Dog attack. 1 hen gone 1 roo injured

[mikki717]

This is the part I really hate!

I have 2 German Shepherds, and over the last 2 weeks they have been AMAZING around the chickens. This morning though the dogs were nowhere to be seen and when I went out to the chicken yard, the gate had been bashed in and most of the chickens were gone. Thankfully they were in hiding... I thought I had lost at least 10 at first.

I found one dog with one chicken... actually all that was left was a foot. I heard a chicken crying, but he was in such a dense patch of bamboo it took me nearly 5 minutes to get in to him.

I got him inside and bathed, then blow dried him while DH went to the drug store for supplies. Speck, the roo, lost most of his tail feathers, some skin on his saddle, and feathers and skin from one wing. I didn't see any punctures, and there was no actual bleeding, just scrapes and trauma.

He is now Betadined, Neosporined and resting in a box in the spare bedroom. I put a heating pad under the box. Is there anything else I shoulb be doing for him?

I had been going towards the belief in regards to the dogs, "Trust but verify" but I guess that is just not going to be possible.

 

[JenEric Farms]

I'm so sorry. It sounds like you are doing everything right in regards to taking care of your injured roo.

 

[Dora'smom]

I'm so sorry. I hope your rooster recovers well from this attack.
Sometimes prey-drive overcomes training, and dogs just act from instinct. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[BarkerChickens]

I am SO sorry to hear that!! Here is a link to a post I had about a year and a half ago when I had two strays get two my hens. Both hens are fine and still ruling the yard. About two weeks ago, a houdini dog got through multiple fences and go another hen. The dog couldn't carry her out of his hole, so she got away. A large chunk of skin was ripped off and she had a puncture wound with lots of missing feathers. She is alive and doing very well also...another week or two and she'll be back outside.

If he doesn't have any puncture wounds, the what you are doing if plenty. BUT, if you see signs of infection from some unseen wound, get Pen-G (penicillin) from vet supply or a feed store. It is a thick serum (and shake it first!), so you will want larger (22 gauge) needles. You'll want to give 1/4 to 1/3 cc, once a day for 4 days. I am fairly new to chickens (raising chickens for about 3 years now...started with 6 hens...now we have 28 hens and 2 roosters

), but, boy, have we learned a TON in those 3 years (with much thanks to BYC!). If he just needs to grow feathers back, then you may want to get blue-kote or something similar to keep the others from pecking his new pin feathers out as they grow back in (chickens are oral and pin feathers are just too enticing to leave alone

).

I am really sorry you lost a hen, but I am glad you only lost one in what sounds like could have been a massive massacre!

I hope he feathers quickly and gets to go back out to the rest of his girls.

 

[cobrien]

In addition to what you are doing I would give him electrolytes and vitamins in the water, search BYC for details, or go to local feed store, I know people recommend poly vi sol infant vitamins to put in water. And I would feed tasty treats like yogurt and scrambled eggs.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
Cobrien has a good point.

If you get Poly-Vi-Sol, get it WITHOUT iron! The extra iron is not good for them.