Know thy enemy

Quote, the economic impact of fox predation on released pheasants is probably small ..........................predation by foxes caused about 3% of pheasant losses, end quote.

3% of 20 million pheasants poults that cost around £3.50 each in 2008.

And those are foxes that avoided the gamekeepers rifle.

Without the British Gamekeeper our coops would collapse under the weight of foxes.

Hi

On one of our shoot farms that joins to a town we have a pheasant pen that the farmer keeps an eye on. The other night whilst checking the pen the farmer caught a fox carrying a chicken from the chicken run. It paid the price along with 3 others all within a couple of hours! Often now it is the town fox that moves towards the country!

I think the Fox is a beautiful creature, however I've lost hens to him over the years. I think I'm fairly ambivalent about him. I wish him no harm but make sure I shut my hens and ducks up every single night at dusk and if I can't be there to do it I arrange for someone else to. I have no desire to improve his lot.

Good point well made, Joyfull.  I have seen foxes around at all times of day, particularly when it gets colder and they get hungrier.

I live in the country and have lost 4 hens last year, 4 this.  Last years attack was at 1.10 pm, the hens were in the field, we were out in the garden having lunch, I will never forget that noise, we lost 4 in one go!
This year, all attacks have taken place around midday, and one day I saw a fox sitting next to the pen at 12.30 when I returned home.  I am sure this is not a freed urban fox as I cannot think that the french would do that.
The losses led to my rooster becoming extremely over protective and he would attack us whenever we got within 10 metres of his girls....  He went in the pot, and my girls now stay in their pen - which will be extended next year with electric poultry netting.