[minibn]

Hi

Mr fox decided to pay my ex batts a visit this morn. The dogs were going crazy in the kitchen but didn't think anything of it, so I let them out and they were barking like crazy. I think they must have been telling me there was a fox outside. I have an automatic chicken door which is brill, but it was opening just as it was almost light. I thought that this was ok, but obviously not as the fox decided it was an easy meal. I have since changed the timer.

Anyway I found a hen whilst recovering and cleaning up the after mouth which was still alive and in shock. I picked her up and she seemed quite floppy, I thought that she would die pretty soon. I took her in the house as she had some puncture wounds to her back and chest obviously where the fox had picked her up from. I cleaned them up as best I could, then put her in a nesting box in the chicken shed. I have been checking on her every few hours. I thought I would go back and find that she had died, but I checked on her an hour ago and she although was quite floppy had her eyes open and was still alive.

I don't know if she will last the night, I really hoping that she will. Has anyone had to deal with this before, I am reluctant to do the deed as she seems to be ok in herself if not a little weak. Does anyone have any ideas what I can fed her or if I should put anything on her wounds or leave them open to air.

The other chickens don't seem to bother with her either.

Figures crossed she will still be with us in the morning.


Any ideas welcomed

[shygirl]

personally id cull her. one of our turkeys was attacked and I hoped she'd pull through but she died a few days later. I should have culled her there and then. she was walking wounded and still eating.

[devonlady]

She is likely to have internal injuries so, unless she is now up and walking around, kinder to dispatch her

[Mammyshaz]

Sorry to hear this. There's never a safe time from sly Mr fox   

If she has made it to now then the injuries themselves aren't going to be as much of a problem as the infection brewing from the bite wounds. This will show itself in a day or two and cause suffering. She will also be in pain with the bites and bruising now.
For her welfare she either needs veterinary treatment of pain relief and antibiotics or culled. Leaving it to fate isn't an option imho.

[SallyintNorth]

So sorry you've had this happen.

We had similar when we were very new to chicken-keeping.  It was a local terrier, not the fox, but same devastation.  Two dead, two wounded like yours, and the only one that had started laying had thankfully been hidden away in the nest box and survived unscathed. 

We took the two wounded ones to the vet, who dispatched them, saying much what MS has just said about infected wounds and potential internal injuries. 

Lacey became very tame, and befriended the sheep for a flock to follow, while we improved security and sourced new pullets. 

Our new setup was dubbed Chicken Knox.  We still used the timer door, but if we weren't about, they were shut in behind 6' netting, dug into the ground for 12", with electric (checked every day) - two strands at nose level and one at the top.  When we were there, they free-ranged (and remained friendly with the sheep, led by Lacey!)

They were never any bother to lock up; Chicken Knox was large enough to still qualify as free range even if they'd been in there full-time, and they'd follow us anywhere if we had some bread

Here at BH's farm, the chooks have complete freedom and generally roost in the hay stacks.  Cocky sleeps with an eye open and gives voice at any intruders.  The downside of this arrangement is that they hide their eggs, so we have to buy our eggs off friends whose birds are penned!   

[minibn]

I took my chook to the vets this morning,  expecting nothing could be done and she would have to be pts. Instead, he as given  her some very strong painkillers and antibiotics.  She has to go back tmoz morning again for another check up. Fingers crossed she will perk up. If not she will be pts tomorrow.  So gud and bad I suppose. 

Regards Emily

[Mammyshaz]

  hope she improves, the little fighter 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

One animal I do not like is the fox, I had terrible problems last year around lambing time, I then brought them up to the farm to lamb and not a single one got snatched by Mr fox. Maybe you should call the fox hunter, the problem with a fox is if it has the taste for chicken it will often pass it to its young and then you'll have a whole family of foxes queuing up outside the hen house for supper. When I say fox hunter I mean a person who kills them according to law. I haven't had fox problems for over 4 years now, there are not many around my way, I remember I had 2 ducks and I built a pond for them, they got attacked during the night and when I came the next morning to let them out, me not knowing what had happened to them, I found one dead and the other one was alive. Who said ducks were stupid? The other duck hid underneath the ramp in the pond away from the fox, she died a few months later though off a heart attack.

[SallyintNorth]

I took my chook to the vets this morning,  expecting nothing could be done and she would have to be pts. Instead, he as given  her some very strong painkillers and antibiotics.  She has to go back tmoz morning again for another check up. Fingers crossed she will perk up. If not she will be pts tomorrow.  So gud and bad I suppose. 

Regards Emily

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and hen.   

[minibn]

Well she still lives to fight another day. Took her for her check up and she has improved quite considerabley. She ate some waterey poridge this morning.  She has had another painkiller at the vets this morn. She does have supected neck muscle damage. But the vet said it wil improve over time. If she is not in pain and is eating ok im guna keep going with her.  I feel she deserves that.

Im keeping my fingers and toes firmly crossed.

[shygirl]

beware of the fox returning.
hope all is well x

[Mammyshaz]

Great news 

[sokel]

We had a mink problem a few years ago and several chickens where killed, one was badly infured with a big tear in the neck. she was given pain relief and antibiotics. we didn't think she would survive but she mad a full recovery except she did hold her head on a slightly off angle. she came back into lay a few weeks later and 4 years on she is still with us
  for yours

[BenBhoy]

beware of the fox returning.
hope all is well x

Yep every Charlie will quote the terminator "I'll be back"

[minibn]

Well good news to report about my chook. She went for her final check up at the vets today. She was given another injection of antibiotics/pain relief.  The vet was very pleased with her progress, and said she could go back to join the others. So she has left the confines of her  dog crate and returned to her run. Although she is still seperated, as the other chooks started to bully her. Hopefully they can sort out the pecking order again pretty soon.  :-D