Fox Attack!!!

[LaurenGrows]

Wishing the Chooks a speedy recovery..Aww please keep us posted, would appreciate that...Lauren

[Prickety-prackety]

Dont give up

Hi there, this is horrible it happened to us earlier this year.
My message to you though is dont give up, our Audrey was in a very bad way, her neck damaged and extended, although obviously not broken. She came into emergancy box kitchen where she stayed, neck extended breathing very oddly. They seem to go into a trance like state, I think its to protect themselves. After a day or two we started to encorouge small amounts of porridge, from our fingers, i also put rescue remedy in the water, although I dont think she took any.
She seemed to shake heself around in about 48 hours, pulled her neck back in but just sat there, standing or sitting. Once she started eating a little we decided to put her back in the house at night while they were all sleepy. She stayed in for a few more days but then bounced right back, We are getting lovely eggs and she still rules the roost.
Honey was hurt as well but not as badly, she went back the next day. I did think Audrey needed to know the others ( well not all ) had survived. We lost Duchess and Hilda and two cockerals. Dont miss the cockerals but would like the others back !
Good luck

[yoanbob]

hi PP, Elsie is an Alsbury duck, I'm not sure her neck isnt broken, shes holding it very close to her body almost inside. and she hasnt had an xray, but the vets seem to think its just her wounds, I'm not so confident, shes on antibiotics designed for cows, not the normal ones they get and shes on huge amounts. tried mash mixed with milk, mash mixed with water bread soaked in water bread soaked in milk, marmite on bread, soft lettuce, will keep trying her, Ducks arnt as aggressive as chooks so shes in with plum because they really do suffer if they are left alone, wont let the chooks near her tho. she just wants to sleep, which i guess is good, we wont give up just yet but how long can she go without food? it breaks my heart just to look at her.

[terrier]

Sorry to hear about the ducks and esp the wee ones. We lost all our hens to a fox last year. The fox managed to get into the compound and lift the sliding flap into the coup but then couldn't get out again, so in the morning I found all dead hens AND a fox. One of the hens was one of our originals, about seven years old and she was sadly missed. Hope all goes well, good luck.

[Alice]

How awful Yoanbob. I'm so sorry for you and the birds. Thinking about you and hope you get the best outcome possible. Will be watching this post for news.

[TPeers]

Loads of sympathy from me too, I am truly amazed that after what has happened you have the ability to give even more of yourselves and help with my minor and picky problems.

If I had half your strength of character.......

Prayers for Elsie - I hope she pulls through

Terry

[Headfry]

Morning Yaonbob,
Any news?
my love to you all

[yoanbob]

she seems much more with it today, let her out for a wee stretch and she hobbled around for a few minutes before sitting down and going back to sleep. she didnt manage to eat anything while we were watching but she was trying which is somthing, think she managed a tiny bit of lettuce yesterday eve as she had a tiny green poo. put 2 sprays of rescue remedy in their water which plum seemed to love, elsie had a little too.
I'm feeling a bit more optermistic today, she did seem a lot more aware.
plum managed a couple of small quaks and is eating so I think she will recover from the trauma.
the chickens have now compleatly forgotton and are sulking about not being allowed out all day, we fixed the breach but foxs will get through anything if they are hungry enough, and with the triumph of the kill still fresh i'm playing safe for now.
shes back at the vets tomorrow eve so will see what they say, hope she isnt disabled too much, but i guess only time will tell, shes still not moving her neck at all but i guess shes still very sore. fingers crossed.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for the update - sure I am not alone in keeping you in my thoughts.

I have to confess that the first time I ever went foxhunting was after a visit to our chicken run from mr fox - I was sooooo mad!!

[yoanbob]

well today she had a bath, ok, she got in the water but didnt lift her feet. she managed a few slivers of lettuce and some water soaked marmite, but only tiny pieces, shes very unsteady, and although she is trying to move is still very stiff, her neck has a funny kink in it and she doesnt seem to be able to move her head or neck above it, think it might be broken, she cant reach floor leval for food. or her front to fluff her feathers. poor girl, might insist on an xray at the vets tomorrow, but will see how she seems in the morning. she did manage a couple of tiny quaks. plum still depressed and quiet but is eating better today, chickens still looking for rosemary, orange and juniper ducks, but other than that are fine.
man coming tomorrow to see if fox shooting is feasable. mad just doesnt cover it.

[madderbat]

hope things improve Yo, good thoughts winging your way. Best of luck for tomorrow.

[JennieAtkinson]

So glad to hear Elsie is improving.

[Egluntine]

So sorry to hear the fox attack. Here's hoping Elsie will pull through. A determined fox will easily clear a 6ft fence. Is it the sort of fence that you can electrify? Might be worth doing. All the best.

[Headfry]

Any news this morning! poor little girl!
give her my love and hope she has a more comfortable day

[yoanbob]

gave her medicine this morning before work then just put her back in to rest up, got home about 3.30pm, let her out, she got in the water again, she is trying to eat but cant reach the floor, if she gets a bit of lettuce thats too big she cant get it down, poor thing. pretty much the same as yesterday but she is eating lettuce slivers, all her poo is just green liquid, not many nutrients in lettuce. and shes not sleeping quite as much, though still a lot. got her to the vets, (the vet thinks we are bonkers anyway) he took one look at my face and must have thought the worst, he asked if she just wasnt coping, like he was ready to give her THE SHOT but no, he thinks shes doing well under the circumstances, I asked about her neck and he says its nerve damage, there is no damage to the bone and the muscle is healing well, there is a small chance she will get that movement back, but its small, but its early days yet, I told him she was'nt eating and he wisked her away for a force feed of rabbit liquid food, guess they dont keep liquid duck food in stock, he used a lamb feeder but did it like they do fois gras geese, he showed me how so its force feeding till she can manage on her own again, there is a good chance she will adapt to the neck thing once she has recovered a bit more, like i said early days but I'm much more hopefull now.
plum still a bit skittish, but getting better, chooks trying redress the pecking order now there are 4 birds not seven.
she says thanks for all the love and has anyone got the bu**ers yet?
the fox man thinks traps are the only solution but even that will only give us reprive till about nov. so looks like we may need a loan for new fox proof fencing, the fencing we have is ramshakle, some wood some netting some metal, and it doesnt go under ground which is how they got in. its about seven foot all round.its in a public area so dont think electric fencing would be allowed.