Look what I found in my yard today!!!!!

[brandibaby23]

I have not lost a single chicken to "anything" in 2 years! Oh I forgot I rescued a siberian husky and it liked to kill baby chicks, but never any wild predators. But Today I went out side and about ten feet from the house out by a tree I found a dead fox!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!! My chickens are completely free range, they roost on the deck and in a pen that is only half built. I wonder why the fox was dead!!???!! And why he didn't bother my chickens??? I have a 5 year old Golden Retriever but he's not the killing type I don't think. I am worried now!!!!! Darn Fox never been so happy to see a "dead" animal!!!!

I only have chickens and I just love them.

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Hopefully he was hit by a car and that's as far as he got. He doesn't look thin enough to have died from disease - poisoning maybe? Who knows. Practise good hygiene and burn the carcass with a hot fire. If you bury it, you run the risk of something digging it up no matter how deep you bury it. (or maybe animal control could pick it up if you live in town?)

 

[redhen]

EEK! I hope you didnt touch it, and keep your dog AWAY from it in case of rabies!!

 

[brandibaby23]

I picked it up to put it in DH car to drive it off to a guy who traps incase he wanted it, and the dog sniffed at it, with a look on his face like "EWWWWWWWW Yuk!" I washed my hands I don't thik you can get rabies unless there is broken skin right, or a bite from a rabid animal. It definately wasn't a skinny fox, and my kids said they didn't see it there yesterday! It was by their swing, I'm not real close to the road but that could be possible, it looked like there on it's shoulder like slober from another animal.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Was the fur moist? (by the shoulders looks kind of dog mouthed) Maybe your dog did save the chickens.

 

[drumstick diva]

when I zoomed your photo it looks like a dark spot near his ear - bullet hole? Have to call in CSI and find out. In case he did have rabies please keep dogs, kids, chickens, all away from him. I would think the sheriff's office or animal control would want to test for rabies. If your dog did the honors, find out if he needs any preventative vaccination. Remember "Ole Yeller."

I have foxes in the backyard, ick, I sure wouldn't want to find a dead anything out there. So far they don't touch anything around here, they have a forest preserve at the end of our street and I think that is their hunting ground.

 

[brandibaby23]

I didn't see any bullet holes, just dirt. I took the dead fox to a guy who traps, he is going to skin it. He said it was from this years Fox, I guess that means it was born this year. He also said it looked a little plump to have had disease. but if he lets us know if there were any broken bones I'll post lol t oany one who might be curious like me. I would like to think my dog saved the day, but I just don't see it in him lol, he's such a sissy boy most of the time. Of course unless it comes to other dogs then he gets snippy, but only if they don't wanna play!!

 

[Miltonchix]

Definitely looks like it was mauled by a large dog. Possibly another adult male fox who thought this young 'un was invading his territory.

 

[boxermom]

You don't need a bite or broken skin to pass rabies. It is carried in the saliva. You dog sniffing it could be introduced by the mucous membranes in her nose. Let your vet know in case there is something preventitive that needs to be done.

 

[ErieSpurs]

Quote:
I second that. It could of been a stray dog or coyote even. Or another fox, that was trying to take out the competition.