Warm boot recommendations please

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

We have just been woken by my very clever hens telling us they were being attacked by a fox. We leave them in the eglu door open at night, but the run door shut. I have no idea why they would have left the eglu, except that the door to the run, which was shut carefully when I finished cleaning the eglu this evening, was hanging half off. There are feathers everywhere, but although my girls appear to be very shaken, I can not see any injuries or blood, although most of the feathers are from Delores who will not let me pick her up. I ran down making as much noise as I could and turning on all the lights and got to the back door just in time to see the fox disappearing over the fence. I'll have a proper look at everything in the morning and see if I can work out what exactly happened. The girls are locked inside the eglu, huddled together scared and indignant, with the run door reattached. We are so lucky. I'll be ordering a fox watch in the morning, but if anyone else has any other suggestions, I'd be grateful.

 

Jan

[Olly]

oh no - sorry to hear this, but it sounds as if you've had a lucky escape. I have not heard of a fox actually managing to break into the Eglu run before - what a good thing you heard them.

 

I don't think anything is entirely foolproof against foxes, but you will have seen from some of the other posts on here that there are some things you can try:

male urine is supposed to put them off (I don't think female works )

human hair - ask at the hairdresser, or brush your own and save it - put it in old popsocks or tights and hang it around

lion or tiger dung, available from petshops

 

I think the water scarecrow is supposed to be very effective; I couldn't use that because of my cat. I've got a Foxwatch, but I can't really say if it's working or not - I've still seen the fox, but in a different part of the garden. I feel happier with it, than not having it, though. I got mine from www.primrose-london.co.uk, they were very quick to deliver and when the first one didn't work, they replaced it immediately.

 

Good luck, hope that Delores is ok - you'll be able to see better in the morning.

[Egluntyne]

That was a close shave. I hope your girls get over it.

 

I reckon a Foxwatch is helpful.

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

The top clip on the door had been detached and has teeth marks on it. The bottom clip and the pin had held, but the door had been somewhat bent back at the corner where the clip was removed. It is possible that the clip was partly detached before, I suppose, but I'm sure I would have noticed, as the door would not have swung smoothly.

 

I've attached an extra 2 clips to the door and will be sure to shut the eglu door at night, even though they hate it, at least until the Foxwatch comes. I don't understand why they came out of the eglu into the run, except that they must have felt terribly threatened. The noise they made was unbelieveable, it even woke DH - something that is almost impossible! The fox also appears to have had a go at Delores through the bars, based on the location of the biggest pile of feathers - I almost wonder if there were 2 of them. My poor girls. This morning Delores was still shaking first thing, and was late laying. She has now laid and is walking round the garden and eating normally. However, she is missing quite a few feathers and has a bit of a swollen looking place on her neck, but she is so unhappy about being touched and so scared when I try to catch her that I have decided to leave her until a bit later before trying to catch her. I am worried she will have a heart attack if I chase her otherwise.

 

Thanks,

 

Jan

[Popcorn]

Oh Jan, your poor hens. What a good job they alerted you. Hens are so hardy and Delores will recover and she'll go back to her normal happy self, but I think you are right to add extra precautions for the time being.

 

Now the fox knows (or thinks he knows) there's a vulnerable spot he will most definitely back to try again. Until you are more confident, keep the Eglu door locked to keep your girls safe.

 

Keep an eye on delores' neck, it might need a little bit of treatment if it gets infected, which I'm sure you know anyway.

[James H]

sorry to hear about this, glad your girls are ok

[Guest]

My goodness! I am so shocked. It's a very good thing your hens got up and yelled. If they'd stayed in the eglu you might not have heard anything. I am so glad they are OK, but I agree with Gina about Dolores. You need to get a look at her, perhaps tonight at bedtime. If there are any puncture wounds, I would ask for antibiotics to stop an infection.

