Hen attacked by fox/cat

  • 4 Replies
  • 3028 Views
*

Tom Parrot

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Chelmsford, Essex.
  • 102
Hen attacked by fox/cat
« on: September 28, 2016, 09:20 »
Hello readers,
This morning there was a commotion outside with the hens.
Let hens out of cage at 7am, Rose was in the nest. Sunny, dry and mild. 7:30 commotion with hens, got to kitchen door and Sue was frantic to come in. She rushed in and went straight pass me. Usually she only comes into the kitchen not the home. Saw bunch of feathers on the path, more feathers on the lawn, looked for Ginger and she was in the shrubbery and ok. Picked her up and brought her back to the kitchen. Checked Rose who was ok. Sue was indoors, she had dropped a soft shelled egg, she was quite and not moving by the front door, furthest place from the kitchen back door. Checked the fence and found a possible entry point so put down some urine and tied outside fence to the upright fence with wire ties. I think it was more likely a fox or a disagreement with the black and white cat that roams the garden sometimes.
8:45 Rose comes out of coop and Ginger goes into the nest. Sue is moving about a little but still won't come to the kitchen let alone the garden. Badly traumatised. So was I.

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18325
Re: Hen attacked by fox/cat
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2016, 10:48 »
Poor little hen and you as well  :(

Laying a soft shell egg can make a hen feel a bit off anyway, but the trauma will also being playing a part.  If you are happy to keep her indoors, let her have some quiet time and get over it all.

*

Tom Parrot

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Chelmsford, Essex.
  • 102
Re: Hen attacked by fox/cat
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2016, 19:07 »
Further to my original thread.
About 10am managed to get Sue to have a drink of water and eat some mealworms. Ginger came in and went to Sue a few times. Sue eventually went into the garden at 10:20. Come 11:15 and all seems OK but, Sue has lost a lot of feathers from her rear and possibly part of a wing. Afternoon and Sue tried to get onto a raised bed but she couldn't fly the 12 inches up. So I lifted her onto the bed. She has obviously lost a few feathers from her right wing. Come 6:45 hens to cage, Sue as always on the coop first, then Sue tried but never made it and fell back to the ground. So again I lifted her up. Ginger got up on her own.Will have to keep a close eye on Sue for a few days or weeks. She does seem to be her usual self otherwise.

*

danfinn1

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Birmingham UK
  • 144
Re: Hen attacked by fox/cat
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2016, 22:53 »
I had mine attacked by a cat, poor old Beryl was half bald, on Easter Sunday about 18 months ago, looked like a pillow had burst. A big black and white cat was to blame. Then it tried to carry Sandy off a couple of months later. So I know cats will go for a medium sized bird. >:(

Both recovered from the experience and Beryl laid well up until she died some three months ago. Sandy was always a sickly bird so we didn't get much from her, apart from strutting round showing everyone she was in charge :ohmy:
rip Sandy, rip Beryl, Henrietta

Know what would be nice in your garden, a few hens lol

*

mrsrobinson

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Location: South OxfordshireM
  • 6
Re: Hen attacked by fox/cat
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2016, 09:35 »
Hello Tom Parrot - sorry to hear about your hen's encounter with a cat.
My niece recently heard a commotion in her garden and found a large ginger cat in the Eglu Go Up run and 1 dead chicken. She does have foxes round her place and if she had not seen the cat she would have assumed a fox attack. She has no cats.
I have 2 cats - the older one is terrified of my hens but the younger one will 'playfully' chase.
I rarely get other cats in my back garden during the day, and think my 2 cats are territorial and would chase other cats away plus they scent mark their territory.
I tend to be more worried about dog attacks - my son's partner's dog jumped into someone's front garden and killed 2 free ranging hens just like that - awful.



xx
MidlandBrewers Sister Attacked By RUDDY FOX!

Started by MidlandBrewer on Chicken Chat

11 Replies
4086 Views
Last post February 13, 2017, 10:43
by compostqueen
xx
young sparrow attacked by hens

Started by Geo on Chicken Chat

3 Replies
1703 Views
Last post August 24, 2013, 09:11
by 8doubles
 

Page created in 0.176 seconds with 40 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |