In need of advice. We are new chicken farmers and have learned just how naïve we are in regards to trusting nature. We recently acquired my sisters chickens when one of our beautiful Orpington hens was killed during broad daylight. We assumed a red tailed hawk must have killed her leaving her poor body behind. After two week of keeping the flocks separated, we finally began the process of integrating the flocks. On Monday, as I supervised the flocks...I allowed them to free range on our property to allow them time to not peck at one another in our enclosed coop. I went indoor to check on my kids and when I came out I walked into a fox attack! A fox, that I had never seen before, came upon one of the flocks of chickens and made a clear attack on one of our hens. I ran towards them and tried to save and shelter the others that had managed to run away. Well, this morning (Wednesday) I went outside to give the hens fresh water. As I approached our house from a different entrance I heard the sounds of a chicken. I had found our hen hidden against our house hidden behind a deck box that we had assumed was killed by the fox. I didn't notice any blood on her feathers but she appears to have gotten pretty badly hurt on the left side of body. She has a limp and her left wing seems injured. Again, no signs of open wounds or blood. I carefully moved her to a separate cage and gave her food and water. Is there any else I could do to help her?
Welcome to BYC and sorry about your hen. Be sure to keep your flock locked up in the coop until you can try to trap the fox. I would keep her in a crate or dog cage with food and water to rest her leg. If you can locate a break in the leg, it would be splinted with vet wrap, but if unsure, it may be just a sprain, and better left alone. If her wing is broken, it can be splinted with a figure 8 wrap. Here is a link for that: http://www.starlingtalk.com/fractures.htm I would keep her warm, and food and water close by. Watch to see if you need to help her eat or drink. Scrambled eggs would be good for some extra protein, and put some vitamins in her water or food.
