Chicken Attacked by dogs Injured kneck

[Joze805]

I have a chicken exactly what kind it is I have no clue. For some reason my dogs decided to attack 2 of my 3 chickens. One I found dead upon arriving home. The second one I found hiding under a bush seemed to be in shock. I replayed video footage of security cameras I have in my yard. I am shocked at what my dogs have done they are well known to the chickens we have had them for well over a year in the yard with the dogs. After replaying video footage I am surprised this bird is alive...I think it pretended to be dead and the dogs became bored with it. I saw them yanking on its wing and one biting on its neck. The injuries happened 24hrs ago and this chicken survived being out in the open in 110 degree weather. I have read up more on these forums. I am needing guidance on what to do next. I have cleaned her with hydrogen peroxide, she has the lower part of her neck skin cut and curled up beyond being stitched. I had to shower her with water ants were trying to eat her.


Her current behavior Is very mellow "obviously hurt" she will drink water if I feed it to her.
Currently no bleeding minor cuts near wing a small cut/puncture to top of head, sever skin damage to lowest part of neck to her back.
I have given the bird minimal water.... "what should I be giving her??"
Havent seen her poop.
I have rinsed the wounds in hydrogen peroxide, little bit of aspirin in the water I have given her, neoporin on the gash on head and cut on wings.
I feel I can administer treatment myself and would like to try and do so.
I have her in a dog kennel in my dark laundry room with towels for bedding.


Main questions what do I feed her she wont eat her pellet and should I put something in the water I'm giving to her?

I will get some photos posted as soon as I give her another rinse later today

 

[kitkat5505]

Get some chicken vitamins/electrolytes (nutridench, save-a-chick) and try to get her to drink that. If you need to rinse wounds again saline water is a better option than hydrogen peroxide. I think it sounds like your doing a good job so far. You can try making some scrambled eggs or wetting her food (will also help her get some water) to get her to eat.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

So sorry for your loss and experience.

Sounds like you are doing great.

I would offer scrambled egg and only high protein treats (it's the amino acids in them). Most my birds in shock won't eat for a couple days. They won't starve to death but HYDRATION is key. I would offer electrolytes. Simple recipe is... 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons sugar (brown preferred), 1/2 teaspoon each salt AND baking soda. stir until dissolved and serve full strength. If you have poultry vitamin or Poly Vi Sol baby vitamins with NO iron, a few drops is good.

If she is drinking on her own, I might not push. But if she isn't drinking, then I place drops off my finger just below the nostrils and when it rolls around into their beak they gobble it maybe every half hour.

It's unfortunate this happened. Is there any way as a dog owner myself, that you might post your video? You might update your headline with warning of graphic content, if so.

Had a duck scalped by a raccoon recently. Took 4 days before she started SLOWLY eating. Now she is back to bathing and acting MOSTLY normal about 2 weeks later. Barring infection, I know she is going to make it. For fear of causing more trauma and inexperience with ducks, only support she got was lots of places with extra clean water for drinking and possible bath.

My dogs have been with the birds for 6 years now. But I can tell when we have little it's extra tempting. And ANYTIME there is a GOOD pecking order dispute I can tell the dogs desperately want in on it. So in no way do I consider us immune!

However even though it is unacceptable, fact is our dogs are here to stay and I would never choose a chicken over one of them. I would have disappointment and hurt, and the dogs OF COURSE would know it. When I know there will be extra temptation, like we are going to be gone for a very long time (all day or more), I add extra layers of security like locking the dogs up OR locking the chickens up. We added an extra fence close to the house so the dogs can still access the yard to do their business.

Hang in there!

 

[Joze805]

Get some chicken vitamins/electrolytes (nutridench, save-a-chick) and try to get her to drink that. If you need to rinse wounds again saline water is a better option than hydrogen peroxide. I think it sounds like your doing a good job so far. You can try making some scrambled eggs or wetting her food (will also help her get some water) to get her to eat.

Thank you for your quick reply!
I am very concerned about infection these wounds In my thoughts are dirty, feathers stuck and random debris from bushes it hid in...when I try to remove its as if I'm pulling it out of her skin. Reminder these woulds are over a day old and the sun/heat dried them up...should I consider anti biotics orally or injection.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Note the reason scrambled eggs are good is because they have all the nutrients and micro nutrients required to sustain life as well as being easy to digest.

