Dog Attack- Injured Chicken- Update and New Question

[Hokiechick]

UPDATE AND NEW QUESTION AT BOTTOM


Once again some dogs attacked our chickens. This time, one chicken was killed and taken off, and the other one my husband shot at and he dropped our little Buff Orphington.

She has puncture wounds, but wasn't really bleeding. We decided to see if we could help her, and have been cleaning the wound with peroxide and putting some really strong antibiotic ointment on it.

She's in a cage in the basement with a heat lamp. She's eating and drinking, but hasn't pooped since the day of her injury (Sunday). When we come near her, she makes a noise like she doesn't want us around. I imagine she's in pain and still pretty fearful.

Is there anything else we can be doing to help her? We were originally going to put her down, but my husband wants to treat her and if she seems to get worse put her down then. We just want to give her a chance.

I'm just so upset. This is the second time dogs have attacked our birds. What makes me more upset is that they obviously belong to someone but they won't take responsibility for what their dogs did. We have a leash law in our county.

 

[dawg53]

Once again some dogs attacked our chickens. This time, one chicken was killed and taken off, and the other one my husband shot at and he dropped our little Buff Orphington.

She has puncture wounds, but wasn't really bleeding. We decided to see if we could help her, and have been cleaning the wound with peroxide and putting some really strong antibiotic ointment on it.

She's in a cage in the basement with a heat lamp. She's eating and drinking, but hasn't pooped since the day of her injury (Sunday). When we come near her, she makes a noise like she doesn't want us around. I imagine she's in pain and still pretty fearful.

Is there anything else we can be doing to help her? We were originally going to put her down, but my husband wants to treat her and if she seems to get worse put her down then. We just want to give her a chance.

I'm just so upset. This is the second time dogs have attacked our birds. What makes me more upset is that they obviously belong to someone but they won't take responsibility for what their dogs did. We have a leash law in our county.

I would stop the peroxide and use watered down betadine, 50/50 solution. Neosporin (regular) or triple antibiotic to pack the puncture wounds is good. Continue packing the wounds with the ointment, she'll eventually heal. Dont give her anything for pain. You want her to feel pain. Pain will prevent her from moving or turning something internally or externally to injure her worse or maybe even to cause death. Give everything a chance to heal on their own, time heals. You can add some applesauce to her feed if you wish. Applesauce acts as a mild laxative in chickens.

 

[Hokiechick]

Thanks!!!

 

[Brownrexx]

We had our ducks attacked right in their pen which had an open top by a neighbor's dog a couple of years ago and we took them to the vet. He stitched a couple of the cuts but the treatment was antibiotic ointment (Neosporin) and some cream to prevent flies from laying eggs in the wounds but if you have your hen in the basement then you shuld be OK without this.

I contacted the neighbor and had a "discussion" about their pet entering my property and destroying my animals (2 died). They paid all of the vet bills which were $300 and got rid of their dog. I later found out that in PA I could report them for letting their dog run loose and destroy private property. They could have been fined and required to erect a 6 foot fence with Danger-Vicious Dog warnings on it.

You should check dog laws for your state or ask the police.

 

[Hokiechick]

Okay new question:

For a couple day there she didn't eat or drink. I noticed that this morning she apparently drank her water so I cooked her some eggs and she ate those as well. She seems to have perked up and isn't freaking out when we come around anymore.

I've been doing the antibiotic thing on her wound. But today it looks like some yellowish (not really bright green but maybe green/yellow) is underneath her skin around the wound. I am assuming this may be infection? Do we drain it (ouchies!) or is there something else we should be doing?

She seems to have the will to live. I want to give her a fighting chance.

 

[dawg53]

Okay new question:

For a couple day there she didn't eat or drink. I noticed that this morning she apparently drank her water so I cooked her some eggs and she ate those as well. She seems to have perked up and isn't freaking out when we come around anymore.

I've been doing the antibiotic thing on her wound. But today it looks like some yellowish (not really bright green but maybe green/yellow) is underneath her skin around the wound. I am assuming this may be infection? Do we drain it (ouchies!) or is there something else we should be doing?

She seems to have the will to live. I want to give her a fighting chance.

It sounds like infection has set in. I recommend penicillin G procaine injections. Jefferslivestock.com carries it as well as syringes with needles. Here's a link on how to do it, all the info you need: Post #2.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352701/how-do-i-administer-a-penicillin-shot-to-a-chicken