ShiviBear
Songster
Good morning all!
This is my first post here, I have been meaning to post a formal introduction for weeks after I signed up and unfortunately have now been forced to do so under these circumstances. So, hello wonderful people!
I am taking care of 58 hens and 4 roosters on a property I moved to roughly 6 months ago.
These are not my chickens, but I am mainly the only one taking care of them
Prior to this event, I had very little interaction with chickens and zero knowledge on raising them, but it is safe to say I literally fell in love with them and am now OBSESSED with chickens (they are SO much more intelligent then they let on
) and am learning as I go.
Anyway, last night as I was closing up the coop, I see a hen approach the outside gate of their enclosure. It was getting dark and she seemed to be walking normally and I even mentioned what a dummy she is to be wandering and that she can get hurt out there.
I then noticed her neck....she was missing a bunch of skin on her neck and a patch of skin on her head.
I opened the back field for them to scratch the best grass earlier and even though I usually hang out close as there are many hawks here, I admit I thought they would be fine for a few minutes. A hawk must have grabbed her during this time.
She is obviously a trooper to make it back to the coop...God knows how long she was out there before making it back, poor thing.
I put her in a box with some burlap bags and hay. I wanted to drench her neck with iodine but couldn't bring myself to do so as I thought it might hurt her terribly and had no help with her until the morning. So I smeared triple antibiotic on a large area of the scalping. I then realized that it doesn't hurt her as much as I thought it would...it barely fazed her and I kicked myself for not using iodine from the start.
I put some water and scratch grain in there with her and brought her to my cabin and put her in a warm, dark and quiet room. She actually picked on the grain when I put it in there last night.
She slept most of the night, I kept checking on her and she was just loafing in the box but would look up at me when I peeked in there and chirp quietly.
After reading a few threads about similar situations on here (Thank heavens for the Back Yard Chickens community ❤)
I have some hope she might make it, I will try all I can to help her. I did originally think of culling her thinking she was in much pain, but I am guessing chickens experience pain a little differently then we do. Still will if she is suffering.
I'm pretty sure she is an Isa Brown, relatively young, a little over a year. Sweet girl.
She is one of the skinnier ones, but holds her own.
She DID eat this morning, pecked at the scratch grain and even ate some chicken soup chicken I offered her in my hand.
Not sure if she drank water.
Pooped normally, nice looking poop.
So, my main questions are....
Can that much missing skin grow back?
Should I wash or put iodine on the wound now, 12 hours later? I did glob MUCH more triple antibiotic then I meant to, should I at least wipe some off so the wound can breathe?
I have injectable Tylan 50, although it is old.
Should I just start her on the antibiotics right off the bat or wait till I see signs of infection?
Is there anywhere where I can get injectable chicken antibiotics besides a vet (worse comes to worse I planned on calling my regular small animal vet to see if there is anything he can do, but he is FAR, so it's my last resort)?
I am making a house in a small dog cage for her right now and am willing to keep her there as long as necessary, but was thinking she might get lonely. Should I maybe keep her in the clean "injured bird" coop during the day so she can hear/see her family and bring her in to my cabin for the cold nights?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions and help, this community is so wonderful and helps SO many chicken owners. I feel very grateful that I can post this here. ❤
Here are some pictures, it was hard to make her stay still, can post more if it will help.
This is my first post here, I have been meaning to post a formal introduction for weeks after I signed up and unfortunately have now been forced to do so under these circumstances. So, hello wonderful people!
I am taking care of 58 hens and 4 roosters on a property I moved to roughly 6 months ago.
These are not my chickens, but I am mainly the only one taking care of them
Prior to this event, I had very little interaction with chickens and zero knowledge on raising them, but it is safe to say I literally fell in love with them and am now OBSESSED with chickens (they are SO much more intelligent then they let on
) and am learning as I go. Anyway, last night as I was closing up the coop, I see a hen approach the outside gate of their enclosure. It was getting dark and she seemed to be walking normally and I even mentioned what a dummy she is to be wandering and that she can get hurt out there.
I then noticed her neck....she was missing a bunch of skin on her neck and a patch of skin on her head.
I opened the back field for them to scratch the best grass earlier and even though I usually hang out close as there are many hawks here, I admit I thought they would be fine for a few minutes. A hawk must have grabbed her during this time.
She is obviously a trooper to make it back to the coop...God knows how long she was out there before making it back, poor thing.
I put her in a box with some burlap bags and hay. I wanted to drench her neck with iodine but couldn't bring myself to do so as I thought it might hurt her terribly and had no help with her until the morning. So I smeared triple antibiotic on a large area of the scalping. I then realized that it doesn't hurt her as much as I thought it would...it barely fazed her and I kicked myself for not using iodine from the start.
I put some water and scratch grain in there with her and brought her to my cabin and put her in a warm, dark and quiet room. She actually picked on the grain when I put it in there last night.
She slept most of the night, I kept checking on her and she was just loafing in the box but would look up at me when I peeked in there and chirp quietly.
After reading a few threads about similar situations on here (Thank heavens for the Back Yard Chickens community ❤)
I have some hope she might make it, I will try all I can to help her. I did originally think of culling her thinking she was in much pain, but I am guessing chickens experience pain a little differently then we do. Still will if she is suffering.
I'm pretty sure she is an Isa Brown, relatively young, a little over a year. Sweet girl.
She is one of the skinnier ones, but holds her own.
She DID eat this morning, pecked at the scratch grain and even ate some chicken soup chicken I offered her in my hand.
Not sure if she drank water.
Pooped normally, nice looking poop.
So, my main questions are....
Can that much missing skin grow back?
Should I wash or put iodine on the wound now, 12 hours later? I did glob MUCH more triple antibiotic then I meant to, should I at least wipe some off so the wound can breathe?
I have injectable Tylan 50, although it is old.
Should I just start her on the antibiotics right off the bat or wait till I see signs of infection?
Is there anywhere where I can get injectable chicken antibiotics besides a vet (worse comes to worse I planned on calling my regular small animal vet to see if there is anything he can do, but he is FAR, so it's my last resort)?
I am making a house in a small dog cage for her right now and am willing to keep her there as long as necessary, but was thinking she might get lonely. Should I maybe keep her in the clean "injured bird" coop during the day so she can hear/see her family and bring her in to my cabin for the cold nights?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions and help, this community is so wonderful and helps SO many chicken owners. I feel very grateful that I can post this here. ❤
Here are some pictures, it was hard to make her stay still, can post more if it will help.
