We got our Lucy back in October and have been letting her free range around our house, however, last night she was attacked by a feral cat that's been creeping around for a few days (and who I wrongly assumed to be harmless).
I am not sure what to do now and need some advice.
She's a white leghorn, 45 weeks old. She did manage to toss the cat about a little bit, they rolled across her coop, but we didn't get out there until the cat had pinned her to the ground. She has from what I can tell a gouge in her neck and I think her wing might be broken (she won't move it and it does not feel like the other one but I can stretch it out for her and otherwise it appears to be uninjured).
I stopped the bleeding right after she was pounced on last night put a towel in a box put her on our front porch right next to the door and placed another box over the first one. I then put a couple rocks on the box flaps to keep it weighted down and (hopefully) prevent any more attacks. (I have several indoor cats and cannot bring her inside for fear of more trauma to her nerves and the risk that they might hurt her too). I also called several vets last night only one of whom would talk to me about chickens.
This morning my husband and I went to the vets office and picked up some medicine (betadine) to apply to the wound itself. When we got home we took her out of the box, and put her out in the yard - I tried to wash off some of the blood and dirt, and did a bit more thorough exam on her. Both her legs will extend fully, but is keeping one clutched (except for when I extended it). Her wings will also fully extend and occasionally she will extend the right wing, however I have yet to see her move her left wing since being injured. There are a lot of matted feathers and I cannot get all the blood to come off. I am also having trouble telling if one of her wattles has been torn or if perhaps that is the exposed wound. I am afraid to mess with the gouge too much because I don't want to cause any further pain or trauma and I don't really have any experience with animal injuries.
We have kept her in the box all last night and today with towels and warm water bottles surrounding her. However, we've had snow, sleet, rain and freezing conditions today; yesterday it was in the mid to high 60s.
She will respond somewhat by bobbing her head a little bit but most of the time she keeps it tucked down over the wound. She is weak and unable to keep her balance. Every-time I think maybe it would be more humane to to let her go she bobs her head more or opens her eyes.
What do we need to do? I've got her warm and somewhat protected, am applying antibiotics to her neck wound as best I can, and am giving her a teaspoon of Gatorade every few hours (she will not eat, I've offered her her food several times today to no avail). Should I try to make a soft mash of food and force it on her - if so what should I make and how do I make her eat??
Also, how can I clean her and the wound better? The water and washcloth is not doing a good job, but I don't want to do something and hurt her worse, but don't want to leave it as is and the wound become infected (the vet warned that the wound could abscess if antibiotics were not applied).
Or is this just a case of she can't be saved and we should let her go... I really don't want to do this, but don't want to be selfishly trying to hold on either.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. thank you all so much.
I am not sure what to do now and need some advice.
She's a white leghorn, 45 weeks old. She did manage to toss the cat about a little bit, they rolled across her coop, but we didn't get out there until the cat had pinned her to the ground. She has from what I can tell a gouge in her neck and I think her wing might be broken (she won't move it and it does not feel like the other one but I can stretch it out for her and otherwise it appears to be uninjured).
I stopped the bleeding right after she was pounced on last night put a towel in a box put her on our front porch right next to the door and placed another box over the first one. I then put a couple rocks on the box flaps to keep it weighted down and (hopefully) prevent any more attacks. (I have several indoor cats and cannot bring her inside for fear of more trauma to her nerves and the risk that they might hurt her too). I also called several vets last night only one of whom would talk to me about chickens.
This morning my husband and I went to the vets office and picked up some medicine (betadine) to apply to the wound itself. When we got home we took her out of the box, and put her out in the yard - I tried to wash off some of the blood and dirt, and did a bit more thorough exam on her. Both her legs will extend fully, but is keeping one clutched (except for when I extended it). Her wings will also fully extend and occasionally she will extend the right wing, however I have yet to see her move her left wing since being injured. There are a lot of matted feathers and I cannot get all the blood to come off. I am also having trouble telling if one of her wattles has been torn or if perhaps that is the exposed wound. I am afraid to mess with the gouge too much because I don't want to cause any further pain or trauma and I don't really have any experience with animal injuries.
We have kept her in the box all last night and today with towels and warm water bottles surrounding her. However, we've had snow, sleet, rain and freezing conditions today; yesterday it was in the mid to high 60s.
She will respond somewhat by bobbing her head a little bit but most of the time she keeps it tucked down over the wound. She is weak and unable to keep her balance. Every-time I think maybe it would be more humane to to let her go she bobs her head more or opens her eyes.
What do we need to do? I've got her warm and somewhat protected, am applying antibiotics to her neck wound as best I can, and am giving her a teaspoon of Gatorade every few hours (she will not eat, I've offered her her food several times today to no avail). Should I try to make a soft mash of food and force it on her - if so what should I make and how do I make her eat??
Also, how can I clean her and the wound better? The water and washcloth is not doing a good job, but I don't want to do something and hurt her worse, but don't want to leave it as is and the wound become infected (the vet warned that the wound could abscess if antibiotics were not applied).
Or is this just a case of she can't be saved and we should let her go... I really don't want to do this, but don't want to be selfishly trying to hold on either.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. thank you all so much.