One of my chickens was attacked by a dog this morning. She lost a lot of feathers, but wasn't bitten. What should I look for in the feather loss areas?
I'm certainly no expert, but pending their advice, i would bring her indoors, keep her in a dark place and give her some food and vitamin supplements / electrolytes. She is very likely to be in shock and so will benefit from some warmth and isolation for a short while at least. All the best CT
My hen got attacked last Tuesday. She is fine now. Look around her under all her feathers, around her vent, etc. and see if she has any wounds whatsoever. Little or small. If there are any, clean them with an Epsom salt mixture. If there are any deep wounds clean them regularly (every few hours) and wrap with non stick gauze. Same if she is missing any skin. To prevent pecking, you can spray blu cote on it or rub some pick-no-more lotion on it. If you use neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment, don't use any with painkillers or the suffix -CAIN in the ingredients. Keep her seperated for a day or two. Make sure she is eating and drinking. To make her feathers grow back faster, you can giver her extra protein: mealworms, salmon, etc. when you put her back with the flock, you can make a chicken "saddle" for her to cover up. It will keep her warm in her bare area and prevent all your chickens and her from pecking it. You get a scrap of fabric and cut two large slits for her wings. She'll fuss at first, but after a few minutes she'll be fine. Best of luck!!!
