Fox encounter

[feathersforever]

A couple weeks back a fox nearly had one of my white leghorn pullets - I have four. They love to free range, which I let them do after they have laid their eggs. The one that was almost a fox dinner got away but had only one tail feather left. I did not see any blood on her but I did not inspect her, just viewed her as she returned to the coop. Her tail feathers had started to grow back and she seemed normal, but I found her dead yesterday. If the fox had punctured skin could she have been infected with something that killed her? I understand that fox carry rabies. If the result of the fox encounter killed her, should we eat her eggs? I know that being egg bound can kill them also and we have only been getting two or three eggs a day for several weeks (I believe that started before the fox encounter) but I assumed ons or more was taking a rest period. My girls are only 14 months old. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[chfite]

Given the extensive time interval between the encounter with the fox and her death, it seems unlikely that any injury would have been the proximate cause.

Rabies usually causes great changes in behavior of victims. I don't know what to expect if a chicken got it.

If you feel uneasy about eating her eggs, discarding them seems to be a good idea.

Chris