6month old rooster survived a bobcat attack but won’t eat or drink

[laritaxi93]

Have you tried sugar water to treat for shock? Mix 1 tsp sugar with 1 c warm water and add a pinch each of salt and baking soda. Stir or shake to dissolve. Put some in a small cup and hold it up to his beak. If he won't drink try dipping his beak in it. If he still won't drink, dip your finger in it and put a drop on the crease of his beak, being careful not to get any in his nostrils. Let him swallow. Continue until he refuses by shaking his head. Let us know if he takes any or refuses. You may have to syringe some into his beak and we can show you how, it's not hard. A dehydrated chicken cannot eat. If he drinks, offer him some of his regular food you have soaked with water to make a thin or medium gruel and see if he will take that. Good luck! Keep us posted.

Thanks so much for your advice! I have not tried sugar water or the gruel. I will try it tomorrow. How often should I be giving him food and water? I’ve been syringing electrolyte water and egg water into his mouth .The past couple days he cries out when we open his beak. We saw some mucus come out when we gave him water. Luckily today he fully drank the electrolyte water since the attack and we didn’t see mucus . But he’s been sleeping and lying down all day today.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can we see the wound?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

He looks really sick and miserable. Have you looked him over carefully all over for injuries, parting the feathers so you can see down to the skin, checking his vent for flystrike etc.? I don't like to let a wound scab over because I can't see what's going on under the scab. How does he smell? Is he pooping?

 

[Project Blue]

I'd bring him in under heat. Check his temperature against your healthy chickens and I bet he is struggling to maintain a normal temperature. I've used a forehead thermometer with a small injured chick and was surprised to see he was a couple of degrees lower than his peers. I'm not sure how accurate that kind of thermometer is with chickens, that's why the comparison with peers should give you a good idea if he's off.

 

[laritaxi93]

He looks really sick and miserable. Have you looked him over carefully all over for injuries, parting the feathers so you can see down to the skin, checking his vent for flystrike etc.? I don't like to let a wound scab over because I can't see what's going on under the scab. How does he smell? Is he pooping?

Yes, he is definitely miserable, sleeps all day. I will send a photo of the wound tomorrow. He has not pooped. I’ve brought him in the house in a crate . No fly strike. Didn’t see any other injury. The weather is cooler now so not much flies around . He doesn’t have a smell . We think it may be a head injury, because of the mucus and the stumbling around . He breathes normally. Eyes move normal when they’re open.