- Sep 14, 2013
- 25
- 3
- 99
It was a rainy day and when the rain had stopped at about 5pm, I felt so bad locking all my girls up and I let them out. Big mistake. Luckily my husband heard the chain link fence rattle. We think that it was a younger fox, on his own. He killed one of my full grown hens before my husband got outside, left her and tried grabbing one of my 3 month chicks. When my husband opened our back door he saw the fox prance right through our backyard with nothing in his mouth. He stopped and starred all the way in the back of our yard... long enough for my husband to load up a lead, 20 cal, 5.5mm shot. He definitely hit the fox and the fox ran off.
Hoping that the fox will die and not come back, but he could. Sun is out today and I can’t stand guard all day. Of course other predators are a threat too. I’m working on training the little ones to get them into my safe run for when I can’t stand guard, but they just arn’t there yet. Will the fox come back? Will it die? It’s been great with this quarantine bc there are so many people walking the path in our back yard on the other side of a creek, keeping everyone safe. Should I air on the side of safety and just keep everyone locked up when I’m busy inside? We are also looking for ways to beef up security... blades on the fence where predators like to jump over? A scarecrow or helium balloons that I move throughout the yard daily? We do have caged animal traps and even an “bear trap” that when its stepped on will snap shut. This has caught a fox before but I dont want it to harm other animals like our groundhog etc.
Do you expect to loose a few hens every year to predators and just let them free range in moderation?
Also the 3 mo chick has a bad wing injury with bones sticking out, but the bad part is on the underside. Her skin was ripped clean open. You can see all of her “muscle or meat” but no insides like organs. I sprayed Blu-Kote and separated her from the rest. Waiting on AluSheild that will be delivered tomorrow. She was walking around yesterday right after the attack and after I treated the injury even ate a little treat in her new separate house. This morning she is resting. Sitting up normal, with her eyes closed. After I was making a lot of noise with the others she did open her eyes and she is definitely breathing. There is a lot of different info to treat a wound like this. I’m hoping that I did the right thing. There is an exotic vet nearby, but it just isn’t financially an option for me.
What should do to help her the most? Nothing? Spray antiseptic, Blu-Kote 3xday until I get the AluSheild? My understanding is that the AluSheild is like a bandage that won’t come off. My plan right now is to spray the Blu-Kote 3xday, but only if she’s up and moving. I feel like disturbing her would be the wrong thing right now. Once I get the AluSheild should I only use that product or should I spray the Blu-Kote and let it dry before the AluShield? I also read that antibiotics maybe needed. Maybe Terramyacin? I was planning on waiting until a saw sign of infection.
Any advice and exact instruction would be greatly appreciated!! Please let me know what I have done right or wrong in your opinion and what the best solutions are.
THANK YOU - Jessica
Hoping that the fox will die and not come back, but he could. Sun is out today and I can’t stand guard all day. Of course other predators are a threat too. I’m working on training the little ones to get them into my safe run for when I can’t stand guard, but they just arn’t there yet. Will the fox come back? Will it die? It’s been great with this quarantine bc there are so many people walking the path in our back yard on the other side of a creek, keeping everyone safe. Should I air on the side of safety and just keep everyone locked up when I’m busy inside? We are also looking for ways to beef up security... blades on the fence where predators like to jump over? A scarecrow or helium balloons that I move throughout the yard daily? We do have caged animal traps and even an “bear trap” that when its stepped on will snap shut. This has caught a fox before but I dont want it to harm other animals like our groundhog etc.
Do you expect to loose a few hens every year to predators and just let them free range in moderation?
Also the 3 mo chick has a bad wing injury with bones sticking out, but the bad part is on the underside. Her skin was ripped clean open. You can see all of her “muscle or meat” but no insides like organs. I sprayed Blu-Kote and separated her from the rest. Waiting on AluSheild that will be delivered tomorrow. She was walking around yesterday right after the attack and after I treated the injury even ate a little treat in her new separate house. This morning she is resting. Sitting up normal, with her eyes closed. After I was making a lot of noise with the others she did open her eyes and she is definitely breathing. There is a lot of different info to treat a wound like this. I’m hoping that I did the right thing. There is an exotic vet nearby, but it just isn’t financially an option for me.
What should do to help her the most? Nothing? Spray antiseptic, Blu-Kote 3xday until I get the AluSheild? My understanding is that the AluSheild is like a bandage that won’t come off. My plan right now is to spray the Blu-Kote 3xday, but only if she’s up and moving. I feel like disturbing her would be the wrong thing right now. Once I get the AluSheild should I only use that product or should I spray the Blu-Kote and let it dry before the AluShield? I also read that antibiotics maybe needed. Maybe Terramyacin? I was planning on waiting until a saw sign of infection.
Any advice and exact instruction would be greatly appreciated!! Please let me know what I have done right or wrong in your opinion and what the best solutions are.
THANK YOU - Jessica
