Discussion
Goaty Bill 2 said:
And there you have the attitude of the typical misanthropic anti-hunt protester.
And you feel you have the right to question the morals of others.
Astonishing.
having to go into a Chicken Run and clean up after a Fox has just destroyed them for fun not for food isn't much fun. And you feel you have the right to question the morals of others.
Astonishing.
popeyewhite said:
Digby said:
Loosing a few chickens which are kept against their will for profit? Boohoo.
You might be on thin ice with that one. You know chickens are domesticated - right?Digby said:
Indeed. Mine love nothing better than cleaning the house and car etc.
After you have dispatched one, plucked it and had it for dinner....the feathers do make good dusters if you tie a load of them together on a small stick 
FYI, my chickens roam, they have a wide mixed area with tree cover, open grass, hedgerow and lots of low shrubs/trees to work. They eat little corn except in the winter and it is unnecessary to feed them any additives or supplements. We do not have ANY fencing and they roost in their chosen spot which happens to be a hay filled coop which is shut at night to protect them. They are free to do this/live this life because there is good fox control in the area.
Edited by Stickyfinger on Wednesday 24th May 06:55
Stickyfinger said:
After you have dispatched one, plucked it and had it for dinner....the feathers do make good dusters if you tie a load of them together on a small stick
FYI, my chickens roam, they have a wide mixed area with tree cover, open grass, hedgerow and lots of low shrubs/trees to work. They eat little corn except in the winter and it is unnecessary to feed them any additives or supplements. We do not have ANY fencing and they roost in their chosen spot which happens to be a hay filled coop which is shut at night to protect them. They are free to do this/live this life because there is good fox control in the area.
Right, so you are shooting an animal because you like to keep others.FYI, my chickens roam, they have a wide mixed area with tree cover, open grass, hedgerow and lots of low shrubs/trees to work. They eat little corn except in the winter and it is unnecessary to feed them any additives or supplements. We do not have ANY fencing and they roost in their chosen spot which happens to be a hay filled coop which is shut at night to protect them. They are free to do this/live this life because there is good fox control in the area.
Edited by Stickyfinger on Wednesday 24th May 06:55
I would have an electric fence and save on bullets.
If the fox population is managed, so that you have fit and healthy population that isn't too big for the amount of natural food that is available in the area, the need for them to take domestic animals is reduced.
Having said that, some foxes do seem to just love killing chickens and will go to great lengths to do so, often taking risks that they'd not consider for any other prey. It's foxes like this that often end up getting shot.
The video in the link below, shows a fox so focused on getting to the chickens that neither the presence of a man or a Rottweiler dog perturbs him. The later being slightly relevant to this thread as the fox knows that the Rottweiler is both too slow and not clever enough to catch him.
https://youtu.be/1vzgnTEMyCg
Having said that, some foxes do seem to just love killing chickens and will go to great lengths to do so, often taking risks that they'd not consider for any other prey. It's foxes like this that often end up getting shot.
The video in the link below, shows a fox so focused on getting to the chickens that neither the presence of a man or a Rottweiler dog perturbs him. The later being slightly relevant to this thread as the fox knows that the Rottweiler is both too slow and not clever enough to catch him.
https://youtu.be/1vzgnTEMyCg
Stickyfinger said:
Nope, I am shooting foxes because if I did not they would breed out of control and impact EVERY other animal (which can be prey) including mine.
They are pests if left to breed.
You really do not understand how things work do you.....
Sadly, there's a lot of people who naively believe that "nature" just takes care of itself . Well not in the UK it doesn't. Yes it the fault of man, but we can't turn the clock back, or re-introduce wolves. They are pests if left to breed.
You really do not understand how things work do you.....
The nearest thing we now have to a pack of wolves (the most natural and organic method of maintaining a fit and healthy fox population) is a pack of fox hounds.
A57 HSV said:
Sadly, there's a lot of people who naively believe that "nature" just takes care of itself . Well not in the UK it doesn't. Yes it the fault of man, but we can't turn the clock back, or re-introduce wolves.
The nearest thing we now have to a pack of wolves (the most natural and organic method of maintaining a fit and healthy fox population) is a pack of fox hounds.
This seems to be true....The nearest thing we now have to a pack of wolves (the most natural and organic method of maintaining a fit and healthy fox population) is a pack of fox hounds.
So who do you believe?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/104...
"The research does appear to indicate that steepest decline was between 1995 and 2004, since when the population has been relatively stable. The researchers conclude that they found “no evidence that fox numbers have increased since the ban” and suggest “the fox population trajectory is now more stable following the ban”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/104...
"The research does appear to indicate that steepest decline was between 1995 and 2004, since when the population has been relatively stable. The researchers conclude that they found “no evidence that fox numbers have increased since the ban” and suggest “the fox population trajectory is now more stable following the ban”.