 

I also suggest you contact Omlet and let them know what happened. That must have been one very strong - and determined - fox to bend the door back like that. I too have never heard of an attempt like that. (Though I recall someone saying they used a stick because the pin had got lost in the dark - and the stick was not strong enough)

 

I hope you're feeling a bit better now too.

[chelsea]

thank goodness your girls are ok Jan.

 

I suspect they all came out of the eglu and ganged up on the fox to scare it away, looks like it worked!

 

I would try to do what some of the others have suggested - human hair, etc. Husband who works with poultry has been told diesel works to keep foxes away on farms (not that you'd want to spread it around your garden ).

 

No doubt the fox will be back though

 

I have always kept my eglu door shut and locked at night (even in the summer) so your tale is to warn us that things can happen, thanks for posting it.

 

Hope your girls recover from the shock soon.

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

For the first time ever, Delores came over to me as I was putting the girls back in the run this afternoon and allowed me first to pet her, then to pick her up and have a good look at her. I could not find any wounds, although she has a couple of sore spots where her feathers are ruffled and missing. I could not see any blood, either. She has eaten well all day, is walking and moving around quite normally and has laid and seems much more confident. As she is my most nervous hen by far I am delighted that she has recovered so well. Clearing up all the feathers, Dotty and Dib Dab must have defended Delores quite vigorously apart from yelling the house down as there are a fair few of their's around, too, especially Dotty's. They too seem to be fine when I examined them and are much more confident this afternoon.

 

They are safely locked in the eglu tonight. However, I did notice as I tucked them up that there were a fair few feathers in the eglu itself, which I noticed last night but in all the confusion didn't think about until now. I am certain that the fox did not get into the run, although certainly Delores was attacked through the bars at the side. I presume she must just have flapped about in terror before leaving the eglu....

 

Here's hoping for a quiet night

 

Jan

[Couperman]

OMG

 

I've often worried about the clip things, they maybe a weakness to a Fox in the know.

 

He might have a go where the run end joins on too. I have quite a few clips left over I think I might double up on them!

 

I was also wondering about trying to rig up a mini electric fence arrangement around the run that can be turned off and lifted away during the day. That would prevent swipes through the mesh too!

 

Glad to hear your chooks are OK! I might be tempted to 'Brick' the door up with a paving slab or similar as a temporary measure.

 

Kev.

[Dogs Too]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm those dreadfull green clips again

 

I HATE them

 

I have replace all of mine with cable ties from B&Q / Homebase etc, thinish ones for the run and thicker ones for the door not puulled so tight.

 

I used two for each join in a cross over so they pull it all together lengthways as well as sideways.

 

I can now drag my Eglu without clips falling off and am confident about my door being secure.

[urbanchick]

I looked my cube run door today and was quite horrified to see only 2 clips holding it on! I think some of them must have pinged off but they look quite easy to chew off anyway. I suppose if you have a few it would take the fox all night. I was given a load of spare clips with the cube, but of course I can't find them.

[Olly]

I checked my run door tonight, and it has three clips on it (mine was assembled by Omlet, so I guess that's the standard). It's definitely worth checking that they are all secure, they can weaken if they've been bent too many times.

 

I HATE those green clips, too - sore fingers after adding my converter!

[hilly d]

It's good to know that Dolores is on the mend. I hope it bodes well for my experience.

 

This morning I heard my girls (free ranging at the time but enclosed by poultry netting) making a huge racket and went out to see a fox trotting across the lawn with Clarabel in its mouth - I don't know exactly how it got her. I yelled and waved so it dropped her but she had been injured by that time. She was trying bravely to hobble towards me so I whisked her off to be checked over. The vet reckons there is no obvious major damage apart from some puncture wounds and a lot of bruising but obviously can't be certain that nothing internal has been badly damaged. Anyway, Clarabel is now quietly resting in a box with water and a small bowl of pellets in case she gets hungry.

 

My question is though, what makes a very traumatised convalescing hen comfortable and as happy as she can be given the circs? I'd be grateful for any ideas.

