Caring for australorp attacked by fox

[henrietta101]

My darling 9 year old australorp got attacked by a Fox last night. She has a big chunk of feathers missing from the middle of her back and some little chunks of her flesh taken. It is a bad wound but we are blessed to have her alive.

Henrietta, her name, went to the vet and had an antibiotic injection to prevent infection. Vet told us to keep her out of wind and that it will take 6-8 weeks for her to get better with her feathers.

We are in suburban sydney, Australia and our vet would not be specialised in poultry.

Have you any tips for helping her recover? We are keeping her inside a spare bathroom in our house as it is windy at the moment. I’ve brought in a Silkie to keep her company.

Will it take 6-8 weeks? We are moving out of the house for major renovations so she will have to go back to the coup. Do you think she will be okay outside? Or should I get my mother to take her at her house?

Sadly we lost three hens out of our ten with this attack. My daughter forgot to lock them up that night .

 

[henrietta101]

We move out in twelve days.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

My darling 9 year old australorp got attacked by a Fox last night. She has a big chunk of feathers missing from the middle of her back and some little chunks of her flesh taken. It is a bad wound but we are blessed to have her alive.

Henrietta, her name, went to the vet and had an antibiotic injection to prevent infection. Vet told us to keep her out of wind and that it will take 6-8 weeks for her to get better with her feathers.

We are in suburban sydney, Australia and our vet would not be specialised in poultry.

Have you any tips for helping her recover? We are keeping her inside a spare bathroom in our house as it is windy at the moment. I’ve brought in a Silkie to keep her company.

Will it take 6-8 weeks? We are moving out of the house for major renovations so she will have to go back to the coup. Do you think she will be okay outside? Or should I get my mother to take her at her house?

Sadly we lost three hens out of our ten with this attack. My daughter forgot to lock them up that night .

We’ll howdy neighbor I’m Western Sydney! I’m so sorry about your loss.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry for your losses!
If she's eating well, that's half the battle. An antibiotic ointment, Silvadene, or maluka honey, are all good choices to keep the wounds moist and covered. If the wounds are cleaned out, then the ointment should be all that needs to happen daily.
Use towels, hospital pads, or puppy training pads in her cage, rather than shavings for now. Depending on where the wounds are, it would be best to keep those shavings out of the site.
She will hopefully be well on her way to recovering in ten or twelve days, and able to go out there, at least in her big crate.
All the best,
Mary

 

[orrpeople]

Do you have pics of the wounds?
Agreed that eating and drinking are super important.

 

[henrietta101]

Breaks my heart to look at her, the poor old darling. Yes getting her to eat is proving difficult. Here are some photos.

 

[henrietta101]

We’ll howdy neighbor I’m Western Sydney! I’m so sorry about your loss.

Thanks Butterscotch

 

[henrietta101]

I'm so sorry for your losses!
If she's eating well, that's half the battle. An antibiotic ointment, Silvadene, or maluka honey, are all good choices to keep the wounds moist and covered. If the wounds are cleaned out, then the ointment should be all that needs to happen daily.
Use towels, hospital pads, or puppy training pads in her cage, rather than shavings for now. Depending on where the wounds are, it would be best to keep those shavings out of the site.
She will hopefully be well on her way to recovering in ten or twelve days, and able to go out there, at least in her big crate.
All the best,
Mary

Yes it is healed to get her to eat or drink

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Thanks Butterscotch

Your most welcome.

 

[slordaz]

I don't know what is available, but electrolytes and maybe some softened food will entice her anything that will entice her to start eating, she still may be in shock. If you have something like blue kote to put on her injury Put that on before returning her to the flock so they don't peck at it.

Is the coop secure enough to keep predators out? Fox are especially brazen and will be back as they caught a meal so it's a guarantee they will be back. Don't know how to advise you though as it's a different country and not sure what you can do to predators attacking your flock.

So sorry for your losses and she should recover , my poor cockerel just about lost his head defending his girls, it took him a lot longer as injury was clear to the bone, looked like he'd been scalped. took 2-3 days before he'd do more than drink and a little nibble on some greens, but covering it with the blue kote he was back with his girls as they were all stressed out and that comforted them. took him almost 6 months to get any feathers back in in his neck though.