Hawk attack. Graphic pics *Updated pics 3/30/15

[ChickieKat]

UPDATE 3/30/15
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-pics-4-days-out-post-86/120_20#post_15022775


Our Brahma hen was attacked today by a hawk. We saw the end of the attack and it was definitely a hawk of some sort. So far I am pretty sure her lungs are punctured, she has a broken wing and has lost much of her right shoulder and her eardrum is possibly ruptured.

I can hear her breathing and feel air moving when I put my face near her injured shoulder, but her breath doesn't sound all that labored. Her ear is super swollen and her wing is hanging lower than it should.

She is walking around a bit (we are looking for something to keep her quiet as I type) and she pecked at a feather. I have Poultry Aid that I can spray on the wound and also have spray saline that I can use to wash it out. I am worried about saline/blood getting in her lungs though. I also have probiotic and electrolyte powder that I can put in her water.

We tried to bind her wings with an ace bandage but she wiggled out. Should I bandage the wound or keep it uncovered but put Poultry Aid on it? I also have antibiotic ointment that I could put on too.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

Sorry to hear about the hawk attack. I think anything you would use on yourself will work. I tend to the natural stuff such as the honey. I also use colloidal silver which is composed of distilled water and ions of pure silver in it. You can find it in most health food stores and can be in a bottle or spray bottle. It is effective against all bacteria, virus, even MRSA. It has been around for hundreds of years and even NASA uses silver for antibacterial uses. Just another thought. Hope she pulls through. An open lung wound is difficult to deal with. I wish you and her good luck.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Sorry to hear about the hawk attack. I think anything you would use on yourself will work.  I tend to the natural stuff such as the honey. I also use colloidal silver which is composed of distilled water and ions of pure silver in it. You can find it in most health food stores and can be in a bottle or spray bottle. It is effective against all bacteria, virus, even MRSA. It has been around for hundreds of years and even NASA uses silver for antibacterial uses.  Just another thought. Hope she pulls through. An open lung wound is difficult to deal with.  I wish you and her good luck. 

Interesting info on the silver. I've often wondered about that but too chicken to try it on myself. Seen too many pics of "blue" people. Can it be used internally for illness? What kind of dose would you give a bird and how often?

 

[ChickieKat]

Another update: she is still doing well and ate about a half of an egg yolk along with a few bites of babyfood oatmeal this morning. She pooped a HUGE poop as well. It is a bit runny and green, but looks like it has a lot of the normal white cecal poop in it. I am guessing that had a lot to do with her liquid diet and antibiotics.

She drank quite a bit and I left her with about 2oz of water to drink as she wants. I left as much last night overnight and it was gone this morning.

Her shoulder wound is darkening up and drying out a lot. I am pretty happy with how it looks so far. No signs of infection that I can see. She has a very long road though. I put the basket back over her and am not going to let her wander around the bathroom for a couple more days at least. She would like to, but she is still only held together with a whisper and a prayer. What a girl.

 

[sebTucson]

Im not positive with chickens, but I'd be careful using wonder dust on an exposed bone. Its intended for livestock growing excessive granulated tissue and its incredibly caustic (its basically meat tenderizer). I dont think she needs any tenderizing....

My instinct would be to keep the wound clean and moist. I'd use vetricyn twice a day and cover it with triple antibiotic ointment (without pain reliever!). You can give her aspirin if she seems to be in pain but it sounds like shes doing okay otherwise. You can really pack antibiotic ointment into the wound- with my hen she had a very deep puncture on one side of her hip bone and then a big laceration across the bone its self. I completely filled both wounds with ointment twice a day and it healed really well.

 

[MrsBachbach]

It is amazing! She is coming along nicely and you did a great job!
Now we all know the answer as to whether they can grow muscle and stuff back. This is good to know. I knew they could recover from some pretty nasty wounds with a little care. Now we know they can survive being eaten by a hawk!
You likely now have a girl who is going to keep a good eye out for hawks! May she have a long and wonderful life!

 

[ChickieKat]

 

[ChickieKat]

 

[ChickieKat]

 

[tjo804]

I would put her in a crate in the house and watch her. to see how she does. If her lung is punctured she may not survive.

I use blue cote spray on wounds