Chicken makes incr-egg-ible recovery after savage attack

WH 060315 Rosie the chicken, seven, celebrating birthday after near death experience at the hands of a fox. Rosie was rehabilitated using specialised chicken physiotherapy and lived to fight another day. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-150603-173742001

Seven-year-old Rosie suffered horrific injuries in the attack last year and owner Jean Hull feared her favourite chook would have to be put down.

Rosie is thought to be among the first chickens in the UK to undergo physiotherapy, a crucial part of the recovery process after a touch-and-go operation.

“She clearly wanted to live and wasn’t going to let that fox beat her,” said Jean, of Highlands Close, High Salvington.

“She was my late husband’s favourite, so that is where the extra feeling comes from. She is a little bit of him.”

The attack happened in November last year, while Rosie was running free in the garden in the afternoon.

Jean said: “This fox came whizzing down the garden and grabbed her and dashed down the bottom of the garden. I screamed and I just had to try to stop the fox.

“Eventually, the fox did drop her and ran off but Rosie was just laying there bleeding and there were feathers everywhere.”

Jean and her neighbours rushed Rosie to Crossways, in Findon Valley, where vet Tania Parsons conducted emergency surgery.

As Rosie recovered walking became difficult, as scar tissue formed over the wounds.

Tania said: “Last year, Rosie came in almost split in two and had to have quite major surgery to stitch her back together.

“I had never heard of physiotherapy for chickens but she responded to it really well. I’ve only seen it done on chickens on Youtube videos in America.

“Rosie is a very special hen and Jean looks after her very well.”

Jean took Rosie to a pet blessing service at All Saints Church, in Findon Valley, which she believes aided the recovery process.

But she is certain the swift actions of the vet were crucial.

She said: “Crossways have been absolutely fantastic and Tanya is a brilliant vet. We are so lucky to have a chicken vet so close, otherwise she would not have survived.”

Jean and her husband, Maurice, a former paratrooper, purchased Rosie and another hen in 2008, after realising their organic eggs were not fresh.

Rosie has since made a full recovery and is a minor celebrity in the neighbourhood, with a birthday party planned in three weeks’ time and several cards and treats received since the attack, including a chicken gym.