handed in to local councils - you were paid $10 (Aus). To me that was so cruel, there were absolutely no controls over how the animals were trapped or killed so it was open slather to all the "sicko's" and they got paid for doing it. They're not native to our country but the fact is that they are here, and we need to find a more humane way to deal with the problem! Jodi predatorsSame here Jodi with squirrels, it's not their fault that some " " (put in your own suitable words) brought them over here
All we can do is deal with the consequences, the only thing I can ever kill is a fly, apart from that, live & let live, it's us lot who are the problem & don't belong here, nature always takes care of itself. We still have those B******* in red coats poncing round the country side on horses each winter, chasing what ?? do they really expect us to believe they'd go to all that trouble to not kill anything, I don't think so, there's no-one to police it & they know that full well. Rant finish.....I think Cheers
mel x
You carry on ranting Mel.. I agree with every word. Cruelty in any form is an indication of a very sick mind..
I find it hard to walk past a worm on a pavement on a rainy day.. I have tried, but ended up turning round and picking the flaming thing up and putting it on the grass.. I've actualy taken a half dead wasp from a windowsill and revived it with honey water!! (sorry Mo) ... Did the same with a butterfly one year, I had to unfurl its 'tongue' and was amazed that it really drank and came back to life so quickly.. Having said that, and probably sounding slightly buddist - I did go on an all out 'fly attack' this summer.. so not all life is sacred.. "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Albert Einstein
Saw something on a tv programme the other night that made me think. It said that hunting has no effect on fox numbers, in fact it causes an increase (as they breed more to make up the numbers lost I guess). That nicely knocks the argument about vermin control on the head I think.
We live on the outskirts of a small Kent town and definitely have foxes around, hence the expensive electric fence to protect my girls (and yes I know it's not 100% guaranteed, but we thought it was the best deterrent). In a perfect world every dog would have a home, and every home would have a dog - Anon.
Our garden is too large to use the electric fence all around the perimeter - it would cost an absolute fortune.. otherwise it would be the ideal solution.. The run is being extended this weekend as they are definately going to be spending more time in there.. but having had the run of nearly an acre they are not going to be very happy birds.. We're going to have to think of something..
Last edited by Willow on 27 Sep 2007, 13:57, edited 1 time in total.
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Albert Einstein little crittersEveryone at Darrans work call him a Bhuddist, as when they get in in the mornings, he'll have all the windows & shutters open trying to flush out some small thing that needs to be back outside
I also have been known to save the worms & snails off the footpaths, must have a lot of spare time I supose. My chicken friend recently gave a snail to her hens, they played football with it & she felt absolutely awful, went back in & had to rescue it. There you go, we're all barking at some level or another I just don't think we have the right to make such a choice over life & death Cheers
mel x The FoxFoxes in Australia....people are to blame they move animals from their natural habitat and put them where they should not be. Rabbits are not native to the UK they were bought in to feed the poor to keep them quite. Grey squirrels are not native they arrived because some idiot thought they looked good....look at what they have done to the red squirrels. We see the problem with bees being taken to a country that is not their origin - why?? - money, they then succumb to predators or disease and threaten the native species. I enjoyed seeing the programme about the killer wasps, the bee lure them to their nests and kill them by overheating them, this is what nature is about.
If foxes are such a problem then the most humane thing is to shoot them as many people do with rabbits.
Or keep a Llama!! or is it an Alpaca?? one of them is a real fox deterent - not sure if they just make some ungodly racket, spit at them or chase them off....
I've just had a long conversation with a lady who breeds chickens, and has several hundred all free range.. I asked her what she does about foxes.. She and her husband 'pee' around the field fences and the yard regularily.. they also have a dog and if a fox or buzzard is seen they let the dog go and set off rockets (fireworks).. She said that foxes rarely do damage.. Badgers are worse! stronger than a fox and very determined.. "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Albert Einstein No - wouldn't suggest they B shot!!!!
Regardless of nationality, there are many people who aren't native to their country - and I have to be patriotic and say, it's not all our fault! with the introduction of other animals :wink: Well, not mine personally, as I'm sure revenue and customs would have something to say if I tried to smuggle a kangaroo through!!! Small steps lead to big changes
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