Fox attack, one survivor - please help! (Warning: pics)

[Hennefer007]

Fox attacked at about 4am. Noise woke me, I ran and scared it away. It killed one and was on the other when I saw it. I throughly she was dead at first but then she moved, so I scooped her up and brought her inside. She is mostly just lying here breathing gently. Every so often she gets up and stumbles a bit before settling down. She is able to move her neck fine (as far as I can tell) despite what looks to be pretty bad injury (see pics).

I’ve cleaned the wounds with saline solution, put her in a box with towels, tried offering her water but she’s not having it and I’m reluctant to try prising her beak open right now as I’ve already been on her enough cleaning her wounds. But please let me know if I should, or if it’s okay to leave it until a little later.

I’m just looking for advice on how best to care for her, and to ask if anyone has had a hen in a condition as bad as this (particularly the neck) and seen her survive.

 

[cavemanrich]

You did a fine job cleaning the wound. The wound may heal on it own, in time, but there will always be a spot where feathers will no longer grow.
If you can, try to screech/pull the skin together, and possibly hold together with some tape over the feather surfaces. Place sterile gauze over wound if there will be tape over it.
Consider an antiseptic like Blu-kote if you can get some.

I have some, and have used it on my chickens when they got pecking wounds on their scalp/necks.

I also did encounter a long ago, a dog attack on one of my chickens. I thought she was gone. I brought her, and comforted her, and she recovered. Not to 100%... but she did live additional 2 years. Sad part for her,,,,, she was blind those 2 last years. Nevertheless, was able to eat and all. I had to keep her separated in a cage, with food and water. She would not find it any other way. Being blind ,,,,, she most likely did not feel that she was in a cage. I would take cage out onto the lawn, and she scratched, and picked the green grass always.

I am saddened to find your post with injured hen. I hope she recovers well.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Rose the Legbar]

@Eggcessive has really good information regarding animal attack wounds, for now I’ll give my little amount of information. You did very well with cleaning the wound, but I would keep her in a dark room as she is probably in shock. I wish your hen the best of luck recovering!

 

[McChooky]

Fox attacked at about 4am. Noise woke me, I ran and scared it away. It killed one and was on the other when I saw it. I throughly she was dead at first but then she moved, so I scooped her up and brought her inside. She is mostly just lying here breathing gently. Every so often she gets up and stumbles a bit before settling down. She is able to move her neck fine (as far as I can tell) despite what looks to be pretty bad injury (see pics).

I’ve cleaned the wounds with saline solution, put her in a box with towels, tried offering her water but she’s not having it and I’m reluctant to prising her beak open right now as I’ve already been on her enough cleaning her wounds. But please let me know if I should, or if it’s oay to leave it until a little later.

I’m just looking for advice on how best to care for her, and to ask if anyone has had a hen in a condition as bad as this (particularly the neck) and seen her survive.

Hoping you secure your coop before it returns because they always return. We had a bobcat ambush our chickens a couple days ago but luckily it didn't get any of them!

Sorry for your loss and hoping your hen recovers!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep spraying saline or a wound spray on the wounds, and apply plain Neosporin/triple antibiotic ointment twice a day. The neck wound is hard to see inside, but smell it for a bad odor and look for any pus or signs of abscess. I like to hold up a small cup or scoop of water and food to the beak for them to get interested in eating. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[Hennefer007]

You did a fine job cleaning the wound. The wound may heal on it own, in time, but there will always be a spot where feathers will no longer grow.
If you can, try to screech/pull the skin together, and possibly hold together with some tape over the feather surfaces. Place sterile gauze over wound if there will be tape over it.
Consider an antiseptic like Blu-kote if you can get some.
View attachment 3691794
I have some, and have used it on my chickens when they got pecking wounds on their scalp/necks.

I also did encounter a long ago, a dog attack on one of my chickens. I thought she was gone. I brought her, and comforted her, and she recovered. Not to 100%... but she did live additional 2 years. Sad part for her,,,,, she was blind those 2 last years. Nevertheless, was able to eat and all. I had to keep her separated in a cage, with food and water. She would not find it any other way. Being blind ,,,,, she most likely did not feel that she was in a cage. I would take cage out onto the lawn, and she scratched, and picked the green grass always.

I am saddened to find your post with injured hen. I hope she recovers well.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you so much. I got some antiseptic spray today and keep applying it. She’s had some electrolyte solution and water when given with a syringe. Will make a food mix for her tomorrow. Not sure exactly what you mean about using tape. On the neck? She doesn’t really give me a chance to look at it, tucking her head in whenever I try. I take this as kind of a good sign, but the sight of it looks so worrying.

 

[Hennefer007]

@Eggcessive has really good information regarding animal attack wounds, for now I’ll give my little amount of information. You did very well with cleaning the wound, but I would keep her in a dark room as she is probably in shock. I wish your hen the best of luck recovering!

Thank you so much. She’s in a large cardboard box with some towels in the bathroom, which is where she’ll stay until she recovers substantially.

 

[Hennefer007]

Hoping you secure your coop before it returns because they always return. We had a bobcat ambush our chickens a couple days ago but luckily it didn't get any of them!

Sorry for your loss and hoping your hen recovers!

Thank you. Yes of course. The bugger has already been back, skulking around. Chicken is staying safe and sound inside the house until she recovers, anyway.

 

[Hennefer007]

I would keep spraying saline or a wound spray on the wounds, and apply plain Neosporin/triple antibiotic ointment twice a day. The neck wound is hard to see inside, but smell it for a bad odor and look for any pus or signs of abscess. I like to hold up a small cup or scoop of water and food to the beak for them to get interested in eating. Let us know how she gets along.

I will. So far today she’s mostly been still, just resting. Can move her head normally, though prefers to rest it on the ground. So far no independent interest in water or food, but has taken liquids via syringe. Thank you for the advice.

 

[McChooky]

I will. So far today she’s mostly been still, just resting. Can move her head normally, though prefers to rest it on the ground. So far no independent interest in water or food, but has taken liquids via syringe. Thank you for the advice.

I've been giving my hen warm water soaks with acv once a day.It gets rid of the soreness. Mines hoping around in her crate on one leg .She uses her injured leg for balancing only while standing (day 4)Her appetite is very poor as well.I give mine sugar water once a day via syringe