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

[Outpost JWB]

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[sebTucson]

It may also be helpful to trim all of the feathers away from the wounds. You'll be able to see it better and it will keep any accumulated dirt/germs on the feathers out of the wound its self. I had a hen a few weeks ago with exposed bone after a dog attack and after a week of IM penicillin, tons of cleaning, antibiotic ointment and lots of TLC make a full recovery. Shes even back in with the rest of the flock as the wound is entirely closed up and is just regrowing feathers.

 

[ChickieKat]

Does it make a difference when there is exposed bone whether you clean regularly and keep the wound moist with antibiotic ointment or clean well early on once or twice and then keep it super dry with Wonder Dust and keep her from getting dirty? As she is right now, there is no way for anything to really get into her shoulder that is really dirty, although I did notice tonight that one feather is stuck into the scab. I am going to give her a trim in the morning.

 

[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]

One more question, if I am using the Wonder Dust, should I still be regularly cleaning the wound or just let the dust do its thing? I can't exactly soak that area and I don't want to disturb it too much, and she also isn't getting anything in there as she is confined.

Oh and how long should I keep her totally quiet and only able to stand and turn around? Should I let her loose to walk around our very tiny half bath or keep her tucked under the basket to keep her more still? My husband is worried about her not really walking. She does walk around a bit when I check on her 4-5 times per day, but that is all the exercise she is getting.

No, you don't wash it off. I didn't wash mine off. I probably only applied it twice and was done. It has antibiotic properties along with the drying agent.

I don't think a little exercse will hurt her. I can understand keeping her quiet a few days, but after that she will be ready for more exercise. Make sure the room is chicken proof! You would be surprised what they try to eat, especially if she is hungry. I had one eat newspaper, another eat styrofoam and even saw one eating silicone caulking!

 

[ChickieKat]

Small positive update! I let her have the run of the tiny bathroom today while I was at work and also left her with a bowl of water and a small bowl of feed soaked in water. When I got home, she had eaten all of the feed and pooped about 5 times. Most of the poop was very watery, but one was completely normal!!

I feel like a proud mama to see a completely normal, formed, normal color chicken poop. I am guessing some of the feed mash went through and came out the other end. I got her to drink a bit more and gave her another small bowl of watery feed and she went at it like she was starving. I am going to keep her meals small and wet for now to not overtax her injured crop, but it looks like her digestive system is working.

I also gave her a trim to see her shoulder a bit better and it is such a horror show. It looks like it is healing, but holy smokes, I still can't wrap my brain around how she didn't die on Saturday when it happened.

Here are some updated pics and one of the watery poops that she has had a ton of. If anyone knows if this is normal for a hen on antibiotics and a nearly liquid diet, I would love some reassurance.

 

[Joshua G]

Glad to hear she is doing better!
Hope she fully recovers.

 

[nab58]

Wow, just read through all the posts. It's just amazing what a chicken can live through! I hope your hen is able to pull through. She's a pretty girl.
I have a buff brahma that gets picked on by the rest of my hens. I had to hand feed her for a while when the other meanies wouldn't let her out of hiding. We became quite attached to each other. She is very sweet so I have a soft spot for them.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Small positive update! I let her have the run of the tiny bathroom today while I was at work and also left her with a bowl of water and a small bowl of feed soaked in water. When I got home, she had eaten all of the feed and pooped about 5 times. Most of the poop was very watery, but one was completely normal!!

I feel like a proud mama to see a completely normal, formed, normal color chicken poop. I am guessing some of the feed mash went through and came out the other end. I got her to drink a bit more and gave her another small bowl of watery feed and she went at it like she was starving. I am going to keep her meals small and wet for now to not overtax her injured crop, but it looks like her digestive system is working.

I also gave her a trim to see her shoulder a bit better and it is such a horror show. It looks like it is healing, but holy smokes, I still can't wrap my brain around how she didn't die on Saturday when it happened.

Here are some updated pics and one of the watery poops that she has had a ton of. If anyone knows if this is normal for a hen on antibiotics and a nearly liquid diet, I would love some reassurance.

Yes, the mostly liquid diet is very likely causing the runny stuff. I see evidence of that in my hens just when it rains. Antibiotics can cause it also. You can probably start decreasing the amount of water in her food by day five. I'd still give her a mash, just not as runny. See how it goes with that. Check for leaks, etc.

It's encouraging to see her up and about, eating and whatnot. I'm sure she wouldn't have made it this far without you.

 

[Outpost JWB]

x2! What good news

She's a lucky chicken.