Dog attack

[Dakar2009]

One of my girls was attacked today by random dog that broke into an extra run I give them to stretch out a bit. Huge husky looking thing, never saw it in the neighborhood before, no collar on it either. He seemed to grab her by the back just above her butt and caused a huge gash down to the bone. But it looks like he got distracted pulling feathers off of her (all her tail feathers are gone) and was eating those and left her by a rock where she crouched down. I scared him off and got her back into the secure coop where the other girls started pecking at her while I set up a triage area in my basement. She was walking okay and did eat the BSF larvae I sprinkle for them at the end of the day (good sign, right?), and was actually on the roosting bar in her usual spot by the time I got her out (it happened very late in the day).

My mitigation:
- She's now in the basement in a small dog pen (covered) with a perch
- I irrigated the wound with betadine diluted with sterile saline before putting her down there. It's going to be single digits tonight and I didn't want her going further into shock
- Has food with her to watch her eat
- I'll put some warm sugar water in there with her tomorrow morning, since she looked like she was trying to sleep when I last went down there.

Is there anything else I can do? This has to hurt like hell, too.

 

[Mistress-with-birbs]

One of my girls was attacked today by random dog that broke into an extra run I give them to stretch out a bit. Huge husky looking thing, never saw it in the neighborhood before, no collar on it either. He seemed to grab her by the back just above her butt and caused a huge gash down to the bone. But it looks like he got distracted pulling feathers off of her (all her tail feathers are gone) and was eating those and left her by a rock where she crouched down. I scared him off and got her back into the secure coop where the other girls started pecking at her while I set up a triage area in my basement. She was walking okay and did eat the BSF larvae I sprinkle for them at the end of the day (good sign, right?), and was actually on the roosting bar in her usual spot by the time I got her out (it happened very late in the day).

My mitigation:
- She's now in the basement in a small dog pen (covered) with a perch
- I irrigated the wound with betadine diluted with sterile saline before putting her down there. It's going to be single digits tonight and I didn't want her going further into shock
- Has food with her to watch her eat
- I'll put some warm sugar water in there with her tomorrow morning, since she looked like she was trying to sleep when I last went down there.

Is there anything else I can do? This has to hurt like hell, too.

Sounds like you're doing good! I haven't had one be injured like that so I am no expert. I hope she heals quickly, poor girl

 

[Dakar2009]

I had to cull my first hen yesterday

I thought Yolko was improving but she lost the use of her legs yesterday, one wing was splayed out, and she was barely able to get to her water, which she just stared at. No poops, no eating, just laying there and staring at me as I spoke to her. I started noticing the weakness the night before but thought she was just setting down to rest at that time. I gave her a bit more time to see if she'd rebound during the day but it was obvious this was no bueno, and she was suffering, and it was heart-breaking to see her like that.

Did it quick with a pellet gun when she put her head down to rest and had her eyes closed. She never saw the weapon and only heard me talking to her. It sucked.

Looking at the wound, it was ugly. Very deep gash to her spine, penetrated the abdominal cavity, and likely crushed her kidneys. It was for the best.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I had to cull my first hen yesterday

I thought Yolko was improving but she lost the use of her legs yesterday, one wing was splayed out, and she was barely able to get to her water, which she just stared at. No poops, no eating, just laying there and staring at me as I spoke to her. I started noticing the weakness the night before but thought she was just setting down to rest at that time. I gave her a bit more time to see if she'd rebound during the day but it was obvious this was no bueno, and she was suffering, and it was heart-breaking to see her like that.

Did it quick with a pellet gun when she put her head down to rest and had her eyes closed. She never saw the weapon and only heard me talking to her. It sucked.

Looking at the wound, it was ugly. Very deep gash to her spine, penetrated the abdominal cavity, and likely crushed her kidneys. It was for the best.

So sorry to hear! You did the best you could to help her and sometimes the best thing to do when that doesn't work is to let the hen go. I am of the mindset that it is worse to prolong the suffering if they are not recovering.

RIP sweet chick

 

[Dakar2009]

100% agree on suffering, for any animal. The hardest part is for us to let the animal go. Been through this with too many dogs throughout my life. And I know "it's only a chicken", but as you know, raising something from birth in a small flock forms an attachment you can't explain to "normie" non-chicken folks.

 

[Mistress-with-birbs]

I had to cull my first hen yesterday

I thought Yolko was improving but she lost the use of her legs yesterday, one wing was splayed out, and she was barely able to get to her water, which she just stared at. No poops, no eating, just laying there and staring at me as I spoke to her. I started noticing the weakness the night before but thought she was just setting down to rest at that time. I gave her a bit more time to see if she'd rebound during the day but it was obvious this was no bueno, and she was suffering, and it was heart-breaking to see her like that.

Did it quick with a pellet gun when she put her head down to rest and had her eyes closed. She never saw the weapon and only heard me talking to her. It sucked.

Looking at the wound, it was ugly. Very deep gash to her spine, penetrated the abdominal cavity, and likely crushed her kidneys. It was for the best.

I'm so sorry it's one of the hardest things of having chickens. You did what was right, and you tried your best to help her till the end.