Fox attack

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Roisin

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Well it finally happened, the thing I've been dreading. My hens were freeranging in my London Garden -only allowed to do this from 11.30 to 3.30 at this time of year, and only if my partner or I are at home. Suddenly heard frantic squaking, at 1.30pm. Rushed outside, and fox was trying to climb up a wall carrying my very heavy, and very beautiful, blue hen. I shouted at her -think it was the vixen, we get a lot of foxes around here, and she dropped bluey onto the compost heap and ran off.
Poor hen is in shock, has lost a few feathers, and has a small open wound on her back. No broken legs or wings. After leaving her in a dark room for a while to recover, I sprayed her wound with powdered iodine. I've just left one hen in with her, her little friend, in case the others peck at her wound. she took a little water and natural yoghurt. Didnt eat much dinner, but took a little grain. I think she'll live, if she doesnt get an infection. She's stiill very quiet and subdued. Poor hen! That's the end of their free ranging for a while. Seems unfair. I didnt expect fox to come into the garden at that hour...
 
please do not hesitate and wait for an infection. please take her to the vets as soon as you can please and get her some treatment. foxes mouths are rotten dirty.
 
You need to be very vigilant with foxes,they come all sorts of time.I do have them too and for that reason I keep my hens in secure run and only let them out When I'm in the garden and put loudly radio on.This seems to work for now.Without any noise I had them visiting when I was there!Once the fox was so close to one of mine choks that I had to give a good chase after him.I'm so sorry for you hen,she is in shock but alive I'm sure she will come out of this and continue happy life.Take care of her,poor little thing. :(
 
Hes known where they are for a very long time, we get regular visits, coop and run are secure. But I've worked really hard to let them free-range safely, even took only part time work this summer(!!! )so that I could be around when I let them out. I am seriously thinking of getting a dog - we want one anyway - but it might also deter foxes?
 
Just want to say I am really sorry, what a shock for you!

I hope you hen pulls through, keep her warm and quiet overnight and assess in the morning.

Check the wound again carefully in the morning, looking for redness and/or swelling or heat from the wound area, although normally symptoms from a localised or systemic infection won't be apparent for a few days. Check her mobility for any discomfort, limping. Check her breathing, is it laboured or distressed? Clean wound well first thing with warm salty water and an iodine solution if you have any (but don't rub..) A blob of germoline, savlon or sudocreme if not will do fine!

It is surprising how deep the wound may be so if at all worried might be worth a quick once over at the vet tommorrow, foxes can cause crush like injuries with their jaws which can be difficult to spot. Saying all that if she looks happy scratching around with her mates she is probably fine..just keep a close eye on that wound. Next check your run security..check the henhouse too...then check again...

Finally pop the kettle on, put your feet up and enjoy a nice cup of coffee! :D

Let us know how she is in the morning,I expect she will be feeling stiff and a little sorry for herself!
 
i hope your little girl will be ok its surprising just how tough chickens can be and what they can pull though as well , last year i dropped a very large an very heavy tree stump onto one of my girls omg did i panic and called as many people as i could think of but after leaving her be for over 24 hrs she slowly pulled though and lived another year but did i kick myself for doing it .
during lsat night from about 11,30 pm tell 3 am i heard nothing but foxes and i think 2 of them were within 50 metres of my run or closer i got that worried that i nearly went out and checked with the dogs well jack anyway dont think buddy would handle a fox but everything was fine this morning .
it would be great if i could free range my girls but i would never dare its a caged run for me only .
 
Same thing happened with me earlier in the year. About 11 am and they were out free ranging & he got one of the black hens. Shouted and threw a hammer at him and he dropped her. She flew on top of the stables & eventually came down & was fine thereafter.

It took me six weeks to catch the fox in my borrowed trap but there are plenty more out there and I've had another two in the trap and one in a wire.

Dusk and early mornings are the worst times for fox attacks but they can occur at any time of the day or night of course.

I hope yours is OK.
 
Thank you all for your kind advice. She is a bit sorry for herself this morning, but walking ok. Drinking lots of water. Not eating much but will take natural yoghurt and corn. Holding her wings stiffly but I dont think they are broken - just that her back is a little sore because of the wound. I put powdered iodine on it yesterday, havnt checked it yet today, but will do after she's had time to eat and drink a little. (Its covered by feathers, so you cant see withought picking her up and having a look). Good advice about possible crush injuries, I will check her thoroughly today.
 
Have you tried male urine around your boundary? Works for us as we have foxes at night but not in the day anymore.
 
There is nothing except a dog that will keep a determined fox away and unless the dog will attack the fox that doesn't work either. The only defence is to keep your pens safe.
 
you can say that about foxes we can have anything up 8 foxes a morning in the yard and although one of the dogs might well attack one the other dog is a blind little weeny jack russell and the foxes play with her as if she was one of thier own its so funny to watch me and her owner keep saying that if they were going to attack her they would of done ages ago . we even named one nutley and hes done there every other morning playing with her .
another friend of mine has his birds behind elccy fencing only and hes never had an attack and he reckons that cause he lets his working dog prowl the whole grounds thing is if the fox wants the birds it will get them somehow my pen has been very very secure for what over 3 years but it may stil happen oneday when they manage to get in .
 
Nice to see ppl actually caring for there animals genuinely and not just disappointed that that's one less hen to eat, I hate animal cruelty and I can't stand pol raising them to eat , how heartless , nice post ms I think she will be ok,
 
She is MUCH better this morning, eating almost normally, looking much perkier. By yesterday her wound had closed over. I havnt bathed it today as was too busy and also think its best to leave it for a day to settle. Will bathe with warm compress and salty water tomorrow and get a better look then. She tolerates this and also if wound needs to release some pus it might be important. Have left her with her little friend, inspite of the danger of her wound being pecked, as the little hen is not aggressive, and also my poor blue hen (the one that got attacked) would get depressed if isolated. Wish it were like europe or america, where I could buy a little topical antibiotic to put on it.... She cant fly at the moment - and is holding her wing a little strangely. It doesnt look bad enough to be broken, so assume its because of her sore back. She laid an egg last night too! Many thanks for your help and advice everyone, i find it really helpful.
 
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