Hi all. I hate foxes with a passion and i need some advice on how to manage an injured chook after a fox attack as this is the first attack i've ever had in 3 years of having chooks
I am deeply upset yet extremely angry that a fox has killed 9 of my friendly and adorable chooks. They were my first bunch (bantam x) and the adults about 3 years old and i had five 5 month old chooks who were really friendly. From the moment we got them i put a lot of time into caring and taming them and they'd follow you everywhere around the yard, my rooster would call them over when he saw me with or without the food bucket. They really were an awesome bunch and i never realised how cool chooks are until you have them.
Well that fox ruined it. It happened yesterday morning. My chooks are free range and i lock them up occasionally because we have never had an issue with foxes for the last 3 years, Well mistaken i was to think just coz nothing has happened, doesn't mean it will ever happen. My dad was on his way back from picking up the morning paper, noticed a fox infront of the garage door. He checked the pen then came in to tell me what i never thought i would ever hear. It was really upsetting and shocking. One headless chook and a dead one in the chook yard, and a scene of what can be described as a massive pillow fight. It really was terrible. Extremely upsetting to think how much time and effort you put in to the bunch can be ruined by just one fox. The survivors: my rooster, the top hen, one of the five 5 month olds and my spring chicken from last years october hatchings. I found her 3 hours later after walking around the yard finding more feathers, she was under dads ute, laid an egg there and has a bad gash on her breast and on her back. I've separated her from the other 3 (the rooster and the top hen were picking on her). She eats, drinks, loves her treats, sort of walks with a bit of difficulties and pecks at the ground, but besides that she will puff her feathers up and stand with her eyes closed for a while. I'm yet to bring her into the laundry and examin her closer and clean her wounds (spent the day updating the chook pen as i have noticed the fox tried digging underneath the fence last night). I think it stopped bleeding. It looks nasty. Any advice would be heaps appreciated
I am deeply upset yet extremely angry that a fox has killed 9 of my friendly and adorable chooks. They were my first bunch (bantam x) and the adults about 3 years old and i had five 5 month old chooks who were really friendly. From the moment we got them i put a lot of time into caring and taming them and they'd follow you everywhere around the yard, my rooster would call them over when he saw me with or without the food bucket. They really were an awesome bunch and i never realised how cool chooks are until you have them.
Well that fox ruined it. It happened yesterday morning. My chooks are free range and i lock them up occasionally because we have never had an issue with foxes for the last 3 years, Well mistaken i was to think just coz nothing has happened, doesn't mean it will ever happen. My dad was on his way back from picking up the morning paper, noticed a fox infront of the garage door. He checked the pen then came in to tell me what i never thought i would ever hear. It was really upsetting and shocking. One headless chook and a dead one in the chook yard, and a scene of what can be described as a massive pillow fight. It really was terrible. Extremely upsetting to think how much time and effort you put in to the bunch can be ruined by just one fox. The survivors: my rooster, the top hen, one of the five 5 month olds and my spring chicken from last years october hatchings. I found her 3 hours later after walking around the yard finding more feathers, she was under dads ute, laid an egg there and has a bad gash on her breast and on her back. I've separated her from the other 3 (the rooster and the top hen were picking on her). She eats, drinks, loves her treats, sort of walks with a bit of difficulties and pecks at the ground, but besides that she will puff her feathers up and stand with her eyes closed for a while. I'm yet to bring her into the laundry and examin her closer and clean her wounds (spent the day updating the chook pen as i have noticed the fox tried digging underneath the fence last night). I think it stopped bleeding. It looks nasty. Any advice would be heaps appreciated