Chicken bald back

[MummyHen]

+++++++Warning ++++++ read with caution

That sounds very ‘news of the world’ but very sadly it’s true

The most awful thing happened today, after 5 year of keeping hens and not having any fox problems today a fox struck.

 

There was a huge really healthy looking fox in the garden this morning (7:30)sniffing round the cube. Hubby rattled the back door and it shot off. However, I noticed a lot of feathers, the thermal jacket was on, nothing had be disturbed but under the cube were loads of feathers and red – small bits of red. Both girls sleep in the nesting box so quickly opened the port hole – both girls looked fine. But all was not well, hubby picked up Peg and she was missing half of her right leg – I can only assume that the fox managed to grab it from underneath perhaps it was poking through the small vent in the bottom of the nesting box - just awful. Looked at Blackie and she too had been mauled but not as bad she had a missing toe and had a broken leg. We had to do the most humane thing and put them both out of their discomfort.

 

Hubby spent this afternoon cleaning out the WIR and cleaning the cube. There is no damage to the underside of the nesting box – nothing no gnawing marks nothing. At around 5:30 this evening the fox was back it was quickly chased off but I’m sure it will be back.

 

Now I’m worried about the cats being out in the garden.

Today has not been a good day - bye chicky girls

[Ain't Nobody Here]

How awful, I'm so sorry . Poor girls .

[mullethunter]

Mummyhen that is truly horrific story. You definitely did the right thing. Poor girls. I wonder if there's something Omlet can change in the design to stop this happening again.

 

I would think your cats will be fine. I doubt a fox would be able to sneak up on a cat so even if one did have a go the cat would get away.

[Cat tails]

What a horrible experience! At least your girls didn't suffer for long.

 

Cats are not a prey animal. So their behaviour is far less likely to entice hunting behaviour from foxes.

[Luvachicken]

I'm sorry.

That is very, very sad indeed.

[PixieDust]

So very, very sorry for your loss.

 

I am a bit lost as to how the fox got them as I don't have an Omlet set up. I gather your coop is outside the run? And I think you are saying the fox got to them via a small gap in the nest box? If so the design needs tweeking.

[gavclojak]

Oh poor you, how horrific. I'm so shocked a fox was able to get to them through the cube! Good for you that you were able to cull and not her suffer a second longer than she should.

[Cheshire Hen]

I'm so sorry! I can't imagine seeing my chickens like that and handling it as well as you did. It is making me nervous about the security of my new Cube! No foxes here, but lots of raccoons (and coyotes and hawks), and they are very cunning predators. Best wishes to you going forward from this unfortunate event!

[Beantree]

That's a sad tale Mummy Hen, but I wonder if it was a fox at all? There was a post on here a while back called 'Foot Trauma' I think? Seemed the culprit could have been a rat which got in through a drain hole and ate the feet off a hen in the night. The sighting of the fox may be co-incidence.

[Cat tails]

I'm so sorry! I can't imagine seeing my chickens like that and handling it as well as you did. It is making me nervous about the security of my new Cube! No foxes here, but lots of raccoons (and coyotes and hawks), and they are very cunning predators. Best wishes to you going forward from this unfortunate event!

 

I think if you keep the run closed at night, you'll be fine. Maybe in your case, I would change the pin that locks the run doors to an actual lock. Raccoon fingers are quite nimble.

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear about this.

[Chicken shack]

How awful. I have wedged a piece hose pipe in the nesting box drain gap. I don't understand why omlet have such a large gap, all the bedding falls through.

[redsunset]

What an awful thing to happen, so sorry

[merlina]

Must have been horrible for you to discover - much hugs and sympathy.

 

I also don't understand why the gap is so large. I assume it's for drainage/ventilation, but there have been quite a few stories on here of not dissimilar problems I have some scrunched up paper loosely wedged in the vent in my nesting box, covered with a piece of card before the straw goes on top

[UKMARCH]

I'm sorry to hear the sad news.

[gavclojak]

That's a sad tale Mummy Hen, but I wonder if it was a fox at all? There was a post on here a while back called 'Foot Trauma' I think? Seemed the culprit could have been a rat which got in through a drain hole and ate the feet off a hen in the night. The sighting of the fox may be co-incidence.

 

I remember the post beantree, the poster was convinced it was a rat but eventually turned out to be a stoat I think.

[MummyHen]

Thanks for all your kind words

 

It was definitely a fox, we live in suburbia, no rats or mink; the fox was around all yesterday evening sniffing about; hopefully it will realise that there's no longer any food.

 

There are similar posts about hens missing legs - with no sign of a break in

We had plugged the hole with the foam from a garden kneeler but the fox had pulled that out.

 

I will be cutting up a plastic table mat and fitting it in the nest box - if I get any more chicken

Similar sad tales

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=89064&hilit=nest+box

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84158

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=96945&hilit=Foot+Trauma

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=86789&p=1185704&hilit=foot+injury#p1185704

[gavclojak]

Oh I don't doubt it at all, before I got hens I watched a YouTube clip of a fox getting under a fence to get to some hens, sounds morbid but I think anyone building their own run should watch it.

Once again, I'm so sorry for you, it must have been devistating.

[Guest]

Much as I love my Omlet cube I do find Omlet are deaf to any criticism.

 

The hole in the nest box is ludicrous as are the gaps where the poop trays slide in, ventilation should be at head height or higher not at fluffy bum level. The cube ladder that most people just remove is another thing that comes up time and time again in the teething trouble section.

 

I have blocked off the nest box vent with duct tape.

 

I am so sorry to hear of the fate your girls suffered and full respect to you for ending their suffering.

[gavclojak]

I agree with you MrsB....the ladder always gets a mention and I'm sure with a little tweeking the issues could be resolved, how many times have we had a thread about slippery ladders? The massive gap at the bottom and many other issues! We have had to make a ladder to go over the cube one as my ex commercial's couldn't manage it, but I'm sure it's not just ex batts that have trouble.

I have also blocked most off the nest box hole and just allowed a very small gap as I was losing so much bedding through the hole.

[Dolly]

I'm so very sorry to hear about this. After reading similar stories on the forum, I've now got a flexible chopping board cut to cover the length and width of the hole in the nest box, secured with 2 long bolts through it and washers and wing nuts underneath. I know this can potentially harbour mites as its another place for them to hide but I regularly remove and clean it.

[Mrs_B]

My god, that is so awful to have happened - so sorry

 

x

[Margaret]

Oh Rachel,

How terrible, both for your poor girls and for you too.

How very brave of you to have delt with this, couldnt imagine how you felt.

Hope things are better now, and Mr Fox is no longer around.