Feed for recuperating hens?

[gallusdomesticus]

This is my first post to the forum.

I live in N. Florida and have a small flock (7) of pet hens, barredrocks, buff orphingtons, and silver laced Wyandotts.

I have always been very careful about keeping the birds protected against predators but, unfortunately, my Ft Knox chicken yard construction did not adequately take into account a pit bull wedging himself in behind a loose board.

When I came home just after sunset, I chased the dog out the yard and found he had killed three hens and badly mauled three others. I took the injured hens to the closest emergency aviary vet 75 miles away and after lots of suturing have them back home in sick bay where they're getting topical and oral antibiotics. I think two will make it and its touch and go for a third.

The three hens lost blood and had considerable lacerations and loss of some skin. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I could improve their nutrition to help aid their healing? The are currently eating just their normal Layena Laying pellets. It seems like they should have something else, perhaps with more protein. They are in a 'recovery tractor' safe from predators and are being kept quiet and fed and watered well.
Any suggestions on this or their care?
Many thanks.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

This person needs:

1. Congrats on joining BYC!

2. Adulation for choosing the latin term for domestic chicken as a title.

3. HELP for chickens recuperating from injuries!

 

[SandraChick]

First of all....so sorry for your loss!

I would try to switch from layena to grower for two reasons.....One, I doubt they're laying anymore so the extra calcium will tax their renal system. Two- grower has better propotional diet for "growing"....and healing is a type of growth. I also think it has a higher protein %.

I would give them some pro-biotic yogurt daily. This will help to keep the biotic flora in their system from going out of whak from the antibiotics. Any yogurt with live cultures will do.

For protein....it there are lots of choices. But use them as "treats" don't make it their primary source of food.
-buy some mealworms
-cook up some ground beed (or any meat really)
-could add blood meal to the feed


Good luck!
Sandra

 

[dlhunicorn]

I think you can keep them on the layer with no problem (changing their feed can of and in itself be a stressor)... you can concentrate the nutrition in that by getting some baby parrot handfeeding formula (it is a powder you mix with water>you can find it at a good pet store) and mix some of that up to a porridge consistency and mix that thru their feed (moistening their feed is also good in and of itself but this way the nutrition is concentrated... often birds who are stressed will have malabsorbtion problems, and go "off" drinking sufficiently)

as treat you can give (unsalted) sunflower hearts (no shell) or crush them and put in with feed. Sprouted seeds are extremely nutricious.

 

[gallusdomesticus]

Thanks for your advice. My coworkers think I'm nuts to have shelled out a boat load of money on vet bills for my chickens but I'm glad to join a forum where others see chickens as special animals deserving our care.
R/