I have read of people in desperate situations giving just raw yolk with great success. No personal experience though.

 

[Joze805]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

So sorry for your loss and experience.

Sounds like you are doing great.

I would offer scrambled egg and only high protein treats (it's the amino acids in them). Most my birds in shock won't eat for a couple days. They won't starve to death but HYDRATION is key. I would offer electrolytes. Simple recipe is... 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons sugar (brown preferred), 1/2 teaspoon each salt AND baking soda. stir until dissolved and serve full strength. If you have poultry vitamin or Poly Vi Sol baby vitamins with NO iron, a few drops is good.

If she is drinking on her own, I might not push. But if she isn't drinking, then I place drops off my finger just below the nostrils and when it rolls around into their beak they gobble it maybe every half hour.

It's unfortunate this happened. Is there any way as a dog owner myself, that you might post your video? You might update your headline with warning of graphic content, if so.

Had a duck scalped by a raccoon recently. Took 4 days before she started SLOWLY eating. Now she is back to bathing and acting MOSTLY normal about 2 weeks later. Barring infection, I know she is going to make it. For fear of causing more trauma and inexperience with ducks, only support she got was lots of places with extra clean water for drinking and possible bath.

My dogs have been with the birds for 6 years now. But I can tell when we have little it's extra tempting. And ANYTIME there is a GOOD pecking order dispute I can tell the dogs desperately want in on it. So in no way do I consider us immune!

However even though it is unacceptable, fact is our dogs are here to stay and I would never choose a chicken over one of them. I would have disappointment and hurt, and the dogs OF COURSE would know it. When I know there will be extra temptation, like we are going to be gone for a very long time (all day or more), I add extra layers of security like locking the dogs up OR locking the chickens up. We added an extra fence close to the house so the dogs can still access the yard to do their business.

Hang in there!

When we were outside she went to drink on her own but her necks skin is badly torn so she didn't try to drink again after that. I found a small syringe from childs medicine bottle and I lightly touch her beak and she would open it a little bit for me to put droplets of water into her mouth and she would drink it with my help. I will try feeding some egg or wet food.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Problem with anti biotics is they kill the good stuff too. I would do topical triple anti biotic, if any.

Epsome salt bath is the usual recommendation. Agree, avoid the hydrogen peroxide as it can actually hinder the healing process, though I don't remember by which means.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

When we were outside she went to drink on her own but her necks skin is badly torn so she didn't try to drink again after that. I found a small syringe from childs medicine bottle and I lightly touch her beak and she would open it a little bit for me to put droplets of water into her mouth and she would drink it with my help. I will try feeding some egg or wet food.

It was EXACTLY the same for my little duck! There was nothing but raw flesh on her neck. Still is, but it's starting to itch her... which is a good sign because they nerve endings are growing back. She hardly moved the first several days.

The body is an amazing self healing device! It's not even sci-fi but science reality.

 

[Joze805]

It was EXACTLY the same for my little duck! There was nothing but raw flesh on her neck. Still is, but it's starting to itch her... which is a good sign because they nerve endings are growing back. She hardly moved the first several days.

The body is an amazing self healing device! It's not even sci-fi but science reality.

She is eating the raw yolk on her own I hold it up and she dives right in for it.

If you had a choice do you recommend the triple ointment over blue kote/vetericyn?

 

[coach723]

You've received really good advice on caring for your injured bird. I sincerely hope she recovers. My preference is veterycin and neosporin for wounds. Most dogs have some prey drive, they are predatory by nature. Some have super strong drive, some less so. For a dog, chasing and catching is kind of hardwired into them. It's FUN for them and exciting and the more the target squeaks and squawks and flaps the more excited they get. The reason many, many dogs like squeaky toys. The only way to harness that is training, and lots of it. And without a lot of training a dog that will behave well while you are there, may not behave well while you are gone. Pretty much the rule should be that if you are not 100% sure of what the behavior will be, don't allow the dog to be in the situation. I have a rescue dog (whom I adore) with VERY strong prey drive (she will lose her mind chasing a squirrel or rabbit or whatever) and she will NEVER be allowed near my birds. She is leashed and with me, or just not out there. They are not bad dogs, they are just doing what comes naturally to them. I'm sorry this happened, hopefully you can manage both so you can live in peace with them all.