Advice on hawk(??we think) attack, please

[Just4chicks]

**Warning** this is super long but I wanted to be thorough to get the best advice )
Christmas morning while we were busy with holiday festivities, something attacked our 4 girls. We've seen hawks in the area and since our injured girl (Filay) has puncture wounds that would likely match a grab, that's our best guess. Any help with identifying the attacker is of course welcome

My top 3 things I would like advice on for now are:
1- AM I TAKING CARE OF HER RIGHT/ IS SHE MENDING WELL?
With very helpful threads here and my ongoing experience with accident prone children lol, I felt comfortable taking care of Filay initially. Now, I'm feeling like a little confirmation that I'm on the right track, since humans and chickens are a little different, would be good. I don't want to foolishly assume we're all good when I have so much to learn still.
PATIENT DETAILS: Filay is a Barred Rock, not quite 11 months old, has been laying since August, is kind of mother figure of the flock- first to lay and bossy, but not as mean as her sister (Miss Pecky). She has, as far as I know, always been healthy.
INCIDENT DETAILS: Like I mentioned above, it happened Christmas morning so I don't have any facts on the attack itself. I went out to check on them a couple hours later because nobody was out in the run like they usually are. There were feathers everywhere and blood spots that went up into the coop where they were all huddled together. I coaxed them out and saw that Filay was missing half of her feathers but she didn't act injured. I brought her into the house for further inspection anyway and found numerous injuries- a couple deep punctures, several shallow punctures and abrasions. I bathed her, both to see all the wounds and to clean them out. After a lot of messing with her yet her remaining still I decided she must be in shock. I got confirmation of that next day when she was not as compliant.
TREATMENT: Cleaned her up with a handheld shower, used h.peroxide to help flush wounds, gave her an Epsom salt soak next day, been using Rooster Booster wound spray twice a day and have upped her protein with scrambled egg (only initially to get her to eat) and meal worm snacks. Also have been adding water to her layers pellets to increase her water consumption which seems low. Although, today I brought her sister in for a short visit and Filay drank/ ate more than ever. She was fairly slow, maybe weak, looked like it hurt to move, the first couple days. Today though she seems mostly herself, especially when Miss Pecky was in with her. She does have bruising around the deeper wounds and did reopen one of her deep spots which bled some but is now sealed again. I feel like she's not eating/ drinking as much as normal but she is pooping regularly.
What else should I do or not do?
I'll post my most recent pics of the worst spots but I do have more pics if needed.

2- WHAT DO I DO SO SHE CAN REJOIN THE FLOCK ONCE HER WOUNDS ARE HEALED?
She has a huge patch of feathers completely gone. How long before it fills in again? I don't want her to get pecked to death on her bald spot! Do I put a sweater on her or ?? I could also use pointers on the actual rejoining the flock part.
I will post a pic of her bald patch.

3- THE OTHER THREE GIRLS STILL WON'T COME OUT OF THE COOP FOR MORE THAN A MINUTE. WHAT'S WRONG?
It has been colder outside this week but their coop is only slightly heated. Plus, today was above freezing and still they will only come out to hurriedly grab a bite and drink if I coax them out and stand there with them. As soon as I walk away they run back in the coop. I also haven't had any eggs since the attack. I normally get 2-3 a day- my younger girls aren't regularly laying yet. I know they were pretty scared but I thought chickens had a short memory? I'm not sure what to think or do. Suggestions??

If you've read this novel and have advice to share thank you so much!

 

[Just4chicks]

It doesn't want to load the other pic of the deep punctures. I'll keep trying...

 

[Just4chicks]

There it goes! This is the other two deep punctures...

 

[pennyJo1960]

**Warning** this is super long but I wanted to be thorough to get the best advice )
Christmas morning while we were busy with holiday festivities, something attacked our 4 girls. We've seen hawks in the area and since our injured girl (Filay) has puncture wounds that would likely match a grab, that's our best guess. Any help with identifying the attacker is of course welcome

My top 3 things I would like advice on for now are:
1- AM I TAKING CARE OF HER RIGHT/ IS SHE MENDING WELL?
With very helpful threads here and my ongoing experience with accident prone children lol, I felt comfortable taking care of Filay initially. Now, I'm feeling like a little confirmation that I'm on the right track, since humans and chickens are a little different, would be good. I don't want to foolishly assume we're all good when I have so much to learn still.
PATIENT DETAILS: Filay is a Barred Rock, not quite 11 months old, has been laying since August, is kind of mother figure of the flock- first to lay and bossy, but not as mean as her sister (Miss Pecky). She has, as far as I know, always been healthy.
INCIDENT DETAILS: Like I mentioned above, it happened Christmas morning so I don't have any facts on the attack itself. I went out to check on them a couple hours later because nobody was out in the run like they usually are. There were feathers everywhere and blood spots that went up into the coop where they were all huddled together. I coaxed them out and saw that Filay was missing half of her feathers but she didn't act injured. I brought her into the house for further inspection anyway and found numerous injuries- a couple deep punctures, several shallow punctures and abrasions. I bathed her, both to see all the wounds and to clean them out. After a lot of messing with her yet her remaining still I decided she must be in shock. I got confirmation of that next day when she was not as compliant.
TREATMENT: Cleaned her up with a handheld shower, used h.peroxide to help flush wounds, gave her an Epsom salt soak next day, been using Rooster Booster wound spray twice a day and have upped her protein with scrambled egg (only initially to get her to eat) and meal worm snacks. Also have been adding water to her layers pellets to increase her water consumption which seems low. Although, today I brought her sister in for a short visit and Filay drank/ ate more than ever. She was fairly slow, maybe weak, looked like it hurt to move, the first couple days. Today though she seems mostly herself, especially when Miss Pecky was in with her. She does have bruising around the deeper wounds and did reopen one of her deep spots which bled some but is now sealed again. I feel like she's not eating/ drinking as much as normal but she is pooping regularly.
What else should I do or not do?
I'll post my most recent pics of the worst spots but I do have more pics if needed.

2- WHAT DO I DO SO SHE CAN REJOIN THE FLOCK ONCE HER WOUNDS ARE HEALED?
She has a huge patch of feathers completely gone. How long before it fills in again? I don't want her to get pecked to death on her bald spot! Do I put a sweater on her or ?? I could also use pointers on the actual rejoining the flock part.
I will post a pic of her bald patch.

3- THE OTHER THREE GIRLS STILL WON'T COME OUT OF THE COOP FOR MORE THAN A MINUTE. WHAT'S WRONG?
It has been colder outside this week but their coop is only slightly heated. Plus, today was above freezing and still they will only come out to hurriedly grab a bite and drink if I coax them out and stand there with them. As soon as I walk away they run back in the coop. I also haven't had any eggs since the attack. I normally get 2-3 a day- my younger girls aren't regularly laying yet. I know they were pretty scared but I thought chickens had a short memory? I'm not sure what to think or do. Suggestions??

If you've read this novel and have advice to share thank you so much!

neosporin in the wounds is the best how is she acting now ? eating drinking, pooping ?
looks like you have it under control pretty darn well

 

[AmazingRachel]

Yeah, looks like a hawk attack for sure.
1. You're doing everything right so far. Use Blue-Kote, it's an anti-septic spray that you can spray right onto the punctures and abrasions. Since it's blue, the chickens won't peck at it. Give her some electrolyte water since she seems a bit off.
2. The feathers will regrow in a couple of weeks to a month. You can expect pin/blood feathers to start appearing in a week/several days. Do not put her in a sweater, it would to more harm than good because it doesn't let the remaining feathers fluff up and trap heat. I doubt the other chickens will peck at the bald spot, especially since she seems to be top hen.
3. That's kind of to be expected. Stress from an attack and the stress of a missing top hen can cause them to be scared of going outside and can stop egg production. It should resume in a couple of days.

In the future, try and secure the run with hardware cloth or at least cover the top with netting if it's not already covered.

 

[Just4chicks]

Her behavior seems to be steadily improving, more energy, more alert, back to pecking at things with curiosity. I was a little worried about how little she was eating and drinking but that also is increasing and there is plenty of poop.

 

[AmazingRachel]

Her behavior seems to be steadily improving, more energy, more alert, back to pecking at things with curiosity. I was a little worried about how little she was eating and drinking but that also is increasing and there is plenty of poop.

Yeah, stress can have a pretty strong effect on them. You could start introducing her back into the flock with supervision. If the others peck at the wounds, take her out immediately.

 

[Just4chicks]

Yeah, looks like a hawk attack for sure.
1. You're doing everything right so far. Use Blue-Kote, it's an anti-septic spray that you can spray right onto the punctures and abrasions. Since it's blue, the chickens won't peck at it. Give her some electrolyte water since she seems a bit off.
2. The feathers will regrow in a couple of weeks to a month. You can expect pin/blood feathers to start appearing in a week/several days. Do not put her in a sweater, it would to more harm than good because it doesn't let the remaining feathers fluff up and trap heat. I doubt the other chickens will peck at the bald spot, especially since she seems to be top hen.
3. That's kind of to be expected. Stress from an attack and the stress of a missing top hen can cause them to be scared of going outside and can stop egg production. It should resume in a couple of days.

In the future, try and secure the run with hardware cloth or at least cover the top with netting if it's not already covered.

Is there an electrolyte water just for chickens or will any do? How long will she need it?
The most open part of their run has wire netting across the top and there's a small-branched tree/ bush that covers the other side. I'm not sure how the hawk dove in but we are working on full coverage now and our big dogs have been alternating guard duty since the attack.

 

[Just4chicks]

Yeah, stress can have a pretty strong effect on them. You could start introducing her back into the flock with supervision. If the others peck at the wounds, take her out immediately.

I brought her sister in today just to see. She didn't peck at Filay's wounds but she was pretty busy eating and drinking. They've been hiding out in the coop so much she was rather hungry. Am I right to leave their food/ water where it normally is, even though they're scared to come out of the coop?
Upside is Filay ate better than ever with competition/ company around

 

[AmazingRachel]

I brought her sister in today just to see. She didn't peck at Filay's wounds but she was pretty busy eating and drinking. They've been hiding out in the coop so much she was rather hungry. Am I right to leave their food/ water where it normally is, even though they're scared to come out of the coop?
Upside is Filay ate better than ever with competition/ company around

yeah, you can leave it where it is. If they are hungry or thirsty, the will eat or drink. Adding Filay back in the flock should boost their confidence also.