Hawk attack just now. Need help.

[Stablecoop]

Update! Our sweet hen is making progress, thanks to all of you who have helped. She is taking her egg yolk slurry with greater gusto, is more active and alert, and her injuries are starting to appear grayish and less raw/open. I am hoping this is an early sign of the healing process. She is pooping several times a day now!! (Haha when that’s good news, what has it all come to??) She doesn’t really respond when a friend visits, but I think she is still in shock. We will keep up our routines of feeding, wound care, and friend visitation hours. Thank you all again for your help, love, and prayers!!!!

 

[Stablecoop]

Update: she still seems to be in shock, but is responding better day by day. Her jaw seems to move with instability and it’s making a clicking sound when she tries to eat hard boiled egg yolk. So we’ve continued to feed her the egg yolk mixed with water from a spoon. She is moving about and clucking a bit, her wounds seem to be healing, luckily, as nasty as they are we seem to be avoiding infection!! A friend is brought in to stay the day with her each day. The friend is in a dog crate right next to her and is wondering why LOL. Progress is being made day by day, thanks everyone for your help.

one question: how long does shock last??

 

[Aunt Angus]

Update: she still seems to be in shock, but is responding better day by day. Her jaw seems to move with instability and it’s making a clicking sound when she tries to eat hard boiled egg yolk. So we’ve continued to feed her the egg yolk mixed with water from a spoon. She is moving about and clucking a bit, her wounds seem to be healing, luckily, as nasty as they are we seem to be avoiding infection!! A friend is brought in to stay the day with her each day. The friend is in a dog crate right next to her and is wondering why LOL. Progress is being made day by day, thanks everyone for your help.

one question: how long does shock last??

Hmm... I wonder if her jaw is broken, but maybe it's just swollen and not closing properly. But she's eating at least a little, so that's good news.

I don't really know how long shock will last. I have read about some chickens taking weeks. I've read quiest music can help. And that you should try to keep it dark and quiet.

Oh - thought I'd mention that when chickens bruise, their skin can look green. It looks a lot like what people look like with infection. But it's normal for chickens. Some people freak out when it gets to that stage. I know I would if I hadn't read explanations of it.

 

[Stablecoop]

Hi everyone. Our sweet hen may have a broken jaw. Clicks when she uses it and is unstable right to left. Not flapping, but we can see laxity. We have been feeding her mashed egg yolk in water but this has been her diet for almost a week. She won’t even eat just crmbled yolk at this point. I know it will be impossible for her to consume grit, so I am asking for your Recommendations on next best. Can we grind her layer food into fine bits and make a porridge? Is it better to get chick starter and make a porridge out of that? The sweet girl is gonna need more of a complete diet I think other than egg yolk. We have been giving her nutridrench too but she hates it. It’s a chore for her even to lap up her yolk slurry. Would love to hear your thoughts. And thank you.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hi everyone. Our sweet hen may have a broken jaw. Clicks when she uses it and is unstable right to left. Not flapping, but we can see laxity. We have been feeding her mashed egg yolk in water but this has been her diet for almost a week. She won’t even eat just crmbled yolk at this point. I know it will be impossible for her to consume grit, so I am asking for your Recommendations on next best. Can we grind her layer food into fine bits and make a porridge? Is it better to get chick starter and make a porridge out of that? The sweet girl is gonna need more of a complete diet I think other than egg yolk. We have been giving her nutridrench too but she hates it. It’s a chore for her even to lap up her yolk slurry. Would love to hear your thoughts. And thank you.

It's easy to make mash using pellets or chick crumbles, but I worry about the long run. Hopefully, someone with that experience will comment.

Is a vet out of the question? I can't remember if you'd mentioned that already.

I have a friend who has a chicken who has no upper beaks. She still manages to eat chick crumble. But she has no pain now that her wound has healed.

Poor little thing...

 

[Ebony Rose]

Non-medicated chick starter often has more protein than layer feed (a plus). If she's still laying, you can add powdered eggshell (from your feed store) too. The powdered egg shell ought to blend in well with your egg yolk & chick starter mush. My chickens love, love, LOVE the vitamin/mineral supplement that I offer them. I use a product called "chick booster" by Nutrovet. Given the choice of plain water or vitamin water, mine gulp down the vitamin water first! (must taste good) It boasts a very lengthy (and complete) vitamin/mineral/amino acid profile for poultry and can be offered as a single drop in her beak daily if she's still having problems drinking enough.

 

[cher2324]

Sounds like you are doing what you should. I know it's awful, but you saved her! You're a hero! And I've seen MUCH worse wounds featured in threads on this site heal. I am very hopeful for your girl!

I agree! You are amazing! I think that you are doing all of the right things. She’s probably in shock, leave her alone in a quiet dark place, maybe put a towel or blanket on the cage to keep her warm and let her rest. Leave her water and let her be. Give her the two w’s: warm and water. Tomorrow go in and pull back the blanket but give her some coverage to make her feel safe and check on her, but give her time. She’ll eat when she’s ready. You’ve both had a crazy day!!!! Chickens are resilient. That happened to us last year and the hawk was on one of my Buff’s outside my front door. I kind of went into momma bear mode! Pulled that thing off of her! You did good!!! Have faith!

 

[Stablecoop]

Hi friends. I am writing with a final update. This is day 9 and there were no signs that our sweet hen was making progress in a way that showed she improving in quality of life. She was suffering every time we fed her, and she was not taking food or water by her own choice. She has lost weight and she only slept during the day. We made the decision to put her down, and had to do it this morning. I just wanted to thank all of you for your help, advice, and support. This is a fantastic community, I am so grateful for you all.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hi friends. I am writing with a final update. This is day 9 and there were no signs that our sweet hen was making progress in a way that showed she improving in quality of life. She was suffering every time we fed her, and she was not taking food or water by her own choice. She has lost weight and she only slept during the day. We made the decision to put her down, and had to do it this morning. I just wanted to thank all of you for your help, advice, and support. This is a fantastic community, I am so grateful for you all.

I am so sorry for your loss. You really did all you could. She had a great life, and she is no longer suffering.