Advice Please: Post Coyote Attack

[Adolph Otto]

It's been an interesting hour. My chickens (3 English Orps) have been free-ranging in my yard since June. Aside from evidence of predators around the coop at night, there have been no issues during the day-until now. I thank GOD I decided to work on my AC unit today, which put me on the East side of the house. That's when the chickens started screaming. I stood up and at that instant two of them ran by me, followed by the coyote with the 3rd in his mouth. I yelled and went toward him, whereby he dropped the chicken and skipped off.
It took me 1/2 an hour to find her. The other 2 wouldn't let me near them, so I grabbed my shotgun and started searching for the missing one, all the while returning to try to coax the other 2 back to the coop. I was prepared to find her carcass.
Finally, she came out of hiding from under some shrubbery, and I was able to assess her condition.
She is limping. It looks like her left leg. No blood, or visible trauma. I picked her up and gently felt around. She didn't resist. So without having looked at the upper part of her leg I don't know what is causing the limp. She is drinking and eating. Any guidance would be gratefully accepted. Thanks!

 

[picklestheduck]

It's been an interesting hour. My chickens (3 English Orps) have been free-ranging in my yard since June. Aside from evidence of predators around the coop at night, there have been no issues during the day-until now. I thank GOD I decided to work on my AC unit today, which put me on the East side of the house. That's when the chickens started screaming. I stood up and at that instant two of them ran by me, followed by the coyote with the 3rd in his mouth. I yelled and went toward him, whereby he dropped the chicken and skipped off.
It took me 1/2 an hour to find her. The other 2 wouldn't let me near them, so I grabbed my shotgun and started searching for the missing one, all the while returning to try to coax the other 2 back to the coop. I was prepared to find her carcass.
Finally, she came out of hiding from under some shrubbery, and I was able to assess her condition.
She is limping. It looks like her left leg. No blood, or visible trauma. I picked her up and gently felt around. She didn't resist. So without having looked at the upper part of her leg I don't know what is causing the limp. She is drinking and eating. Any guidance would be gratefully accepted. Thanks!

oh my that’s terrifying!!! Can you get some pictures of her? Is there any heat in her leg? She’s likely in shock too. Is she eating and drinking? I would suggest giving her some sugar water.

 

[Adolph Otto]

Thanks very much. She is drinking a little and eating a bit. Unfortunately, I cannot get a pic now ( yep, old school-no phone!). But my wife has a phone, and I can take a pic later this evening.She is holding her foot up off the ground, and she is hot, mouth-breathing. I will feel her leg for warmth. It's hot out, so I was considering bringing her into the cool part of the basement. What do you think?

 

[Adolph Otto]

Could you give me basic proportions sugar/water?

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Could you give me basic proportions sugar/water?

To make sugar water for chickens, mix around 3 tablespoons of table sugar for each quart of warm water.

You can also provide Gatorade if she shows signs of dehydration, but I'd try the sugar water first.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Also I really hope she recovers! A coyote experience can be scary.

 

[Adolph Otto]

Thank you very much.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Thank you very much.

Of course! That was a bold coyote to be out in plain day where you could see it. Hopefully it was not rabid. It probably sees your ladies as easy pickins if it wasn't too worried about being seen.

 

[FreeRanginChick]

Oh I'm so sorry about your chicken. The wild animals have been quite bold this year. As others suggested, sugar water will help get some extra energy in her to help her recover. If you have a tractor supply or similar farm store, I'd also recommend some poultry nutridrench. It has extra vitamins and minerals in addition to sugar that you can add to her water to help to avoid any deficiencies if she happens to eat less because of the pain.
I think bringing her into your basement temporarily is a good idea so she can rest comfortably and you can monitor her injury.

My dog attacked my roo (after he attacked me) a few months back. His injury was similar - he'd limp but there was no visible trauma. He fully recovered in about a week. I hope it will be the same for your hen.

Hopefully the coyote doesn't come back. If he does I'd fire a warning shot at him and hope that will deter him enough to stay away.

 

[Adolph Otto]

She loves the sugar water. I am heading out in a few for Nutri-drench-thanks for that! I actually did fire a warning shot. He came back (skinny little thing) after I rounded up the hens. He hasn't come back since the warning shot. We abut forest-land, separated by a stream. The daytime sighting concerns me, especially as we have grandsons 2,3 and 4 years old. I'll have to take him out if he comes on the property again. I also must consider a run, which I hoped wouldn't become necessary. I figure where there's one little rascal, there's another. Thankfully, with such a small flock I can keep them in the small run for now, with free access to the coop. Thank you, all. I'll keep you a- "breast!"