Digby said:
So who do you believe?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/104...
"The research does appear to indicate that steepest decline was between 1995 and 2004, since when the population has been relatively stable. The researchers conclude that they found “no evidence that fox numbers have increased since the ban” and suggest “the fox population trajectory is now more stable following the ban”.
Please enlighten me....how many are being shot since the ban ?http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/104...
"The research does appear to indicate that steepest decline was between 1995 and 2004, since when the population has been relatively stable. The researchers conclude that they found “no evidence that fox numbers have increased since the ban” and suggest “the fox population trajectory is now more stable following the ban”.
I have never reported number taken and never been asked.
I have increased my take in the last few years
More guns are active, more areas are open/invites
You are really struggling with these facts.
I'm only struggling to see how the world will end unless people shoot foxes in the face or dress up like participants in a Broadway show to kill some.
If I had a sudden urge to keep chickens, I would do as many guides suggest and protect them from foxes.
At no point would I turn gunslinger with a bloodlust I keep on trying to justify.
I remember many people being terrified when a little girl was bitten in the city by a fox. Apparently they were a huge and out of control problem....
....except they were not.
"Recent estimates as to the number of foxes living in British cities are hard to come by, but the University of Bristol's Mammal Research Unit says that contrary to what some people might expect, little has changed since the last national census in the 1980s"
Stop shooting them, protect your chickens and see what happens? How's that for a more relaxing approach to a problem which may well be all in your mind?
If I had a sudden urge to keep chickens, I would do as many guides suggest and protect them from foxes.
At no point would I turn gunslinger with a bloodlust I keep on trying to justify.
I remember many people being terrified when a little girl was bitten in the city by a fox. Apparently they were a huge and out of control problem....
....except they were not.
"Recent estimates as to the number of foxes living in British cities are hard to come by, but the University of Bristol's Mammal Research Unit says that contrary to what some people might expect, little has changed since the last national census in the 1980s"
Stop shooting them, protect your chickens and see what happens? How's that for a more relaxing approach to a problem which may well be all in your mind?
A57 HSV said:
Sadly, there's a lot of people who naively believe that "nature" just takes care of itself .
You will have to explain that one to me. How can nature not take care of itself? The outcome of it doing so, no matter how bizzare to us, would be natures way.Fifty billion foxes all eating each other because everything else was dead would still be natures way.
The only fly in the ointment is us. And our solution, as per usual, is guns (and dressing up like a dick)
Digby said:
How can nature not take care of itself?
(sigh) Here's an example:Deer: 50% cull necessary to protect countryside
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-2168...
Digby said:
I'm only struggling to see how the world will end unless people shoot foxes in the face or dress up like participants in a Broadway show to kill some.
If I had a sudden urge to keep chickens, I would do as many guides suggest and protect them from foxes.
At no point would I turn gunslinger with a bloodlust I keep on trying to justify.
I remember many people being terrified when a little girl was bitten in the city by a fox. Apparently they were a huge and out of control problem....
....except they were not.
"Recent estimates as to the number of foxes living in British cities are hard to come by, but the University of Bristol's Mammal Research Unit says that contrary to what some people might expect, little has changed since the last national census in the 1980s"
Stop shooting them, protect your chickens and see what happens? How's that for a more relaxing approach to a problem which may well be all in your mind?
And the local birds, small mammals, lambs, piglets, game birds etc etc ??If I had a sudden urge to keep chickens, I would do as many guides suggest and protect them from foxes.
At no point would I turn gunslinger with a bloodlust I keep on trying to justify.
I remember many people being terrified when a little girl was bitten in the city by a fox. Apparently they were a huge and out of control problem....
....except they were not.
"Recent estimates as to the number of foxes living in British cities are hard to come by, but the University of Bristol's Mammal Research Unit says that contrary to what some people might expect, little has changed since the last national census in the 1980s"
Stop shooting them, protect your chickens and see what happens? How's that for a more relaxing approach to a problem which may well be all in your mind?
Really, try learning a little bit about nature and how the human made countryside actually works in all it's reality.....it really is a case of trying to keep a balance. Ignore the balance had you will have problems.
(And yes we have made it so.....and we all have a duly to realise it)
Digby said:
You will have to explain that one to me. How can nature not take care of itself? The outcome of it doing so, no matter how bizzare to us, would be natures way.
Fifty billion foxes all eating each other because everything else was dead would still be natures way.
The only fly in the ointment is us. And our solution, as per usual, is guns (and dressing up like a dick)
If nature was left to itself, it would take care of itself.Fifty billion foxes all eating each other because everything else was dead would still be natures way.
The only fly in the ointment is us. And our solution, as per usual, is guns (and dressing up like a dick)
It works ok in wilderness, but not where it needs to coexist with modern farming and urban living.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff