- Jan 30, 2014
- 11
- 1
- 77
I know, it happens all the time, just figured I would add our experience incase anyone can help or learn from our experience.
About 2pm yesterday, one of our 3 Rhode Island Reds (RIR) Chick, CHICK, Peep, was attacked by a hawk.
I was not present but my middle son hear squawking, opened the door to see the hawk flying up.
He ran to the coop where CHICK was laying crumpled, face down on the ground, beak open, breathing heavy.
He instructed the dog, Roman (Great Dane) to sit and keep watch while he ran to get a towel and box.
Gentle Roman stood watch as instructed. I arrived about 15 minutes after attack.
We placed her in a box and covered her with a towel in the bedroom where it was warm and quiet.
The most obvious injury being her neck was wobbly, as if broken. No additional obvious acute injuries other than ruffled, missing feathers. Her legs work in the sense that she can grip my finger and occasionally attempt to stand and straighten up but her head moves in a wobbly neck circle, ending up looking straight up towards ceiling and cocked to left. She can't straighten her neck or hold it in an upright position. Her wings work. She has been pooping.
Its approximately 28 hours since the attack. The first 6 hours or so she just slept. Since then, her improvement has been modest, she attempts to stand infrequently, but needs to lean against something (she is in a box with towels to prop her up. We keep moving her into position to keep her head/neck in alignment with back/spine. When she does move her head tends to move into a position as described above where her head is pointing straight up to the ceiling and cocked to the left side.
Have been giving her electrolyte water since this morning with a syringe, dripped onto her beak till she licks it up.
Upon further examination she has a wound on the base of her neck/top of breast. Slight skin tear, clumped feathers with what feels like a protruding bone, is probably the best way to describe it. Applied triple antibiotic ointment. Short of an Xray, assuming worst but hoping for best.
Any experienced help from vet or those who have had similar experiences is welcome.
Will update daily.
About 2pm yesterday, one of our 3 Rhode Island Reds (RIR) Chick, CHICK, Peep, was attacked by a hawk.
I was not present but my middle son hear squawking, opened the door to see the hawk flying up.
He ran to the coop where CHICK was laying crumpled, face down on the ground, beak open, breathing heavy.
He instructed the dog, Roman (Great Dane) to sit and keep watch while he ran to get a towel and box.
Gentle Roman stood watch as instructed. I arrived about 15 minutes after attack.
We placed her in a box and covered her with a towel in the bedroom where it was warm and quiet.
The most obvious injury being her neck was wobbly, as if broken. No additional obvious acute injuries other than ruffled, missing feathers. Her legs work in the sense that she can grip my finger and occasionally attempt to stand and straighten up but her head moves in a wobbly neck circle, ending up looking straight up towards ceiling and cocked to left. She can't straighten her neck or hold it in an upright position. Her wings work. She has been pooping.
Its approximately 28 hours since the attack. The first 6 hours or so she just slept. Since then, her improvement has been modest, she attempts to stand infrequently, but needs to lean against something (she is in a box with towels to prop her up. We keep moving her into position to keep her head/neck in alignment with back/spine. When she does move her head tends to move into a position as described above where her head is pointing straight up to the ceiling and cocked to the left side.
Have been giving her electrolyte water since this morning with a syringe, dripped onto her beak till she licks it up.
Upon further examination she has a wound on the base of her neck/top of breast. Slight skin tear, clumped feathers with what feels like a protruding bone, is probably the best way to describe it. Applied triple antibiotic ointment. Short of an Xray, assuming worst but hoping for best.
Any experienced help from vet or those who have had similar experiences is welcome.
Will update daily.