Chickens nearly plucked to death!

[azkatz]

hoping someone can offer advice on what I need to do.
this morning I found two out of my three chickens nearly plucked to death.
believe one of my dogs played with them in the night. the chickens have roamed free for months without the dogs showing an ounce of interest in them until now. can't be certain it was them but just a suspicion. they will forever be cooped/locked when I'm not watching them from here on out.

anyway, the two plucked chickens are still alive so far. I brought them indoors and keeping them in a box with food/water. what is suggested for wound care for them? should I bathe them? should I keep a heat lamp on them since they have no feathers? or would they do just as well outside? I noticed small bugs, look like tiny ants, crawling around in the box after putting them in there. what is good to get rid of them?

has anyone else encountered anything like this and is their recovery even possible?

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jjthink]

Need more info.

You don't say where you are located - that has a lot to do with knowing whether or not they would be cold right now. Certainly keep them in a comfortably warm small room perhaps with a heat source at one end so they can choose whether or not to be near it.

The birds have been utterly traumatized and could have internal injuries. Watch them extremely closely and check very carefully for wounds. You can clean wounds with 9 parts water to 1 part betadine and then apply neosprin topically. Deep wounds/serious wounds will likely also require oral or injectible antibiotics.

The most important thing initially is to bring about stress relief/calming - shock can kill birds as easily as wounds.

Electrolytes for shock. If no poultry electroltyes on hand, you can spritz Gatorade or Pedialtye on watermelon or other treats that will be accepted. (both of these things need to be refrigerated once opened)

Rescue Remedy (Bach flower remedy - health food store) - a few drops in water may help with stress and bring a calming effect. Small bottle lasts avery long time.

Cheer them up any way you can, so they have the will to get through this. Sunflower seeds. Cut up blueberries and grapes. Mealworms.

How many bugs are you seeing? If it was just a few ants don't do anything.

JJ

 

[azkatz]

I live near Phoenix so it is hot here. I just brought the chickens inside and keeping them in a box. I put aloe on the wounds so far. I do have electrolytes so I'll do that! Thank you!! Also got some diatamecous earth and sprinkled that on the bottom of the box and on lightly on them for the bugs. I got bit by them and have welts but I have really sensitive/allergic skin.