Fox has attacked my chicken- advice pleas

shurmertron

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Hi all. I'm after some advice. I have two 8 week old chicks, and during the night a fox has managed to get hold of one, and she now has only one leg. I'm really not too sure what to do. She is obviously very quiet and our other chick I sticking next to her like glue. She isn't bleeding, and we have cleaned he wound. Is she likely to survive, and will she cope with only one leg? I'd really appreciate any advice please. Thank you.
 
Hi all. I'm after some advice. I have two 8 week old chicks, and during the night a fox has managed to get hold of one, and she now has only one leg. I'm really not too sure what to do. She is obviously very quiet and our other chick I sticking next to her like glue. She isn't bleeding, and we have cleaned he wound. Is she likely to survive, and will she cope with only one leg? I'd really appreciate any advice please. Thank you.
You need to keep this really clean. Clean couple times a day,watch for infection,i use vetericyn wound spray it is an antibacterial. Give your chick some electrolytes and vitamins,she will be in shock,watch for pecking of her wound from other chicks. You may have to separate chick. Keep her quiet and warm,make sure she is eating and drinking. As for surviving,i don't know,you can only do your best,i would think she could cope with one leg,but you will always have to keep an eye on her,she will not be able to protect herself from predators. As for covering wound,if flies are going to be a problem,then cover it,if not and no bleeding leave uncovered. But i cannot stress enough about cleaning wound several times a day. I hope your chick is ok. One more thing was she in a run,coop? One of the best things is hardware cloth on your coop/run you need to predator proof everything.
 
She is very likely to survive. But managing with only one leg, I'm not sure about. How much of the leg is left? Half? One quarter? More? Less?

The biggest problem you are going to have after the leg heals, may be poop getting on her rear-end for the rest of her life. She MAY learn to get up on the one leg and just hop around. But if she doesn't learn or try that, you'll have to clean her rear end quite often since she can't stand up away from the ground it will fall on.

Chances are, she'll still TRY to move around, and she'll still find ways to flap her wings for exercise. She'll definitely become your closest pet, and be happy sitting in your lap a lot (it's going to be one of the few places she'll feel safe). But whether or not she'll be able to leave one particular spot is the question, and it depends on how much of the leg remains, and how willing she is to try anyway.

Also, if she doesn't learn to "hop" around, once she gets older, be prepared to physically take her outside and set her in a grassy spot to find bugs and/or eat grass blades. You'll have to sit with her while she does so she doesn't feel like she's in danger and abandoned. And feel free to take some meal worms or crickets, and seeds out to toss in the grass for her to "find".


One more thing.... that fox WILL return. He just found a source of food, and he knows there is more left. Keep them locked up tight, and ask around about getting a local trapping service to come remove him. The fox I have a problem with never took "a leg". He took entire full-grown large-fowl rock hens at once, and I wouldn't find any piece of them remaining except feathers.
 

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