Dog bite

[Mother_Hen2011]

Well it was a matter of time before it happened... And it did... One of my hens was almost killed by my husbands dog.. She flew over the 6 foot fence and got in with the dogs. He bit her neck and theres a good size gash.. Nothing terriable but good enough to where she doesnt want to eat and she doesnt want to drink. This happened maybe 10 mins ago.. I know I need to give her some time. I cleaned it with a warm paper towel and than with some scarlet oil... I hope that helps heal it and that she will be fine. She is hanging out in a large dog crate at the moment. Not sure if I should put her back out there with the others.. Or let her relax the night away in the dog crate for the night. Any suggestions? Please

 

[CMV]

You'll need to keep her inside the crate away from other birds until the wound heals. You can disguise it with Blukote as it gets smaller, but while she still hurt, scared and stressed it is better that she rests quietly by herself. Don't worry about food and fluids today, but she's going to need to start drinking tomorrow. Add some Poultry Drench/NutriDrench to her water to give her a boost. Start her off with some soft, protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods- scrambled eggs are the perfect food for an ailing bird- when she's able.

I hope she does OK. She will probably be just fine.

 

[Ksane]

Leave her inside, keep it cleaned and make sure she eats good. Scrambled eggs, water, etc. Don't put her outside before it's healed or the others will pick her neck apart.
Clip one wing on each chicken and you won't have to worry about them flying over a 6' fence.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Im a first time bird owner and I don't know how to clip their wings. But as for now she will stay inside and I put some cracked corn and layers feed in there for now. Water as well. I will make her some scrambled eggs in the morning. Mixed with some plain yogurt. I don't have a lot of money so until she is healed she will stay inside. I think she will be alright. It looks more like a really bad scrap. I put scarlet oil on it and here in a little bit before I go to bed I will doctor it again with the scarlet oil. I'm hoping that scarlet oil is OK to use on her. I have neosporian as well so i will put that on there as well. she is only missing feathers around the wound. You have to lift up other feathers to see it.. The ducks and the other two hens are locked up for the day. I'm thinking about just keeping them in their coop for awhile.. All three hens were about to lay.. Now they are probably all to frightened to lay... Darn dogs..

Keep the advice coming please I will take all that you guys and gals will give.. Thanks soo much for all the wonderful advice.!! Don't know what I would do without BYC!!!

 

[chickbea]

How big is your pen? I cover my pens with bird or pond netting. You can buy it in quite large sizes. It has two benefits - keeps my birds in and keeps wild birds out.
I hope your girl is OK!

 

[Ksane]

Clipping wing feathers is so easy. Easier than clipping toenails and not painful at all. You just clip 5-8 feathers on 1 side, there's instructions all over the place on which feathers to clip if you ever get to the point of wanting to do it.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Quote:
My dogs fence is rather large.. Lol I have 5 dogs and my in laws whom live with us have 3.. We have 3 fenced areas. One in the backyard and two in the front yard. We live a good 5 miles outside of the city but we live in a kind of dead end country patch because we do have neighbors but we are seperated a good space away from each other. We live on about 2 acres. Our back fence (Where are dogs are let out numerous times a day to use the bathroom set infront of the chicken coop (With atleast 35 feet between the back gate and the coop door. We have one outside dog whom never comes in and he lives in the backyard (Not the dog that attacker my hen though. lol) My coop is about 7' tall about 5' wide and about 6' wide. With a run that stands about 5' high about 4' long and about 6'f wide and the run does have a cover. They free roam during the day and sleep cooped at night. They have never showed intrest in the backyard before.. Ive had them since April they live inside than. And than we moved them into an old duck coop we have out there until they got to big and than we moved them into the big hen coop lol. Anyways. They lived there about 2 weeks with out being let out to free range. Than we decided to let them start free ranging during the day and they would go back in their coop at night. They have never atempted to get back in the fence with the dogs.. Because the dogs can see the chickens and the chickens can see the dogs.. We have 2 large dogs and 2 small dogs and 1 tiny dog. lol the 2 big dogs were outside and the biggest dog (Hank) was the one that had grabbed her and I came running around the corner and yelled his name and he dropped her and took off to the back door with his tail tucked. rofl he knew he did something wrong. I guess she got a wild feather up her tushie.

I think she will be fine she started to eat her cracked corn and she seems to be doing alright. Tonight Im going to doctor her again and let her sleep with the ducks in their duck coop until she heals. (My dogs arent allowed to roam the house at night in fear of stains on the carpets.

) She is drinking a bit and eating a bit. Her name is Porscha but after this her name might just be Lunch because she was almost Hanks lunch lol

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

*****UPDATE*****

Well I moved my injured hen into a seprate coop yesterday and I went to check on her this morning and she is doing soooo wonderful she laid her first egg

My first egg and its sooo pretty and tiny and cute

IM sooo proud of her!!! Getting pics up in a moment