Hawk attack result neck wound.

[greenbroke1]

My Mom saved my chickens from a hawk. She found the Hawk on one of my chickens. Just standing on top and eating out of the chicken food out of the bowl. Thought she was gone. So my dad went to collect her when she jump up and started walking around. Drink water and was eating. When I got back from work. She had her eyes open, but was laying on the ground. It was dark out. so I had put her in her coop.

Next day coming back from work. she did come out of coop. Was sitting next to her food bowl with both eyes shut. One of the hens started pecking at her. With it still having day light. Was able to see there was more damage. Sprayed the wound with blue coat. Had to leave her outside. Until I finally finished building a pen. so she could recover.

Brought her in and noticed her eyes were still close. she’s not eating or drinking. She would just sit or get up and move to another spot of the makeshift pen. I got a couple of feeding syringe. Feed her with electrolyte.

Then waking up at 3 in the morning. She was still acting the same way. Gave her more electrolytes. When I could smell and saw a thick mucus like substance coming from the wound. Tried to clean it the best I could. With Luke warm water. The spray it with blue Kote. So in another three hours to check on her and pick up some poultry vetricyn.

If There is any advice someone would have I appreciate it.

Only regret was not bringing her in and checkin her out a little further.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Can you post a pic?

 

[greenbroke1]

My Mom saved my chickens from a hawk. She found the Hawk on one of my chickens. Just standing on top and eating out of the chicken food out of the bowl. Thought she was gone. So my dad went to collect her when she jump up and started walking around. Drink water and was eating. When I got back from work. She had her eyes open, but was laying on the ground. It was dark out. so I had put her in her coop.

Next day coming back from work. she did come out of coop. Was sitting next to her food bowl with both eyes shut. One of the hens started pecking at her. With it still having day light. Was able to see there was more damage. Sprayed the wound with blue coat. Had to leave her outside. Until I finally finished building a pen. so she could recover.

Brought her in and noticed her eyes were still close. she’s not eating or drinking. She would just sit or get up and move to another spot of the makeshift pen. I got a couple of feeding syringe. Feed her with electrolyte.

Then waking up at 3 in the morning. She was still acting the same way. Gave her more electrolytes. When I could smell and saw a thick mucus like substance coming from the wound. Tried to clean it the best I could. With Luke warm water. The spray it with blue Kote. So in another three hours to check on her and pick up some poultry vetricyn.

If There is any advice someone would have I appreciate it.

Only regret was not bringing her in and checkin her out a little further.

 

[greenbroke1]

Can you post a pic?

It’s. Hard to tell from the blue kote

 

[Isaac 0]

It's hard to see much with the pictures you provided - if you could trim some of the feathers around the wound, and post a few more pictures that would be good.

By the sounds of it, you have done a fairly good job as far as moving her inside, and lavaging, applying poultry spray to the wound. Blu-Kote is mainly indicated for superficial injuries, and due to the gentian violet in the spray, it makes monitoring the wound bed difficult, because of that, I would suggest strictly switching over to the Vetericyn you have, or apply an antibacterial ointment such as Neosporin to keep it moist.

It is not uncommon to have a recently attacked hen reluctant to eat, or drink due to shock, but if that behavior continues, you may need to supplementally get nutrients, and water inside her, and that can be done via tube feeding. Weighing her each morning on a gram scale is a good way to monitor her state of health - a 5% decrease over a few days in weight indicates supplemental tube feeding.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/

A major vein, known as the jugular runs across both sides of the neck, into the upper head region - concerns of bacterial transmission into the vein and subsequently into other parts of her body would be one of my initial concerns. Adding to that, the thick smelly discharge you noted from the wound is also an indicator of high bacterial density in the tissue. You may consider ordering antibiotics online.

https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

Keeping her warm, and hydrating by dripping an electrolyte such as Gatorade along her beak would be good. Mashed up some scrambled eggs, or making a warm soupy mixture out of some of her feed may get her to eat as well.

 

[ChicNmom]

Have you checked her eyes? I would gently pull down the bottom lid on each side to make sure they are not injured. She may also be in pain from the attack.

Do everything from the above post.

 

[greenbroke1]

At 1:00 pm. I tried to trim her feathers as best as I could and how long she would allow me. Clean some of the mucus substance with some gauze. she did open her swollen eye just a tiny bit. They shut it again. I sprayed her injured sit with the poultry vetrycin. Gave her some electrolytes through A feeding tube. she was up and walking a little bit when she heard me coming into the pen. I did order some antibiotics for her. Still not a great pic but.

 

[ChicNmom]

It sounds promising that she got up. I would give her anything she might really like to eat. Food is a powerful motivator.
I hope keeping the wound clean and giving her some time to recover helps her out.

A few weeks ago one of mine got attacked by a hawk. From the video it was about a 3 min fight before I got out there. She was not badly injured but it was about a week before she started eating normally and had a full crop at bed time.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Yes, some times they are just in shock.

 

[greenbroke1]

It sounds promising that she got up. I would give her anything she might really like to eat. Food is a powerful motivator.
I hope keeping the wound clean and giving her some time to recover helps her out.

A few weeks ago one of mine got attacked by a hawk. From the video it was about a 3 min fight before I got out there. She was not badly injured but it was about a week before she started eating normally and had a full crop at bed time.

Will do. I will definitely try some wet down chicken food. I do have a bowl of feed, but she hasn’t touched it.
I hope so too.

I just don’t want her to be suffering. I know one of my hens that was attacked by a dog had to be put down, because she was so badly injured. It was just the humane thing to do.

So I hope within a week. She will be back to her old self.