Chicken neck attack!! Help!

[Anabariful]

My poor hen Gretchen (7 months old) for some odd reason did not return to her coop last night and of course it was pitch black and raining all night. My husband and I looked for her for over an hour and couldn't find her. This morning I finally found her soaking wet, cold, and with an awful neck injury.

I brought her inside, irrigated the wound with warm soapy water, hydrogen peroxide, trimmed the feathers around it, put her in a clean plastic tote with straw and a heat lamp.

I just want some honest opinions if her wound looks too big/deep/serious for her to recover from and if I should put her down or if you think she can make it. Any other tips for caring for the wound? It wraps around to the back of her neck. We have coyotes, opossums, and stoats on our property. guessing opossum or weasel?

We had a rooster several months survive a dog bite on his back end near the tail feathers. It was bad but definitely not this bad. I did the same thing with irrigation twice a day and he made a full recovery.

She seems alert, active (not as much as usual), walking/looking around. I haven't offered her any food or water yet since I was trying to let her rest and dry off.

 

[Kiki]

Get her water...she needs it asap.

Can you post a picture or two of the wound?

 

[Anabariful]

I feel so awful!! These pictures were taken before I cleaned her up. I'm prepared to put her down if need to. Her injury looks downright awful.

 

[MamaHen11]

I'm so sorry for you and your baby! I don't know how to help, but I hope she recovers

 

[Anabariful]

I'm so sorry for you and your baby! I don't know how to help, but I hope she recovers

Thank you for the kind words! <3

 

[WVduckchick]

Wow, I'm so sorry

Personally, I would give her some time to try to heal, as I've seen some miraculous recoveries. Looking at the wound, its amazing that she is still alive! so she must be pretty strong, and a fighter!

Oh, and I can't remember what/where I read, but peroxide is fine a time or two, but over-use isn't good. Sorry, I can't remember the details as to why. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

Best of luck!

 

[Nancy Williams]

It looks like the crop is exposed. Make sure there isn't a hole in the crop. If so, put her down or get a vet to sew her up. If it is just an open wound, keep it clean--check daily. Antibacterial soap and gentle washing daily. cover with neosporin. Keep food and water close by and don't reintroduce until she is completely healed!

 

[GretaGarboFirst]

Oh my! She appears alert to me. I also would wait and see. Definitely keep her warm and away from the other birds. She also does not appear in shock IMO. That is quite a wound and keeping it clean will be very important.

4 days ago my chicken , Sweetheart , was attacked by a Fisher. He actually ATE through my chicken wire and dragged her out of the hole he made in the wire. She appeared dead with a neck injury. She also had a blank look on her face and did not eat until TODAY!!! I brought her in my home and put her in a wire crate. Tried feeding her by hand and she just looked off into space and moved her little beak. Today she started pecking at the ground so i fed her canned fruit and a little cheese. She is not out of the woods yet but certainly has a fighting chance. Her wounds were not as extensive as your chicken. If you have a vet who could stitch her maybe that would be
a suggestion. However, don't give up....if she takes a turn for the worst you will notice it for sure and could then choose to put her down. We certainly learn about resiliency and courage from our chickens. Maybe keep your other chickens locked up for a bit to discourage the predator.
Best of luck to you.....I will be rooting for your courageous girl. Regards,

 

[GretaGarboFirst]

Oh, I also like the NEOSPORIN idea. Water and food definitely!!!!!

 

[Anabariful]

Wow, I'm so sorry

Personally, I would give her some time to try to heal, as I've seen some miraculous recoveries. Looking at the wound, its amazing that she is still alive! so she must be pretty strong, and a fighter!

Oh, and I can't remember what/where I read, but peroxide is fine a time or two, but over-use isn't good. Sorry, I can't remember the details as to why. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

Best of luck!

Thank you! She appears to be "okay" as of now. I saw her eating so fingers crossed she will pull through.