The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Remy on April 18, 2016, 06:27:16 pm

Title: Fox problem
Post by: Remy on April 18, 2016, 06:27:16 pm

I have foxes locally who come every year this time and either take or kill lambs.  Every year I've lost some to the fox.  This year it had taken one large triplet, then no more for a week.


Yesterday a ewe had two large twins who were up and healthy.  This morning I went to inspect them and one of the twins was covered in blood on its neck.  I thought for a moment the mother hadn't licked all the birth fluids away then saw it was fresh blood and found some puncture wounds both sides of its neck.


It was thin and weak and so I took them all in and have cleaned it up and given it an AB jab.  I've also tubed it as it just doesn't seem able to find the teat, and when I've tried to put the teat in its mouth it doesn't do anything, doesn't suckle at all.  I'll keep trying and topping it up as necessary.


However the blood has been oozing all day, is there anything I can do to try and stop the flow of blood?

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: Hellybee on April 18, 2016, 07:07:26 pm

Vet, good luck x

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: Hevxxx99 on April 18, 2016, 11:49:17 pm

Yes, get the vet out. The injuries may well be worse than they first appear.

Hope the poor mite makes it!

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: suziequeue on April 18, 2016, 11:58:53 pm

Keep us posted  :fc: :hugsheep:

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: shep53 on April 19, 2016, 01:10:17 pm

I have lambs every year attacked and it takes a lot of treatment to keep them going , any that survive have problems for ever .    killed for home use a 2ry old with permanent neck problem and slight balance issue and have a 1 yr old nearly the same .        Destroyed a lamb last week  one of twins flat out ,high temp  and a very swollen neck       

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: Remy on April 20, 2016, 09:29:02 pm

Well the bleeding dried up on its own the following day, and I have been nursing the little mite to try and get it suckling, from mum or the bottle!  She was weak and feeble and not interested in either, so I wasn't optimistic but today she has suddenly got the hang of the bottle and getting stronger with every feed.  Don't know if she will get back onto mum but so long as she rallies it doesn't really matter.  Time will tell if she has any lasting damage  :fc:

Title: Re: Fox problem
Post by: BenBhoy on April 24, 2016, 07:23:14 am

And what happened to the fox??

In run up to lambing I got 6 in 3 weeks. Not had a single fox attack.