How to treat a strained neck on a chicken?

way2rockmyword

Hatching
5 Years
Nov 26, 2014
7
1
9
I lock my coup up at night when the chickens go to roost. I turn them out in the morning when I get up into a 1/2 acre enclosed by a 5 foot tall chain link fence. Day before yesterday we woke up to seeing a fox going across with one of my chickens. When I went out he had killed 13 hens and 2 guineas. My problem that I need help with is tha the rooster survived but can not pull his head up much. He finally crowed again this morning and he walks around but he look like a vulture. I checked him out and saw one little raw place on the roosters neck when I first discovered this. It has been two days now, the rooster eats and drinks but doesn't move around much and lays down often to rest his neck. I know he fought hard. What can I do to ease his pain? By the way the fox was trotting back for the rest right in front of my husband and I. My husband shot him. The fox dug under the door and wedged himself enough to pop the latch. Was the saddest days of my life. This happened early Monday morning. I really would like this rooster to survive and any help on how to take care of him will be greatly appreciated.
 
You can try some aspirin. Regular baby aspirin NOT Tylenol or any kind of Ibuprofen etc. The dose is about 1 baby aspirin per 3 lbs of body weight. I usually crush them up and pour them into a syringe, add a little water or buttermilk and shake it all up, then put the plunger back in. For me it's easier to give a liquid then trying to get pills down.
 
I will do that first thing in the morning! Thank you so much! I really like this rooster and he is only six months old. I was devastated to say the least about everything I lost. I have an electric wire up now that is solare operated. My husband says it looks like I have a fortress.
 
Thank you so much! I will do this first thing in the morning. It was so devastated losing almost my entire flock in just a few hours time.
 
He also could be suffering from wry neck or crook neck, also called torticolis. It can be due to vitamin deficiency, diseases, but in his case would be related to a head injury. As well as the aspirin, I would probably give him some vitamins in his water, and keep him quiet with minimal stimulation and noise. Vitamin E, thiamine, and selenium are important. Eggs, nuts, meat and tuna re good sources of selenium. A vet might be able to prescribe prednisone and metacam to help his neck. I hope he gets along okay, and here is a link or two about wry neck:
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html
http://oureggbasket.blogspot.com/2013/04/wry-neck-or-crook-neck-understanding-it.html
 
Thank you so much for the information. I have been putting electrolytes in their water since before the attack, He rests a lot. He crowed this morning once so I had a glimmer of hope. This is my Americana Rooster. I had special ordered him about 7 months ago, all my Americana hens had just started laying as well as my red stars. I was waiting on my olive egg layer and my silver cuckoo marans and austolorph. It was a huge loss for me. At this time of year it is hard to find baby chicks but I found some Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks. So perhaps I will have some eggs this spring. Thank you again so much for all your information. It is much appreciated.
 

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