Fox Attack! Roo with Limp Neck

[mjtabor]

Caught a fox raiding my yard yesterday. After a bit of a fight he made off with My Roo boy "Gimpy". I tracked him back into the woods with my rifle and took a shot when i had a clear sight. He dropped my roo and ran off. I tried to track him further but I did not know if he crossed the stream or followed it so i went back for what i figured to be a dead bird. Instead my boy blinked at me and i realized he was still alive!!.

Hiked him back home and set him in some hay next to food and water and watched him. after about an hour he was able to stand but he did not raise his head. checked on him all day and he was just standing in the coup I left him over night and checked him this morning and found him still standing, but a few feet from where i had laid him. I tried giving him water from a syringe and he drinks but he lost most of it so i gently turned him onto his back trying to support his head and gave him half a dozen draws of water. After that I did a superficial diagnostic. His heart rate is not elevated so i do not believe him to be in pain. his breathing is also steady. i gently checked out his neck and felt no swelling but it is so limp! i can move it side to side and up and down with no resistance, but all he seems to be able to manage is sorta side to side just past the base of the skull.

I am unable to afford a vet but he is a sweet tough old bird and i want him to pull through. Is this likely, or should I send off my friend with full honors having fallen in the line of duty? I need a course of action by tonight (5/11) as I am flying out tomorrow and leaving him in the care of my wife. I cannot bring him inside due to my wifes bird allergies and a beagle who just cannot seem to resist a chicken.

 

[iwiw60]

Gosh, SO sorry to hear of the attack! I hope that your roo makes it okay. From the sound of his injuries it seems that the fox had him by his neck...if it doesn't feel broken I think you're doing all you can do at this point. Make him comfortable as I'm sure you are, keep checking up on him.

Sounds like you live in a predator area..do you allow your chickens to free-range? If they are in a run, did you find out how the fox got in?? Again, so very sorry!!

 

[mjtabor]

we let them free range, have for 2 years and this is the first fox ive seen. It was a early morning raid, bout an hour after my son let them out. I actually do not think they were the first target though. My Maine Coon has huge patches of fur missing from his tail. I think the fox found him in the woods, and tried for him first. He got away and of course ran home probably with the fox in pursuit. At that point i think the fox updated his dinner plans from cat to chicken. I have since switched to a late morning release and looking into fence ideas.

My roo did his job and went toe to toe with the fox, bless him! My girls would not have been anywhere near as resilient. He has survived his Demonic Brother (May he rest in peace), a dog attack that took all his tail feathers ( my dog unfortunately ) A badly injured foot (hence his name, but long since healed). He used to attack his brother when he attacked me and always got his tail beat for it, but that never deterred him. He is a very good flock herd and has a sweet disposition with humans. I guess its in the makers hands now..

P.S. How can i tell if the neck is broken?

 

[luvmigrls]

Hmmm, I had taken a dove that found next to my coop to the vet. His guess was ( in my case) a neurological issue but said that it could possibly survive if I was willing to feed/water/ care for it daily as it couldn't hold its head up. I choose to have him put it down. But it was not my hen either. Maybe you could try to Google it. Good luck

 

[mjtabor]

Update: He is still with us. Head is still down but he is moving around the coup. We have been feeding him wheat mash, scrambled eggs with shells, berries and berry juice. Seems to be happy, perky and on the road to recovery. Just wish i could tell if his head will ever come back up again....

 

[chickenstar]

So sorry about the attack very sad when things like this happen, I'm thinking that the poor guys neck could be broken? If so I don't think there whould be anything you could do short of taking him into a vet?

 

[mjtabor]

Final Update:
Gimpy is going to make it, he tires easlly but comes out of the coop on his own and pecks around close by and has full head movement. he still is not running the yard with the hens but i believe that will just take time. Might have to rename him lucky

 

[iwiw60]

Final Update:
Gimpy is going to make it, he tires easlly but comes out of the coop on his own and pecks around close by and has full head movement. he still is not running the yard with the hens but i believe that will just take time. Might have to rename him lucky

Woo-HOO!! That is great news! Do you have plans for a night raid of your own on that scumbag fox? Sure hope so cause now that he's been there, done that, he'll be back...yikes!

 

[miaagate]

Our chicken was caught by a fox and could not support her head she spent two weeks kn a wadhing basket supported by a towel under her neck she is niw fine

 

[mjtabor]

Woo-HOO!! That is great news! Do you have plans for a night raid of your own on that scumbag fox? Sure hope so cause now that he's been there, done that, he'll be back...yikes!

Would love to but did not track him back to his den. I have been careful not to let them out before noon and put them away immediatly in the evening. Hopefully as he keeps checking back and not finding them he will give up. Even better scenario is he was just passing through and is long gone. until then I keep my rifle by the door and my ear to the air.