Fox Attack Questions

[kfsilver]

A few days ago I was free ranging my ladies when a fox attacked. I happened to see the attack after two hens had been grabbed, but none dragged away.

Based on the footage, it appears the fox grabbed and shook one hen, a New Hampshire Red, but then my Buckeye hen went and attacked the fox. The Red was released, my Buckeye grabbed, and shaken as well. The fox then left the Buckeye on the ground (she wasn't moving), and as it was moving away from her (I assume to go after another hen) is when I saw and ran out.

The Buckeye got up on her own, but walked around as if dazed. In straight lines, though, so not in circles or such. It appeared she was on her way to some of their favorite scratching places, but I can't know that was her destination for certain.

So both hens appear to have minor puncture wounds--the Buckeye more so than the Red--and are extremely flighty. Both didn't really move around the day after the attack. They seemed to just want to hunker down and rest. But they have been increasingly been more mobile to the point of roosting again.

They are eating and drinking, although the Buckeye does seem to have at least some soreness or pain when stooping down to peck at the ground.

My question is outside of treating the puncture wounds, is there anything I need to be aware of in terms of trauma (physical as well as mental) that may not be as apparent?

This is my first predator attack, and these chickens are my pets, so I want to make certain I'm not missing signs of internal damage or such.

(For reference, if it matters, they are both four years old, in otherwise good health. My other New Hampshire Red looks like she wasn't touched, and unfortunately my nine year old Sumatra died from the stress, although again it appears she was also physically not touched by the fox.)

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I recommend giving them electrolytes in their water, as they may be dealing with shock. Ensure they take it easy for a few days and aren't in any place where they can get further injured. You can clean the puncture wounds with Hydrogen Peroxide (this is for first cleaning only), and rinse with a Saline rinse if you need to clean their wounds again. You can apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin (without pain reliever) on their wounds as well.

Your Buckeye sounded like a very brave hen. She may have saved your other girl's life. Could you set up a chicken yard for them? The fox will attack again, and next time your girls might not be so lucky. If you can get them a predator proof chicken run, that will be the best bet for your flock.

As far as trauma goes, your girls may panic even at the distant sight of a fox or anything in similar shape and size. There's not really anything you can do about that, except for ensuring they're in a predator proof place at all times.

 

[kfsilver]

I recommend giving them electrolytes in their water, as they may be dealing with shock. Ensure they take it easy for a few days and aren't in any place where they can get further injured. You can clean the puncture wounds with Hydrogen Peroxide (this is for first cleaning only), and rinse with a Saline rinse if you need to clean their wounds again. You can apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin (without pain reliever) on their wounds as well.

Your Buckeye sounded like a very brave hen. She may have saved your other girl's life. Could you set up a chicken yard for them? The fox will attack again, and next time your girls might not be so lucky. If you can get them a predator proof chicken run, that will be the best bet for your flock.

As far as trauma goes, your girls may panic even at the distant sight of a fox or anything in similar shape and size. There's not really anything you can do about that, except for ensuring they're in a predator proof place at all times.

Thank you for the response! I'm also certain she saved the Red's life, and kept the fox away from the others. I'm very, very thankful for her, and proud of her.

Their run is predator proof, and is large enough they'll be fine contained there in the future. I'm looking at other options for how to prevent this from happening as they free range, but that's going to take time and resources. My backyard is an acre, but I live in the suburbs, so it was a shock to see a fox, let alone out in the daytime. And with knowing a fox is around, anything outside directly supervised free ranging is no longer possible for my chickens, at least until or unless I can figure out other ways to protect them.

Their wounds are looking good right now. I have been spraying daily with Vetericyn (the chickens are used to being handled, so this has been pretty easy to do). I'll grab the neosporin and do an application next time I'm out with them, just in case.

Also the electrolytes. I have some powder from Durvet that's still good, so I'll mix up that for them right now.

Thank you for the information on the trauma. I expect the Buckeye especially to take this whole situation hard, given she got the brunt of the attack. My Red who wasn't actively attacked is wanting to go back to free ranging already.

I'm just terrified the shaking and grabbing might have done internal damage or something that I can't see, and I'll come out to find them dying within the next few days.

Thank you for the advice and suggestions!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thank you for the response! I'm also certain she saved the Red's life, and kept the fox away from the others. I'm very, very thankful for her, and proud of her.

Their run is predator proof, and is large enough they'll be fine contained there in the future. I'm looking at other options for how to prevent this from happening as they free range, but that's going to take time and resources. My backyard is an acre, but I live in the suburbs, so it was a shock to see a fox, let alone out in the daytime. And with knowing a fox is around, anything outside directly supervised free ranging is no longer possible for my chickens, at least until or unless I can figure out other ways to protect them.

Their wounds are looking good right now. I have been spraying daily with Vetericyn (the chickens are used to being handled, so this has been pretty easy to do). I'll grab the neosporin and do an application next time I'm out with them, just in case.

Also the electrolytes. I have some powder from Durvet that's still good, so I'll mix up that for them right now.

Thank you for the information on the trauma. I expect the Buckeye especially to take this whole situation hard, given she got the brunt of the attack. My Red who wasn't actively attacked is wanting to go back to free ranging already.

