jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Can anybody help with this? I've just had a fox attack in broad daylight. Fortunately I was at home and I heard the commotion out in the garden so I chased the fox away as soon as possible. He didn't get any of my hens but he has given one what looks like quite a nasty injury. I've put her in a cardboard box and brought her in the house. I've bathed the injury but didn't want to do too much in case I made it worse. I've had a hen survive a fox attack before. The fox just bit around her tail area - its nowhere terribly vulnerable but it looks like he's got quite deep into her skin. The local vets are useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Sorry to hear that Jomo. Try rescue remedy in her water and encourage her to drink. It will help calm her down. If she has puncture wounds from the fox's teeth, she will need to see a vet for antibiotics. Foxes carry allsorts of diseases in their mouths. Bringing her inside it great. Hope she is better soon and gets over the shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Sorry to hear about the attack Christian has offered good advice. Bring her in, keep her warm and quiet. Bathe the wound if you can with a antiseptic until you can get her to the vets for antibiotics. Rescue remedy in her water (available from Boots and most large chemists) will calm her down. If she seems fine, then I would be tempted to put her back in with the other hens: it will be stressful folr her to be apart from them. However, if there is an open wound, keep them seperate, as the others will peck at it. Then you need to think about fox proofing your hen's roaming area I guess! Hope she is ok. Do keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Not to be a worry wort, but as fox "mostly" attack at night. Could there be a possibility he might be rabid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 Whats rescue remedy? I've never heard of it. Local vets are useless here. I've been told to wring their necks before!!! She does have puncture wounds I think although there isn't that much blood. I'll keep her in for a while at least. I've had a hen survive puncture wounds before. Will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 Do we have rabis in this country? Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 No mercifully.....at least not reported in the public domain. That is what all the seemingly tedious quarantine laws are in place for.......they have done the trick though. I agree with Christians advice re treating the hen.. Best to supervise any free ranging now as the fox is likely to return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Do we have rabis in this country? Jo I didn't know you don't have rabies in the UK. Glad to hear that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Hoping she will be OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 I won't let them out for a while. I usually just let them out in the morning and leave them alone all day. Haven't had any problems so far although the foxes must know they are there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Angels4: you must have more natural-living country foxes in the USA. Here in the UK urban foxes attack at any time of day, but prefer first light. They sunbathe in our gardens, and are unafraid of humans, because many people are hand-feeding them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 .....Local vets are useless here. I've been told to wring their necks before!!! . that's hardly professional, can't you try another vet? She really does need a shot of baytril (antibiotic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 They aren't very helpful out here. I've spoken to three about my chickens in the past and they don't really show much interest. The local vets don't think of chickens as pets. One of them did put me onto a vet with experience of farm animals and he was useless. Having said that, she is doing well. I gave her some tomatos for liquid and she has gobbled the lot. Also she doesn't seem to be as badly injured as I thought. I'll keep her in anyway, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Sorry to hear about your near miss with the fox . Glad to hear she's not as bad as you first thought . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumpty Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Whats rescue remedy? I've never heard of it. This is a Homeopathic formula, a mixture of herbs and flowers for use in times of stress and shock. Chemists will stock it among the herbal stuff, you can add it to water or directly on the tongue (for humans) in time of shock or an accident. My daughter used it form her O and A levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 I'm not sure she needs it now. She seems less shocked and is moving around and eating fine. Its just that she has a wound that might look worse than it is. If I put her back though the others will peck her to death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 The problem is that foxes mouths are full of disgusting bacteria, and a bite could possibly become infected. A vet might feel it necessary to prescribe antibiotics, and might even think it needs stitching. I'd bathe the wound with salt water or water with tea tree oil added, and review on Monday. Gentian Violet spray (aka Purple Spray) will help as it is mildly antiseptic, and will disguise the wound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 I have bathed the wound. Its not really bleeding that much any more. I did it straight after the attack but she was quite stressed then and kept pecking at me. I thought Id give her time to relax. I'll do it again tomorrow. The local vets are really unhelpful. I've tried before. I don't suppose there is anything that I can do at home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 what about trying to find a vets a little farther afield? Our local vets didn't deal with poultry so I did a search on yell.com in a rural area not too far from us and found a vet that also dealt with agricultural animals. They've been brilliant with one of my girls who recently had peritonitis. Where are you located? I don't want to scare you but please read this http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=427388&highlight=abscess+burst#427388 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 Oh God. She seems OK now. She spent the night in the house but I've put her back outside now in a separate coop so that she can see the others and feel fresh air etc and move around without being pecked. I've been bathing the wound. She's walking around fine and eating and drinking etc. Its really difficult to tell which way this type of thing will go. I know that hens are resilent and she is clearly not going to die of shock now. She is not disorientated at all. Although the wound looks like a nasty one, she's not bleeding and there is sign of it healing by itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimbo_frog Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Glad to hear she is doing well after that nasty attack... Cant believe the fox did that in the daytime... Hopefully Mr Fox will stay away and you wont get any more problems... Kim.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Hi jomo. Sorry you've had a fox attack and it sounds like you are caring for your hen admirably. However, as stated, I would definitely get veterinary advice about antibiotics. I had a similar thing happen to one of my hens last year and although the cuts weren't too bad, the vet said she would definitely need antibiotics (Baytril) due to the horrible bacteria on the fox's teeth. There is a link in the FAQ section on chicken health to forum-approved vets. There should be one somewhere on it that you could get to, depending on where you live. I have to travel to Solihull, because my local vets know nothing about chickens. It's a trek, but worth it. My Muggle is living proof of that. I think we would have lost her recently if I hadn't found such a great chicken vet. Sending get well vibes to your chook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Do we have rabis in this country? Jo I didn't know you don't have rabies in the UK. Glad to hear that. Sorry about your attack and hope all is ok. Angels4 just to let you know that no we don't have rabies in the UK and we do get daylight fox attacks mainly in areas where the fox and man live side by side,they may even get fed or raid dustbins, like towns etc. Sadly these foxes are not frightened of man and are the biggest problem for urban poultry keepers. Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I have to watch my girls all the time, our fox has attacked twice in the daytime, it was earlier in the year but I don't trust him a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomo1972 Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 She's been to the vet today. I finally found one that would help. She's been given some antibotics and they've cleaned her wounds up and strapped her head so she can't keep peaking at it. We'll wait to see what happens. I know that they are resilent and do recover from that type of attack and she survived a battery farm once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