[skye]

Glad Dolores is on the mend, but poor Clarabel

 

These foxes have so much bottle don't they - you were actually around and it just tried to saunter off with her.

 

Glad the vet said no lasting damage - really hope she makes a speedy recovery and is running around confidently again in no time.

 

Skye

[Olly]

that sounds nasty, poor Clarabel! I don't have direct experience of this, but I believe others on here have used homeopathic remedies, e.g. arnica, or Bach Rescue Remedy.

 

I should think just a bit of quiet and warmth will go a long way to helping her to recover. How lucky that you came out in time to see the fox off.

[hilly d]

I think I'm almost as traumatised by the whole experience as Clarabel is. I'm just very glad that I happened to be around when the attack took place. I'm trying not to think about what might have happened if I'd not been there. The other girls are very miffed at being incarcerated in the run but better that I suppose than a fox's lunch.

 

I will definitely try some arnica cream as I've got some in the cupboard and will investigate other homeopathic options.

[Leicester_H]

My question is though, what makes a very traumatised convalescing hen comfortable and as happy as she can be given the circs? I'd be grateful for any ideas.

 

So sorry to hear that. I would imagine that a quiet, warm environment would be best. I would give her a SMALL bowl of her favourite food. If it was one of mine, I would stay near her - mine like to be around us and run to us if scared (eg if the yhear a loud noise)

 

Please give us an update soon.

 

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery, Hazel

[hilly d]

So far so good. The painkillers the vet gave Clarabel seem to be making her more comfortable and hopefully the antibiotics will fend off any infection from the fox's bites.

 

She's responding well to the offer of a few raisins which I'm taking to be a good sign. She seems to like being in the living room. I'm hoping she'll be OK overnight and I'll see how she is in the morning once the painkillers have worn off.

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

Poor Clarabel - I am so sorry to hear about this incident. I have added poultry spice to their food to perk them up a little and citricidal to the water to ward against infection in case the stress has reduced their immune systems. If Delores had been hurt and needed isolating, I would have been inclined to give her a warm (not hot) hot water bottle in a soft cover as chooks all snuggle up when they roost at night. I'm sure there would probably be a good reason why one should not do this, but I would hate for her to feel cold and lonely at night.

 

Hope Clarabel is better soon.

 

Jan

[chelsea]

She seems to like being in the living room. I'm hoping she'll be OK overnight.

 

she'll be fine. You've done the right thing keeping her warm, its the best thing.

 

She probably wont want to leave the house.....we cant get our chickens out of the kitchen!

 

hope she's better soon. let us know.

[hilly d]

Thank you so much for all the kind words and advice.

 

I've got Clarabel now on poultry spice in her food and cictricidal in her water. She's not so keen on having the arnica cream applied but I guess that's just too bad!

 

So far the recuperation is going well and it's dawning on Clarabel that being in the house is no bad thing with all the tasty morsels and attention she's getting without having to lift a feather. I'm going to break it to her gently though that as soon as she's up and about it's back outside, albeit to a small isolation ark so that the others don't give her too much of a hard time.

 

I have to say that all this trauma has been exhausting - I can't believe how much stress an injured small chicken can cause!!

[Susan C]

Hello everyone - this is my first post so I hope this works OK.

 

Just wanted to add that a (large) dog attacked our run and did exactly the same thing - two snapped door clips and bent door left hanging by the remaining one. I replaced them with LOTS of cable ties and so far so good.

 

Thanks for all the helpful tips I've picked up from reading all of your posts,

Susan

[Egluntyne]

Welcome aboard Susan C.

 

I hope your hens weren't too traumatised.

[Christian]

Sorry to hear about all these awful problems!!

 

Glad all the hens are okay!

 

I use 3 metal rings on my run door as well as the green clips. You can get them really cheaply from hardware shops. The type you get on keyrings. I thought the 3 green clips were a bit feeble, especially with constant use.

 

I also use cable ties to link up the run and convertor which makes it much stronger.

 

Hope all the girls are better soon.

 

Oh and Welcome Susan C!