I'm just terrified the shaking and grabbing might have done internal damage or something that I can't see, and I'll come out to find them dying within the next few days.

Thank you for the advice and suggestions!

It sounds like you've been taking awesome care of them. I've never had a bird shaken like that, but I had a traumatic blow happen to one of my Orpingtons once. They seem pretty tough.

How is their joint movements? Like their legs and wings? Try gently moving them fully out, then fully in. Does everything move well and are they comfortable with this being done? (They might not like this done even when things are fine, so try it when they're tired.) What about their neck movements? Are they fully moving their heads around, in, and out? Try feeling for their backbones and ribs. Does all of those bones feel good? I think the biggest concern with the shaking might be bones falling out of place/joint (like maybe their backs got out of place). Again, chickens are pretty tough, so they might be fine after a few days. How deep are the bite marks and where are the marks located? I would be checking for punctures in the sensitive areas like the crop.

For free range safety, the most I can suggest is be out there with them, watching them like a rooster would. Foxes can live just about anywhere, and that's including cities. For this time of year, the foxes has their young, so they're not killing their catches, but are bringing them home to their babies so the babies can learn to hunt and kill them. (This would be what would have happened to your chickens if you didn't come to the rescue.) The fox will indeed come out during the daytime to feed her young (which I've been seeing with the fox who's living in my next door neighbor's shed).

 

[kfsilver]

Thank you.

Your explanation about the fox answers so many questions. It was not only so odd to not only see it during the day, but also *not* outright kill the chickens. So understanding that it was likely trying to get one (or more?) prey for its young makes a lot of sense.

For wounds, my husband and I gave our hens a good look over. I'll attach pics of what we found, but *thank god* we didn't find punctures to their crop or abdomens.

The incisions seems to be relegated to their upper torso.

And all of these seem to be extremely shallow, from what we could see.

Both the Red and Buckeye movement seems fine. My husband and I checked them extensively, and while the Buckeye seems to not like her lower neck area touched, she looks to have full movement. Both have squatted for us as well.

I love these ladies. It was hard enough to lose the Sumatra. I hope these two will be okay.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thank you.

Your explanation about the fox answers so many questions. It was not only so odd to not only see it during the day, but also *not* outright kill the chickens. So understanding that it was likely trying to get one (or more?) prey for its young makes a lot of sense.

For wounds, my husband and I gave our hens a good look over. I'll attach pics of what we found, but *thank god* we didn't find punctures to their crop or abdomens.

The incisions seems to be relegated to their upper torso.

And all of these seem to be extremely shallow, from what we could see.

Both the Red and Buckeye movement seems fine. My husband and I checked them extensively, and while the Buckeye seems to not like her lower neck area touched, she looks to have full movement. Both have squatted for us as well.

I love these ladies. It was hard enough to lose the Sumatra. I hope these two will be okay.

You're welcome.

Those wounds don't look bad at all. I would keep treating them though. I see some bruising (on chickens, it's typically green) around some of the wounds, but that will eventually heal as well. I would keep an eye on your Buckeye's neck because of what you said, but she may be like that anyways. (I haven't really seen chickens get upset about their lower neck being touched, but every chicken is different.) She having full movement is a good sign.

 

[kfsilver]

99.9

You're welcome.

Those wounds don't look bad at all. I would keep treating them though. I see some bruising (on chickens, it's typically green) around some of the wounds, but that will eventually heal as well. I would keep an eye on your Buckeye's neck because of what you said, but she may be like that anyways. (I haven't really seen chickens get upset about their lower neck being touched, but every chicken is different.) She having full movement is a good sign.

Thank you!

My husband and I talked about the Buckeye's behavior regarding the base of her neck, and she has always not liked to be touched around her shoulders (where her wings connect, on the topside), so there is a high likelihood it's just that, and we're more worried about it because of the other injuries.

I'll keep up the treatments, and hopefully at least physically they'll have no further issues.

Thank you so, so much for your help. It's been a frantic few days.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

99.9

Thank you!

My husband and I talked about the Buckeye's behavior regarding the base of her neck, and she has always not liked to be touched around her shoulders (where her wings connect, on the topside), so there is a high likelihood it's just that, and we're more worried about it because of the other injuries.

I'll keep up the treatments, and hopefully at least physically they'll have no further issues.

Thank you so, so much for your help. It's been a frantic few days.

That's good to hear. So no injuries there. Feel free to keep us updated as they recover.

 

[kfsilver]

That's good to hear. So no injuries there. Feel free to keep us updated as they recover.

Just wanted to update and say all three surviving hens are doing fantastic!

They are still extremely flighty, and not really liking how much they are kept to their run (no matter that it's large), but they're used to having almost a full acre to roam, so I figure that will take some adjusting.

My husband and I do try to get them as much supervised free range time as possible, but it will still not be quite what they're used to.

But the bite marks and scrapes on their skin are all looking so, so much better, and the New Hampshire Red is already growing back the feathers she lost in the attack!

All hens have full movement, and so far no other issues other than the minor one of not laying right now (I really, really don't blame them).

So, again, thank you for your help and expertise!