EMERGENCY Fox attack - Hen severly injured -UPDATED w/ graphic pics-

[SpottedCrow]

You can get Terramycin at the feed store...
As long as she's fussing, I think she has a chance...
An exotics vet or a wildlife center would know what to do...I'd also contact Animal Control, because the foxes are close to your house...
BTW, I love your jammies...I have shorty sheep jammies.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, no, Corey, not again! Dang foxes. I wish they'd find something to eat besides your birds. Most vets don't seem to know much about chickens. If it was my own bird, I'd do what was suggested. Make a sterile saline solution; it's easy. Flush the wound several times, then put antibiotic cream on it. Bactine was a good thing to do and being liquid, it also flushes wounds pretty well, but only after you've used the saline. Use Gatorade or Pedialyte in her water, but till you can get some, you could use some sugar in there to give her a boost. Feed her plain, active culture yogurt, if you have it or can get it.
And I would start by calling Animal Control; maybe juice it up by saying you think maybe the fox is rabid or something. Maybe there's something they can do, but if it was here, they'd just shrug their shoulders.

 

[2mnypets]

You can always make some hard boiled eggs for her and put whatever you need to put in there for her. When my chick got attacked I made some up and put the grit, ATB and electroytes and vitamins in the hard boiled egg and mixed it around. She ate every last piece of that egg. Maybe yogurt would do her some good as well. Also what about a tad bit of Apple Cider Vinegar to give her a boost? Keep the wound clean and remember good hand washing techniques for everyone. Best of luck

 

[Corey NC]

I have a saline solution cooling in the fridge and once I wash out the wound with it I plan to put antibiotic ointment on it along with a gause pad and wrap it the best I can. She is in a dog kennal with towels and seems to be very comfortable. She has been acting like nothing has happened, she talks to me and is drinking fine.

The worst part of this is that I have never seen these foxes before. So I have two red foxes and two grey foxes that have all found my chickens. These small things jumped into the run through the netting covered run.

Moses put up an amazing fight his feathers cover the run and he lost all of his tail feathers. If I didn't have moses I am sure the hen would have been killed. I am SO proud of him. He is stuck in a large kennal and not very happy about it. He seems alright besides his feather loss and scabed comb but I want to make sure he is going to be alright before I put him back out.

I can't contact Animal Control because I am not suppose to have chickens in the first place and I have had run ins with them before (long story).

 

[2mnypets]

Can Moses see his hen that he protected so valiantly? I wonder if that would make him feel a little better. I think I would be looking into some electric fencing or else call your local Department of Natural Resources or the Sheriff's Department. They should be able to get you in touch with someone that can help you. Maybe trapping and re-location is necessary for these foxes unless they are sick. I would not only play the defensive roll here but offensive as well. I know those foxes wouldn't stand a chance with me. If nothing else, grab a 22 (if you're in the country) and a hunting licence.

 

[speckledhen]

What a wonderful boy Moses is! I'm so glad he didn't lose his life, but he would have because it's his nature, to protect his ladies. I understand about animal control, so just scratch that suggestion! Hope your SLW girl recovers and it sounds like she's not in shock anymore.

 

[Corey NC]

Yep she is doing real well but there is still a chance of infection because I have no idea how deep it is. She has her nice wrap and her gaterade and we are heading later on today to the feed store to get some antibiotics.

Here she is with her wrap, she has antibiotic ointment on the wound and has gause on top of that then her wrap. Below her is Moses exploring the garage not bothered by his feather loss.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Are you near Raleigh?

There's a vet in Raleigh who will see chickens, one in Cary, and the NC State vet school.

 

[eggcetra_farms]

Wow, it looks like Moses may have actually gotten the better of that fox. He hardly looks touched! What a good boy.

 

[Corey NC]

There is actually two avian vets within 30 minuets from me but my dad won't let me take her to them. He won't let me spend my own money on taking a chicken to a vet.

When I went down to the coop I was certain that they had killed someone because of the amount of feathers that were all over the place and most of them were moses's and some were from the SLW. It is hard to tell in the pics but he has a bald spot on his back similar to where a hen would lose feathers from overmating and has lost most of his tail feathers.