Chicken attacked by animal

[aohare]

I have a one year old hen that was attacked 3 days ago, I've had her in a kennel to heal but she still isnt standing normal instead shes standing very straight up. She's keeping her neck tucked against her body very tightly and still not eating and barely drinking.

I've been giving her water and electrolytes by dripping them on her beak which has been working okay for the water but I am looking for a solution to feed her.

I've been cleaning her wounds twice a day and spraying them with Vetericyn.

She also is on 1/2 a 250mg metronidazole from the vet though I'm not sure thats really the best thing and the vet has no experience with chickens.

Anyways the point it I'm looking for recommendations to feed her. I know most people recommend a tube feeding powder, I checked the vet and feed stores near me, none have any.

Also any thoughts on what may have caused the wounds so I know what I'm looking for outside wouldn't hurt.

Thank you
Aaron


The stuff in the cuts is triple antibiotic the vet had me put on after the visit tonitht


Her whole back up to the base of her neck has no feathers, her wings are covering most of her back right now


She wont extend her neck more than this

 

[Eggcessive]

KayTee baby bird feed may be available in pet stores or Walmart in the pet section. Casportpony has a good thread about tube feeding. Just go to the top of this page and do a search for "go team tube feeding." you also might consider putting a Tshirt over her back to hide her wounds, and letting her back in the coop with the others to see if she would eat and drink there. Stay with her there to make sure that she is not picked on. I had a hen last fall attacked by a neighbor's dog with similar wounds. She walked upright and limped for almost a month, but has recovered. She was not happy until she could join the others in the coop to eat and drink. Vetericyn is one of the best things to use on her wounds. You hen could have more severe injuries, so I hope that she gets better. Try offering her some chopped egg, tuna, liver, and some plain yogurt in addition to her normal feed. Adding warm water to the feed may get her to drink better.

 

[aohare]

Quote:
Thank you I'll go take a look at Walmart I didn't even think of checking there, my normal feed store owner called me tonight she is ordering some nutri drench and tube feed for me as well that will be here Monday. I put her back out with the other three she was raised with, I don't think I'm going to per her in the larger run with the other 15 until shes feeling better but she normally avoided that anyways and stuck with the smaller coup with these three.

Thank you again

 

[aohare]

So today she is back in one of the runs with the 3 she grew up with and shes just standing against the side of the run barely moving, still hasn't eaten anything, but she does seem to be drinking a little.
Is there any downside to giving them all electrolytes and probiotic?

Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

Electrolytes and probiotics would be okay to give the others, at least for a bit. Probiotics are good to use a couple of times a week normally to promote immunity. Will she eat some raw or cooked egg? You can make her feed runny with water which might get her eating some.

 

[aohare]

Electrolytes and probiotics would be okay to give the others, at least for a bit. Probiotics are good to use a couple of times a week normally to promote immunity. Will she eat some raw or cooked egg? You can make her feed runny with water which might get her eating some.

Right now with the injuries on her back I think its hurting her to lean down to eat, I got some "Chicken Crack" from the feed store today and held it in my hand in front of her, she ate a little but not much.

She is also having very watery yellow and white droppings which has me worried.

 

[aohare]

So not much has changed, she is drinking on her own now if the water is just below her head, she will not lean down for anything.

Still no luck on solid food, I was considering crop feeding her she has lost nearly a pound but I cannot find a suitable tube, any suggestions on where to get one? I saw people on here using 18fr catheters but havent found anybody locally that sells them. I can order them on Amazon and have them here in two days.

She is getting nutri-drench and probiotic in her water, she drinks at least 3-4 oz a day (since I had to raise the water anyways I put it on a kitchen scale to track how much she drinks)

I've tried a few different things, the only thing that she even tries for is the live meal worms really (maybe the feed stores chicken crack but I think she is playing with it more than anything) and with the meal worms she just picks them up and drops them (she ate two out of 50 on the plate today, the rest got dropped into the ground where they quickly disappeared.

Any suggestions on how to get her to eat or where to find a tube to feed her, this will be my first shot at tube feeding but I've seen some really good guides on here and don't see much alternative now.

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Sjisty]

You can find tubing in the fish department of your local pet store. Just cut the length you need. Hold a lighted match to the cut end for a couple of seconds to blunt any sharp edges made when cutting.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can fashion a crop feeding tube out of aquarium tubing from Walmart pet department plus a large 35 or 60 cc regular syringe. The end of the tubing must be burned with a lighter to soften the sharp edges. A local vet could sell you feeding tubes and syringes.

 

[aohare]

I'll check the aquarium tubing and call my vet tomorrow morning to see if they have anything.

I have plenty of 35cc and 60cc ll that I use in the large animal first aid kit I can use.

Thank you

You can fashion a crop feeding tube out of aquarium tubing from Walmart pet department plus a large 35 or 60 cc regular syringe. The end of the tubing must be burned with a lighter to soften the sharp edges. A local vet could sell you feeding tubes and syringes.