Flock wiped out by Fox, but with one lonely and aged survivor. What should I do?

Persony Person

Chirping
Mar 21, 2020
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A few years ago I posted a thread called "The Stupid Heads!" on this forum showing off my families flock to the world. Many in that thread have since died of various means (natural causes, illness, (drowning in one case) etc.). However the lineage lived on, Fatty had 3 chicks (9b,9c and 9d(who since passed away)), we introduced 3 Warrens (of which one also passed away) and several more of the originals (6,7,8,8b and 8d) were still alive up until yesterday, making a total flock of 9. 7 hens, 2 cockerels.

That was all put to an end today as a fox wiped them out. The back garden was a graveyard with some gruesome scenes of which I will obviously not share details about. We had 5 confirmed bodies with a further 3 missing who have either somehow flown over a 2m stone wall and hid in a neighbour's garden somewhere staying quiet or are presumed dead with the fox taking them away.

However, at least one, Stupid Head 7, managed to survive by hiding in an empty compost bin that had it's bottom lid open. She obviously had an engagement with the fox because her right leg was bleeding (but not severely) and she lost many of her back/rear feathers. She must have hid whilst the fox focused on all her siblings and cousins.

We have attended to her immediate needs, but the problem is we don't know what to do now. Me and my parents had been debating what to do for hours. Stupid Head 7 is at an advanced age, being least 6-7 years old. We don't think rehoming her will be good for her (My Dad in particular also doesn't want to go through the stress of organising it as he has many other things on his plate at the moment), it's unlikely many will accept her given her age (We live in the UK). We thought about, but ended up against introducing new chickens to keep her company in her remaining years because 1. that would be irresponsible after a mass fox attack and 2. we cannot guarantee that this will not happen again in the distant future. My parents themselves are getting advanced in age as well as having physical disabilities and I don't have the mental fortitude to provide potential new chickens with the full duty of care and security that they thoroughly deserve. Which means we're left with the option of continuing to take care of her as we were before (though with obvious security precautions and a renewed ban on access to the back garden), but as a lone chicken. We know how bad this is for chickens, and she is clearly already depressed and miserable after watching her entire family she's known all her life get killed as well as having a near death experience of her own, but we don't know what else to do.

What I think is certain though is that our time of Chicken keeping is coming to an end, but what a truly awful way to go out.
 
you could try to introduce some older chicks? but that depends on how your bird behaves around new chicks though.
Like I said, we don't want to introduce new chickens. This has been a traumatic experience for all of us and we don't want to go through it again. We just don't have the energy to raise a new flock from scratch. I'm not going to be able to look at the new ones without thinking about the ones we lost all at once after spending over a decade raising this bloodline up (this lot were 3rd-4th generation), especially since 7 is still with us. I personally can't do it. My parents probably have thicker skin, but they also have limits.

We had a rather timid flock to begin with. 7 was always one who was reclusive who typically lagged behind everyone else. It's probably the main reason why she's still alive. Now her anxiety is heightened to the extreme. She barely moved from the empty compost bin since it happened to the point where we decided to keep her in there for the night as a temporary home to not stress her out even more.
 
Sorry for your losses.

She is obviously in extreme stress. I would treat for that; warm, dim, secure space, sugar water or electrolytes in the water. Make sure she is drinking. I personally would take her out of the compost bin and bring her inside in a warm, dim spot.

Then, if you cannot get her flock mates, you should try diligently to find her a new home. Put this story out on your local social media page and see if anyone will open their home and hearts to her.

Perhaps, a couple of your missing hens will show back up; hope runs eternal.

Good luck. I hope it works out best for your gal.
 
I understand the reluctance to get any new chickens at this time, but if I wasn't going to get her a companion I'd rehome to another flock despite her advanced age.

If I were near you I'd be interested, but unfortunately I'm across the pond. Surely there's a tenderhearted local keeper who might consider letting her integrate for her few remaining years...

In the meantime, you might try playing some normal backyard chicken noises for her? Loneliness and depression have a real impact on their will to live.

I'm so sorry about your flock. *hugs*
 

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