Fox

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 26 Sep 2007, 22:40

We decided to go to the pictures - early showing, and rushed ot get out on time... the girls weren't locked in, we forgot..
We were home before 8pm but it was dark .. Tony went to check on our girls and only three were in the coop. We got out the torches and after half an hour found her under a hedge.. I was relieved until I felt some feathers on her back / base of neck were hard.. We brought her into the kitchen and took a look at her, tail down, head down and slight bleeding from puncture wounds. There is nothing I can do.. I dont want to start bathing her wounds, she's probably in shock and doesn't need more upset..I've put her in a box, bedded with straw and put her in a bedroom, warm, dark and quiet.
Fox? Probably, but why was she out and the other three in the hen house? unless he came into the garden before they'd gone in.. not that it matters when and how, the fact is that he had the opportunity and took it.
You really would think that after losing Cybil a few days ago, we'd have been doubly alert.. but what do we do? let our guard down and for the first time ever - 'forget' to shut them in..
If any good can come of this, it will be as a warning / wake up call to anyone one with chooks... The fox IS out there, he will take any opportunity if given and no one is immune or safe, even if he hasnt been seen before... or if you have dogs roaming the garden most of the day.. And there we were planning on increasing our flock to ten birds.. we cant even look after the ones we have..

Tania · Post by **Tania** » 26 Sep 2007, 22:44

Sorry to hear this Willow. Hope that she pulls through.

melons · Post by **melons** » 27 Sep 2007, 08:13

This is my biggest fear of all, hence the paranoia with my hen run, when they are out in the garden free range, I just never leave them, not even for a shower, we can hear foxes on the hill behind the village, so they are there, like you say you've had your warning, as much as I hate mine shut in, I've given them as big as area as I can afford in the garden, plenty of entertainments & that's the best we can hope for. They will nip in in the blinking of an eye, when we had chooks as kids, they used to come in the day to kill chickens, so we ended up rounding them all up & keeping them in a run, it just wasn't the same, but we had two choices, one of which wasn't an option.
The best I can suggest are these, we don't have the room for one, they seem to be the cheapest around & get good reports.
http://www.solwayfeeders.com/ProductsRe ... asp?cat=66
Don't blame yourself or give up, theres always a solution :wink:

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 27 Sep 2007, 08:29

:( oh willow im sorry, i hope she does get better, theyre strong little creatures! and have a habbit of suprising us all! thinkin of you and wishing her well!

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 27 Sep 2007, 09:59

To our amazement our lady is still alive.. I went into the room this morning and was astonished to get a cluck! She drank very little but wouldnt eat and then lay down again.. I've turned the box on its side so she can get out if she wants and have put the water and food within reach.. I had to take Tigger (cat ) to the vet this morning to have her spayed and got some antibiotic to put in the chooks water and some antiseptic wash to bath the wounds.. Has anyone got any further ideas?

Tania · Post by **Tania** » 27 Sep 2007, 10:01

Great to hear that she made it through the night. Sounds like you are doing all that you can Willow. Thanks for posting the update, I was wondering.

Speckledhen · Post by **Speckledhen** » 27 Sep 2007, 10:25

Best of luck Willow. Sounds like you're doing all that you can. (f+

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 27 Sep 2007, 10:26

aww willow thats great!
i dont think there is much else you can do, TLC is what she needs and its what ur giving her!
im so glad shes ok, thats made my morning! :-D

seahorse · Post by **seahorse** » 27 Sep 2007, 17:55

if she still isnt eating, try some heinz baby poridge. This is what I gave to the colonel who was off his food for nearly 2 weeks. Put in a small container and offer it up to her beak , when she gets the taste she will want more, keep up her strength. good luck. (f+

annie

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 27 Sep 2007, 18:36

Our injured lady died late this afternoon.. She was breathing very heavily when I got home midday, I gave her a bit of water / antibiotic but it was pointless - it has just been too much for her. I'll never be complacent about predators again..

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 27 Sep 2007, 21:25

aww willow im sorry :(

big huge hugs (((((willow)))))

kat

Tania · Post by **Tania** » 27 Sep 2007, 22:01

Very sorry to hear that too Willow.

morph · Post by **morph** » 27 Sep 2007, 22:18

Oh Willow - so sad - it's a horrid fact of life, and nature can be cruel.

I hope you aren't blaming yourself, as foxes are just a fact of life. You did all you could, and I'm sure she knew that

:cry:

Jodi · Post by **Jodi** » 27 Sep 2007, 22:41

So sorry Willow, take care

Jodi

Post by **Richard** » 27 Sep 2007, 23:12

That's awlful and many of us can go at least a big part of the way to understanding how you feel.

One of those not so nice laws of the jungle that we're up against.

It ios exactly as you say, a horrid kind of wake up call, but if there's a slightest chance of foxey getting in, he or she will, that's their nature just as it is for cats to catch birds and mice etc.

Take care and DON'T feel guilty. That's important. 'Mother Nature' is bigger than us.

Richard

Fox

Fox

biggest fear

fox

Down the Lane

Poultry Supplies

Chicken Breeders

Ex-Battery Hen
Rehomers

Down the Lane
supports

Fox

Fox