chicken was attacked :(

newbie2this

Chirping
Apr 14, 2015
32
3
60
So last night one of my hens was attacked...... by the time of day/night and the injury I really think it was my new neighbors house cat.

I have plucked the feathers around the wound and treated it.... I have her in the garage with a heat lamp and she is roosting. She usually would proudly hold her tail feathers up, but since yesterday she is keeping them down and staying a little fluffed up.

She is eating fine, bright eyed and no labored breathing.... think it's just stress of the attack and injury? My husband and I were reading and looking at pictures from this forum last night and chickens that were attacked way worse seemed to have survived so I think she will be fine.... but she is my sweetest hen and I am attached to her :( breaks my heart.
 
If it was a cat and there is a bite injury, I'd go ahead and get some antibiotics into her. Someone else will need to recommend what to give. Cat bites can go very wrong very easily.
 
If it was a cat and there is a bite injury, I'd go ahead and get some antibiotics into her. Someone else will need to recommend what to give. Cat bites can go very wrong very easily.

Good advice

CT
 
Thanks, just called my vet who does exotics and specializes in avian. I cleaned it really well and plucked the feathers.... and then packed the wound with ointment...... poor little lady. Now I'm conflicted whether to tall to the new neighbor who let's their cat out to roam....
 
I hope your chicken is improving again today and I just wanted to offer you some encouragement and hope. Last year one of our ladies was bitten on the neck by a terrier (2 very deep puncture wounds either side of her neck). But the time we reached her she was unmoving lying on the ground, and covered in blood. The vet (in a very nice way) didn't hold out too much hope as she was very young, but he gave her a painkiller injection to help her over the worst of it. After 2 nights in the house (in a dog crate in the bathtub!), she started to move around a bit. By day 4 we were able to put her into the middle of the run during the daytime (still in the crate so the others wouldn't pick on her). She really didn't eat much for the 1st few days, we just made sure there was fresh water in the crate, and a small amount of scratch. Once the wound healed (about a week I think) she went back into the coop with her 2 friends - and within a month she was laying again. Nature (and vets) can do amazing things.
 

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