chicken attacked by dog, neighbor said it was dead. . . .

emilyenorris

Chirping
5 Years
Jul 14, 2018
24
18
89
One of my white leghorns will not stay in the yard. My neighbor text me apologizing that their dog had killed on of my chickens. Fast forward 8 hours later (I was at work). I was walking near my back door and heard a squawk. Found a leghorn under the table under carport. She was wet. It had been raining. Counted chickens in back yard. The chicken under the carport was the "dead" chicken!!!

I wrapped her in a towel and brought her inside. She is able to hold her head up and keep her leg underneath her with both grips intact, but she can not stand up. She falls forward and uses her wing to balance. I do not see any external injuries, but there could be internal injuries.

The first evening(Tuesday) in the crate in the house, she laid a regular egg. The next morning(Wed), there was a soft shelled egg. Her comb is red and has pox. She has been fighting a nasty battle with fowl pox for a few weeks. She will pant at times with a clicking noise when she breaths. Sounds like it might be her nose. pox or injury from dog?

I have given her rooster booster with a dropper. She has been drinking some and eating a little bit.

If she had not squawked at me, I would have never known she was there or alive!

Is there anything else I can do for her? It has been about 48 hrs. Does she just need time??

Thanks.
 
She does need time, but I would place her inside a wire dog crate with food and water within reach. A chicken sling inside the crate would get her upright and able to eat. Hopefully her leg is just injured and will heal. It will take time and rest. Look for any puncture wounds or cut which could become infected or get infested with fly larvae (maggots.) For wound care, Chlorhexidene or Hibiclens is very good, or you can clean with saline or Vetericyn wound spray. Then when dry, apply plain antibiotic ointment twice a day. Trim away any feathers near wounds. Take some pictures of her and the wounds.

Does she have any air under her skin around the neck and sides, or any wounds on her back where the lungs are locate? I would mix up a bowl of wet feed, a little tuna, scrambled egg, or canned cat food, to hold up to her beak several times a day, and always have dry feed and clean water near her.
 

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