Hawk attack, please tell me if I can do anything else for her

[Marion565]

I just came home to see a hawk on my 19 week old SLW, I chased off the hawk and she was just laying on her side.
I picked her up, took her into the house and she is now in a kennel with water, feed and some cucumber slices. I can not see any blood but she is definatly hurting, she sits upright and makes a purring sound.
Can I do anything more for her?

 

[easttxchick]

I would give her some electrolytes in her water(good for stress) and keep her warm and calm-she may be shocky.
With no obvious external injuries, now you have to watch her to make sure nothing internal is going on-I wish I could help more, but maybe someone can give you some more tips.
Hope she's OK!

 

[Marion565]

Easttxchick, thank you for responding, I have put electrolytes in her water thanks for the guidance, I was so shock up and forgot all about putting them in her water.
I guess I can't do much more for her since all the vets that would even look at a chicken are closed today.
What a way to start the new year!

Thanks again and I hope you a great New Year.

 

[easttxchick]

You too, Marion and if she begins to get worse, post an update and I'm sure many will try to help you and your girl.
Keeping my fingers crossed that her behavior is strictly shock/stress induced and she will be fine.

 

[Sjisty]

Marion - Good luck with your girl! Hopefully she will come out of it okay. I would try giving her a bit of scrambled egg to see if she's interested in eating. Otherwise, warm and quiet is the best medicine. Hopefully you got her before the hawk had a chance to do more than bruise her.

 

[sourland]

Keep her in a quiet semi-dark place. Electrolytes are good she is probably shocky. Raptors kill as much by impact of strike as they do with their beaks. Hopefully she is large enough and the hawk was small or inexperienced enough that there is no internal damage. 24 to 36 hours should tell the tale as to her chances for survival. Good luck, and be aware that the hawk will return.

 

[ellieroo]

We had a Coopers fly into our pigeon loft yesterday and take a bird right off the nest.My husband is fast but not fast enough.The bird has an ugly wound that was bleeding profusely. Poured sugar into the wound and that speeds up coagulation. Put him in small cage and yes to electrolytes in water! Sometimes I think Mother Nature thrusts animals into shock as a mercy.So warmth and darkness will help her. Shes going to be sore. Good luck!!

 

[Marion565]

She is in a small kennel in the kitchen and i drapped a blanket over it so she is warm and it is quiet in there.
I have noticed that she is not mouthbreathing as bad as she was before and she is actually moving around in the small kennel.
I hope that I got to her before the hawk could do much damage.
It was amazing, that hawk just stood there on top of her until I was almost next to him. Don't get me wrong I don't like seeing a hawk around but I had never seen one that close and it is a beautiful bird.
All birds of prey are protected here in Texas so i can't do much more than chase him off, and yes he was back 20 minutes later. I am keeping a close eye on the chicken run right now, and I put up a tarp so the chickens have another place where they can hide.
I think my rooster tried to engage the hawk because he has a new (small) gash on his comb. I already "doctored" him up.
Thank you guys for your replies and I will post updates if anyone is interested.

 

[al6517]

I think you have gotten some good advice on how to treat her, but I think one thing that you could do for your chickens is to perhaps not freerange them where they can be eatin by preditors, maybe keeping them safer would benifit their health the most.

AL

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Good Luck and yeah Rooster! What a good protector