Hawk Attack, does my bantam have nerve damage?

[hensintheHOUse]

It sounds great. How is he doing now? I hope he will feel better soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds great. How is he doing now? I hope he will feel better soon.

Give him some time. Spinal cord or head injuries in humans will cause swelling and pressure to build up over 3 days, then start to go down. I sure hope he was just bruised instead of more serious injury.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a thread about an injured cockerel who has some nerve damage from being beaten up by other roosters. If you look through it you will see that he has overcome a lot in just a week or more. Here is Elvis: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/845005/need-immediate-help-to-save-juvenile-roo/60

 

[mvining]

Oh wow, thanks for link. The story sounds just like my roo. I don't have access to all the meds she has. Are those strictly from a vet? I have the sav-a-chic. I will get vitamins tomorrow or are they included in the sav-a-chic?

 

[Eggcessive]

Vitamins and electrolytes are usually both in the Save a chick--look at the label. Here is a link: http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=52241b1a-154d-4aad-8a3c-aaa954a4ed7c
The B vitamins and selenium are usually for treatment of wry neck which your guy thankfully doesn't have.

 

[gander007]

Welcome to BYC. Your little guy may have suffered some trauma to his nerves going to the legs. Can he move his wings? It is great that he is eating. Just make sure his food and water are close to him, keep him warm, and keeping in a crate or smaller area is good. There could be swelling near the nerves that may go down in a few days. I'm hoping his shivering is just shock or a temporary neurological condition. Keep us informed of his condition.

X2

 

[Cooper Farms]

Iam sorry to hear about your rooster. I have a dog tht hot a back injury and the vet Sid to keep her immobilized till she got better cause the movement could make it work aggravating the nerves

 

[attilathehen]

I don't know if this will help or not - but I have a silkie in a similar situation (only she won't eat or drink), and I've been working through her symptoms trying to figure out what is going on. I suspect it is wry neck. Anyhow, in case it helps you - my bird was attacked by a cat (I think), and had a small puncture wound in her neck. The wound is healing nicely, at least what I can see, but she is acting super strange. Almost like she had a concussion, which perhaps she did. Her head wobbles around, and initially she wouldn't stand up, or fell forward and kind of face planted into the bedding. The good news is that she seems to be getting steadily better. She stands and turns around, and even flapped her wings when startled. I pick her up, and her little legs strain like they want to walk. This morning I even heard a cluck. She is suddenly obsessed with preening herself, and dust bathing in her bedding. But her movements still seem altered, and less smooth. And she won't eat or drink. While her wound is healing well, I suspect/hope (given alternatives) there may be swelling inside, or nerve damage, either of which is causing balance issues, and, unfortunately, making her fast. If so, maybe time will heal them. But increasingly I suspect that it could be is wry neck. When she was attacked she could have twisted her neck somehow, which is now creating problems separate from the actual wound.

I relate all this because it sounds like you might be in a similar situation. Even if the hawk didn't cause a puncture, it may have twisted your birds neck funny? (A vicious peck to the head can be enough, allegedly, to cause wry neck in small birds, and I read bantams like silkies are particularly susceptible). If it is wry neck, I've read that vitamin drops (such as poly-vi-sol) can help. There are other remedies as well. (More info here: http://oureggbasket.blogspot.com/2013/04/wry-neck-or-crook-neck-understanding-it.html). I'm trying to give my bird vitamin drops, but it is a little tedious, as she won't willingly take them. I hesitate to try anything more invasive (like tubing) or forceful as a) I'm not a vet, b) I don't want to get liquid in her lungs and c) if something is wrong with her neck, I don't want to make it worse. If your bird shows interest in food, I'd say it's doing better than mine! Perhaps the vitamin treatment will work.

Who knows if our birds have anything in common. And hey, maybe these are all just symptoms of shock wearing off. But the symptoms do seem similar, and I suspect mine have something to do with nerve or muscle damage affecting balance and/or wry neck. Let me know if you have any success. Good luck.

 

[attilathehen]

I just tried to post a reply to you, and it may go through. But I put a link to a blog post describing a similar situation and it said it had to be moderated because I was linking to off site material. But, until it shows up, try researching wry neck. I have a bird with similar symptoms to yours, and I think it may be wry neck resulting from an attack. Even if you don't have any puncture wounds, the neck could have gotten twisted funny. Anyway, hopefully my other post shows up. If not, just try googling wry neck and you can find the info for yourself.

 

[mvining]

Thanks for the information, I will certainly google it. He is stronger today. Unfortunately, I had to go back to work after Christmas vacay, so I had to leave him. At some point, he flipped to the side. He did it all last night too. As I would check on him, he'd be on his side. How can I secure him, build a box? A first, he was so weak, I could snuggle him in a blanket like a baby, but now he wiggles out of it. Also, his runny poop....sign of dehydration? He is still eating like a man and greedy, but won't drink.