Dog Attack

[luvs2ride1979]

Well, I won't doubt you ladies and gents again... My chickens won't be free ranging without supervision! Yesterday my neighbor's kids came over to ride horses. Their parents decided to stop by, bringing their french bull dog. Their two bird dogs, who never do seem to stay in their yard, decided to show up from out of nowhere and attacked my flock. The stupid owners were too busy trying to grab injured birds to get their dogs... I kept yelling at them to get the dogs under control as I couldn't catch them. Finally the husband did. Mean while, 4 kids are watching the carnage, never mind them... So, I have one dead chicken, one dead duck, one injured duck, one critically injured chicken and one chicken with puncture wounds. I think the duck and punctured chicken are going to be okay. The duck has a huge gash across her chest, but only through skin. Muscle seems intact and I can't see any internal organs.

The critical chicken I'm not so sure about. I'm pretty sure she has a punctured lung. Her whole back is nearly stripped and she has two deep punctures. Has anyone had a chicken injured this badly survive? Should I just put her out of her misery?

I'm treating the wounds with Vertercyn (sp?), EMT gel, and Blu Kote. They're isolated on clean bedding with duramicin (sp?) in their water. I made hot mash for breakfast with chick starter and honey. No one seemed real interested in the food, but the duck and the not so injured chicken drank some water. Is there anything else I can do for them? We don't have any vets in our area that work on birds (pets or livestock), so I'm on my own.

My husband and I are planning a nice big chicken/dog run in the backyard, where our dogs can keep them safer. We'll be buying supplies today to get started.

 

[JakRat]

OMG HOW HORRIBLE!

Yeah I think that they shouldnt have brought their BIRD dogs over... They should replace your lost hens (though that wont take the pain of missing them away but each bird is an investment). From what I have seen hens and ducks can heal almost miraculously. I would definitely keep them separated like you are doing and maybe get some bluekote to put on them. That stuff works amazingly!! I had a little girl with a puncture wound and it dried it up and kept it clean. It does stain though, so you will have some colorful girls for a while

. There is a post below of a hen that had a very bad head injury I think it is "hen with head injury graphic pics". There is some great info there. Good Luck!

 

[evenstargirl]

That is so frusterating! I am so sorry. We don't let our chickens free range for the same reason. We have way too many folks' dogs end up in our yard. Good luck with the wounded. I had a Silkie roo get badly injured once, and I was amazed by how quickly he recovered.

 

[curious1969]

I am so sorry for your loss!! I hope the others recover, they are quite tough and resiliant. Best of luck

 

[BamaSilkies]

If they arent interested in food and water they are probably in shock from being attacked. You need to keep them warm and encourage the eating and drinking. Maybe add some vitamin/electrolyte in their water if you dont have it add a little sugar to water for energy.

 

[luvs2ride1979]

Well, we lost the Ameraucana that was badly injured with a punctured lung. I was going to give her 24 hours to see how she did and she didn't make it that long... The injured duck and Wellsummer are doing okay. Both are drinking, though neither are interested in feed, dry or wet mash. I am giving them Save-a-Chick in their water tonight and I think I'll make a mash of corn meal, nutri-drench, and sugar and see if I can hand feed them that. The duck (a Welsh Harlequin) gets very agitated if I try and handle her at all, so I have been trying to give her privacy, but I still need to doctor her wound twice a day and see if I can force feed her. I hope the stress of my handling doesn't make anything worse. She is moving around fine and quacking when she hears the rest of the ducks talking outside the garage.

I feel so bad for my poor babies. I bought all of the materials needed for their new 40x40' chicken & duck yard today. We'll hopefully get it done early next week. We're using 8' t-posts and 6' tall welded wire fence with some plastic chicken wire flopped over toward the inside of the pen. Hopefully that will keep the girls in (I'll clip their wings too, just to be sure).

 

[One of the girls]

The dog owners need to at the very least reimburse you for your livestock losses and medical expenses. Goodness the ignorance of some people.

Suppose you weren't there at the time of the attack??? What then? Would they have left a note of condolence with their contact info?

I wonder . . .

 

[Henny peeny]

I had a dog attack and I told the poeple who had the dog and the owner before if the dog gets in with my chickens again I will kill it dead I had goats and a big dog digging under and told that owner it wold be shot if I saw it hurting my goats the big dogs owners put a electric fence and the other owner I have not seen the dog near my chcicken and the first time ( long story) I didn't have my 22 cal so all I could do is catch the dog the chicken attack my two Cornish X had blood one had a pucture wound and the other looked like the feathers had been pulled out. I disn't know if both would livew due to the stress of the dog attack or if the wounds were so bad it wasn't after the fact I saw how bad it was and the chickens made a full recovery.

But these people know around here a dog gets shot if it destroys livestock. Yup you hate to be mean but I would tell them if they can't get their animals under control; then they will be shot you have every right to PROTECT you livestock.

Rhayden

 

[luvs2ride1979]

Oh yes, they will be paying. They have offered twice to replace the chickens, so I think they understand. I will be saving my receipts for the recovery as well. I have bought a lot of first aid supplies and medication for them.

I ran in to the husband today walking a horse back from a ride and he said he was putting up a invisible fence that he has used at his last home, and making sure the dogs are trained for it and won't break through it. They are just ignorant about country living, but it seems they are nice people and are trying.

I just got back in from doctoring and the Wellsummer ate up the mash I made with some vigor. I mixed corn meal, cream of wheat, sugar, and nutri-drench. She really seemed to like it once she got a couple of bites. I think she's going to do well. The duck wouldn't eat anything, but she's not as used to being handled and wasn't pleased with hand-feeding. Her wound is looking a bit better though and it looks like she drank and pooped, so I'm hopeful. Tomorrow I'm going to expand her area and try putting another duck in with her and see if she will encourage her to eat.