Young lambs versus fox

[dicehorn 38]

Having had a look at the photo of the lamb John, just surprised that the visible damage has been done by a fox. Lambs that I have seen looking like this are usually lambs that have died and these punctures have been caused by corvids - especially ravens.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Having had a look at the photo of the lamb John, just surprised that the visible damage has been done by a fox. Lambs that I have seen looking like this are usually lambs that have died and these punctures have been caused by corvids - especially ravens.

 

Answer me these...

 

Twins, healthy, with a ewe that has good milk supply both dying within two days of birth, in excellent weather, chances of?

 

Corvids... Why are all four eyes still present on the two lambs?

 

Chewing, when did birds grow teeth :icon_eek:

[dicehorn 38]

Having had a look at the photo of the lamb John, just surprised that the visible damage has been done by a fox. Lambs that I have seen looking like this are usually lambs that have died and these punctures have been caused by corvids - especially ravens.

 

Answer me these...

 

Twins, healthy, with a ewe that has good milk supply both dying within two days of birth, in excellent weather, chances of?

Chances are slim perhaps, but seemingly healthy lambs can have defects such as heart, lungs or other genetic problems that are not immediately apparent at birth - my local sheep farmer has a dead one month old lamb in his yard reason for death "dunno" he says

 

Corvids... Why are all four eyes still present on the two lambs?

Well only having the benefit of a photo, the first photo appears to have flesh removed from around the eye - would a fox do that?

Chewing, when did birds grow teeth :icon_eek:

 

Once again with only a photo to make a comment and looking at the two puncture marks and bearing in mind the make up of a foxes jaw, it would be hard for a fox to make such a neat hole, that is more of the hallmark of a raven. The raven's bill is serrated and they can easily open up on old ewe (usually next to the udder) and the marks they leave can look like teeth marks - but one needs a live situation to prove that not a photo.

 

John, I am not saying that foxes do not take lambs - they certainly do - the problem is because foxes are on the ground it does not always follow that every dead lamb should be blamed on the fox. I have watched foxes with night vision wandering around lambing ewes - they are there looking to scavange on afterbirth and still born and having nothing to do with healthy ones. Usually, lambs that are killed by the fox turn out to be by old foxes that have lost both their agility to catch quicker prey and their acute sense of hearing.

 

All I am saying is that we should keep an open mind in some situations.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

I reckon the next few days will tell the tale, if anything else there get's killed or not. I'm still of the opinion it wasn't birds, any time I've seen birds attack either a live animal of carcass they have always at least plucked out the upturned eyes. All four eyes were present and accounted for and a bird the size of a raven would have no trouble flipping a dead lamb over.

[Lewdan 17]

I reckon the next few days will tell the tale, if anything else there get's killed or not. I'm still of the opinion it wasn't birds, any time I've seen birds attack either a live animal of carcass they have always at least plucked out the upturned eyes. All four eyes were present and accounted for and a bird the size of a raven would have no trouble flipping a dead lamb over.

 

Hi John,

Not sure if you got many in your area, but Badgers can cause this damage ( and worse ) to lambs, have seen it many times around area where i shoot, they normally grab the lamb around the chest area, then rip them open they eat what they want but leave the carcass. (not a lot of people know that) Unfotunately not a lot we can do as shooters , they are protected!

 

LD

[the cheater 1]

Well done to the 2 of you for putting in a late shift to sort the problem,which incidentely i`m with you on...definateley fox.

Hopefully the culprit too.

150-200yds are we reaching out a little further these days

 

Good shooting mate

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

In my experience John it will be a vixen with cubs .Foxes kill more of anything when there is a glut ,they are programmed to do this ,to hide the carcass for leaner times which would of happened if left alone .Foxes are notorious killers of anything helpless .Keep plugging away mate .

[Guest eastmids]

wouldnt it be great if one of the national papers would take interest in a story like that with pictures as evidence, then maybe the public would understand !

 

might be worth giving them a ring but i doubt they would take interest !

 

Not unless they have been coated in volcanic ash then