Fox attack yesterday

[breezinbyeu]

A fox attacked my backyard hens yesterday morning - we have a fenced yard, and I've been letting them out of the covered run to free range within the fenced yard...something that I've come to really regret. (For reference, I have only three hens, buffs just over a year old) It grabbed one and ran to the back of the property, jumped the fence, and dropped her in a ditch (after chomping on her a couple of times). It ran back and grabbed the second, but by this time I came outside screaming and it dropped her and ran off. I immediately went to check the closest one and found that she had bite marks to her back, but was otherwise looking okay, and then ran to the one in the ditch figuring that she was dead. She wasn't, but she was in a very bad way. I took them both to the vet and had to put her down - there was no helping her, but the other was able to be cleaned up and stapled. I now have her in my basement in a large wire cage and am cleaning the wound and giving antibiotics and pain meds. My questions are whether her feathers will grow back so she will be okay outside again in the winter, and how long until she can rejoin her sister - who is very lonely all by herself outside. I'm assuming I'll have to keep them separate for a while to reacclimate? Many thanks for your help.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Her feathers should grow back, if they don’t immediately they might after her next molt. If you cover her wound with blu-kote, your other hen might leave it alone (they peck at red things.) Keep a good eye on her, if she acts alright she can probably get back outside in a few days. I would let your other hen hangout with her, from outside of the cage. Theyre social animals, they like to see and hear each other, even if they can’t touch.

 

[pennyJo1960]

wash the wound with a tiny bit of soap and warm water then a bit of neo sporin if you have any without pain killer she will be alright but the fox will be back now that it knows your birds are there

 

[birdhelper84]

i hope your hen heals and quick and can enjoy life to the fullest again

 

[Henry&Friends]

but the fox will be back now that it knows your birds are there

Another reason to let your hens be together, two hens inside are safer than one hen outside. Fox might move on if he comes back for more and finds nothing there...

 

[cmom]

I agree the fox will be back so you will have to be diligent. If you have any live traps this is how I caught my killer fox. I put some bait in the traps and let the fox take the bait for a few days. It got used to taking the bait, then I set the trap and caught the fox. I monitored it with a game camera. This one was coming around during the day and killed my very special bird Gladys.

 

[cmom]

I would put something like Neosporin on the wound too. Good luck and take care...

 

[Trish1974]

Yes, her feathers will grow back. I had a similar situation a few years ago.

Within 6-8 weeks she looked like this:

 

[yellowdog2]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I'm having trouble getting her to eat or drink - she'll eat mealworms if they're right under her nose, but won't drink any water. She's barely moving in the crate at all (I'm sure she's sore) and her only poop that I've seen was green and watery. Here's what her injury looks like now. She's got a slight wheeze to her breathing as well.

 

[birdhelper84]

try some kefir yogurt use a syrenge and a little water as well