Fox Attack and Changed Chicken Behavior

[Olda Bat]

Ok...I know this isn't an emergency...but nonetheless is really upsetting to me. I have a favorite chicken named Ethel...she follows me around like a dog. Let's me hold her and snuggle her. Enjoys the company of me and my German Shepherd. I believe she was also the top of the pecking order, besides me. We have successfully avoided predators for 2 years. Until now....we have a fox who has tried to nab a chicken 3x in one week despite being daylight hours AND me and the German Shepherd out with them.

The German Shepherd, my husband and I were out grilling and I had the ladies free ranging. A fox came in the yard while we were right there and picked her up. He quickly decided he could not outrun the German Shepherd with her in his mouth. So, he dropped her. There wasn't a scratch on her! Miraculously. She came running toward me and I picked her up and snuggled her for about 20 minutes until she was ready to join the ladies. I put her down. She shook it off. Then went back to chicken business as usual. We have been stalked ever since so the ladies who are used to 5+ hours of free range time a day are not getting that (although they have a very large run). The attack was a week ago. In the last two days, Ethel won't let me or the German Shepherd touch her. She clucks constantly. Acts very agitated. And fluffs her feathers up and spreads her wings. She is a completely different chicken and I'm not sure what to do about it or how to help her. The clucking is non stop. Not her usual happy-go-lucky sing songy chirping she used to do. Any thoughts or ideas? It is upsetting to almost have lost my favorite chicken physically, but she is not even the same chicken.

I hope all are well and enjoying a safe and healthy time with their ladies.
Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you think that since Ethel has been kept inside more that she may have gone broody? Broodies tend to cluck when they are walking around, flapping their wings, and growl when they are on a nest box and you come near them. They pull out their own chest and belly feathers to come in contact with hatching eggs, and they will pull any egg sat in front of them under them.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Sounds to me like those wedding bells are breaking up your old gang.

Could it be that Ethyl wants to be a mommy?

 

[Olda Bat]

Wow! Thanks for your thoughts. So it sounds like it has nothing to do with the actual fox attack. It could be that she is broody. She is a Buff Orpie after all. But she isn't spending lots of time in the nesting box and she lets me stick my hand in to grab all the eggs from under her. She is about 2 and a half and this is the first time she has acted like this. She does "growl" when I open the hen house doors when she is in there. Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me how much there is to continuously learn about chickens. Not boring, that is for sure! And so much fun. I just love being a chicken keeper.

 

[Olda Bat]

Thanks all for your thoughts....but I still need help! Im worried my dear Ethel is suffering. She still hasn't come out of the nesting box since the fox attack in July! I take her out....she lets me though she fluffs up and gets all clucky. She won't free range though, she won't dust bathe....she won't even eat meal worms or veggie scraps that she used to LOVE. She seems to be ostracized from the flock too. She just eats her chicken pellets and then some water and goes right back in. And I take her out again....and so on. She was my friendliest, healthiest, most curious bird....and a great layer. Now she is none of those....just a seemingly neurotic, clucky, fluffed up hot mess of a bird. The part that really concerns me though is now she has red, raw streaks down both legs (bed sores from the straw?) And, she is really pale in the face and comb. And, has red, raw rings around her eyes.

Oh my poor Ethel? Is she suffering? Is there anything I can do?
I thought the legs might be mites....I've never had a problem with mites before....and my other ladies don't have it. But I've been putting bag balm on her legs and feet. She seems to get really agitated after I do this and picks at her legs and under feathers....ending up eating the bag balm.

Any thoughts, advice, words of encouragement? Thank you!