Chicken Coop Fire! Chicken Care Advice Needed!

[Teila]

As you are already getting some great care advice, I just wanted to add that I am also sorry that this happened and wish you and your feathered friends all the best

 

[azygous]

Just wanted to add that with burns, there may be internal burns that you can't see and often they can cause more pain than the external burns.

I was badly burned years ago on my legs, second degree mostly, a little third degree. But the worst pain in the first days following the initial burns was in my leg muscles. They had literally been cooked. Each time I would stand up after sitting down or if I stood too long in one spot without moving, my muscles would go into spasm. It was excruciating.

So if your chickens are acting like their legs hurt, it may be more than just the burns to their skin. Just be aware that their muscle matter may have also been affected.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update #2 - Morning of 01/07/2016 - The Afternoon after the Fire

Thank you all for the helpful advice! It' all really appreciated!

The speckled one's (who I will now introduce to you as Saige) face has gone down in redness and the wattles have reduced in size. I have them all in a small homemade spacious shed inside with the door leading outside propped open for allowance of fresh air, but not a lot (because it's 20 degrees below outside) and a heater set to turn on when it senses that the air is too cold around them. They are scared to go outside (they see the burned coop and the spot where it all happened and they run back inside).

Unfortunately, we are not in a good financial state where I can go see a vet and I'm stuck relying on helpful advice such as this (and this pains me because I want them to get the best care as possible and I'm dealing with my own injuries from this fire).

On a lighter note: My family laughs about the situation itself because we have been talking about doing some home improvements for years, and this fire was the universe giving us a nice good,swift kick in the butt to start on the house work. From today to now, there is now a beautiful french door where the shattered windows and wall where the fire hit our house.

Thank you for the update.

I do hope that your injuries from the fire heal quickly as well. You are doing good in taking care of them.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Chickenchick11]

I'm so sorry about your coop and hens! Poor things. The other BYCers on here have given you excellent advice, and I hope your hens pull through this.

 

[ZariaWeatherall]

Update: Tuesday (01/10)

All chickens are showing signs of improvement, except one. My Golden Sexlink, Tiny. I discovered her this morning flopped down to her stomach, wings spread out and wasn't able to move on her own. Her eyes are wide open and her head itself is moving around and making her usual chicken noises. She can still lift her head and eat (her crop is full) and drink, but other than that no movement. She keeps making this motion with her head and she opens her mouth, it looks like she's trying to throw something up. She is the only one whom after this traumatic event is the only chicken laying eggs daily. Should I be worried? I fear she wont make it.

 

[Blooie]

I am sure I'll be in the minority here, but what I would do is cull her. I know, I know...not what you wanted to hear, but there just comes a time when we have to look at the suffering and not just what we'd like to have the outcome be. Egg laying after a trauma isn't that uncommon and doesn't necessarily point to the chicken's chances of recovering. It simply means she had eggs already in the "assembly line" and they are just following the natural progress out. I am no vet - and I stress that - but it almost sounds as if her lungs are filling with fluid which would not be out of the realm of possibility after smoke inhalation and burns injuries. I'm sorry, but unless someone can chime in and offer a miracle I just don't see her making it anyway.

 

[ZariaWeatherall]

Update 01/19/2017

All chickens (including the golden sexlink) have seemed to have remarkable progress and are even starting to roam the yards again. Burns are healed or scarred over, feathers are growing back and daily routines are back to normal. They're even sleeping outside again (I managed to fix up our old dome shaped dog house and have it set up to where we installed a wire cage in the opening for easy in and out).

 

[Blooie]

You rock!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update 01/19/2017

All chickens (including the golden sexlink) have seemed to have remarkable progress and are even starting to roam the yards again. Burns are healed or scarred over, feathers are growing back and daily routines are back to normal. They're even sleeping outside again (I managed to fix up our old dome shaped dog house and have it set up to where we installed a wire cage in the opening for easy in and out).

That's great news!

Thank you for the update.

 

[Teila]

Update 01/19/2017

All chickens (including the golden sexlink) have seemed to have remarkable progress and are even starting to roam the yards again. Burns are healed or scarred over, feathers are growing back and daily routines are back to normal. They're even sleeping outside again (I managed to fix up our old dome shaped dog house and have it set up to where we installed a wire cage in the opening for easy in and out).

Wonderful news!