The Fox in the Hen House

[estgus12]

We got woken up this morning to a major hue and cry from our chickens. Raced downstairs and there as expected we found a fox in the coop. We expected a scene of carnage, but on opening the nest box found 2 of our 4 chickens alive and well, if a bit stressed! A 3rd chicken was trapped between the 2 layers of wire that make up the wall of the enclousure, somnehow in her attempt to escape she'd wedged herself in. She was rescued alive and well. The 4th chicken had been found lying on her side between the roost bars, feet in the air "she's dead" thought I, but as we were releasing the chicken from the wire, she got up, and hopped off out of the coop! UNBELIEVABLE! She has survived other predator attacks in the past and doesn't lay, but we now are sure she is the bionic chicken! So 1 fox in with 4 girls and the only sign is that the boards of the roost have been pulled off (must have swelled with all the rain, which allowend ingress for said fox

)and the "dead" chicken has 2 spots of blood on her comb....thats IT! We are so incredibly lucky to still have all 4 chickens alive and well (they are eating and drinking and pooing on my downstairs floor at the minute, while we wait for sun up). Just wondering though, has anyone had a similar experience and did the chickens lay again, and if they did how long did it take?

 

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

WOW you lucked out!

I had an attack somewhat like that, 3 of 6 were DOA (dead on my arrival to coop) and one died later from a heart attack. The only reason 2 survived is that I sent my overweight lazy dog (who is only 25 pounds) out to go scare the attacker away. The 2 survivors are living in the cousins' coop until I can make a better one. This happened this fall and though both survivors were traumatized and 1 had a huge gash in her back, they layed like nothing happened.

My cousins' black sex link got attacked by their dog, lost half her tail feathers and got a few minor cuts, but she continued to lay without skipping a day.

Some chickens probably will take a few days to get back to laying after an attack, but mine started up right away. Another factor to think about is that chickens stop laying during the winter, so your chickens could be just taking their winter break. Most chickens will start up laying again around late winter to early spring. My surviving chickens are doing well (gashed up back is totally healed, just waiting for feathers to grow back), but they are not laying at the moment due to the weather. They layed for maybe a few weeks after the attack before they stopped because of the cold.

Hope this helps!

 

[estgus12]

Thanks for the info. It literally happened this morning, and we are in the middle of summer here (live in Australia) so I will hold out hope the 3 layers will lay again! Thanks again.

 

[The Tinman]

Im glad everyone is ok. Keep an eye on them cause of the stress can still kill them. Middle of summer! I am so jealose. It is a balmy 12F degrees here. My roo keeps crowing "IT COOOLD!"

 

[Hillary and friend's eggs]

Quote:
Was wondering why you were waiting for sun up! It's noon here in California!

Wow I'm bad about noticing this! Had to edit my post to say

! I hate it when I don't notice!

 

[dewey]

That's amazing! Wow. Glad they're all ok.

 

[estgus12]

Unbelievably my 3 laying girls all layed this morning despite the stressful incursion of a fox into their roost!