Hawk Attack......Should we just put her down???

[blucoondawg]

I agree don't bother pulling the skin up just keep it smeared with neosporin without the pain killer

 

[CMV]

From the looks of the picture, I wouldn't try to pull the skin together. I would just doctor it and put medicine on it until it heals.

Why? Do you know how long a wound that size takes to regrow skin? How many opportunities for infection such a sizable open area presents? How long the quarantine period for a bird healing from this would be? If it is at all possible to pull the skin together...and this may be a moot point if the skin was removed during the attack...it makes the most sense to do it this way or by stitching the wound back together. Why would you disagree with that assessment? I am not being rude I am just curious about your rationale.

 

[blucoondawg]

I say not to bother because it doesn't look like there is any skin to pull. If there is a flap of skin handy then by all means glue it up. I have doctored large wounds before and it does take a while to heal at least a couple weeks before it starts to shrink and look like it's healing well but longer than that to be full healed

 

[Appleby2003]

Ya I would totally glue or even stitch the wound if I could but there is nothing to pull and the wound is quite jagged and irregular. It would really take a professional to even do it reasonable well. Assuming she makes it through the night as she still has not moved, the kids love her so she's going to be very well taken care of. Probably better then being outside in the coop. It's 26 out there tonight and 60 degrees and quiet in the garage.

She's laying again now for the season (we dont give light over winter) Should I allow her enough light to keep laying. Does it matter?? Or should I restrict light to the 10 hours of daylight it took to shut her down for the winter instead of the 12 she's getting now.

 

[Silkiehen]

Why? Do you know how long a wound that size takes to regrow skin? How many opportunities for infection such a sizable open area presents? How long the quarantine period for a bird healing from this would be? If it is at all possible to pull the skin together...and this may be a moot point if the skin was removed during the attack...it makes the most sense to do it this way or by stitching the wound back together. Why would you disagree with that assessment? I am not being rude I am just curious about your rationale.

There is no skin to pull together and glue.

 

[ten chicks]

I have seen photo and do not believe there is enough skin to stitch. Wash/flush head wound with warm water to clean,apply either vaseline or antibiotic ointment(nothing ending in caine/cane toxic to birds)the purpose of vaseline/ointment is to keep skull/tissue from drying out,cover with a sterile gauze. Do this daily,tissue will regrow,but takes time.

Keep her warm(when ill/injured birds cannot regulate their body temp). Give her electrolytes for shock. For pain you can purchase metacam from a vet or give her a low dose aspirin(81mg)or a reg aspirin(325mg)dose is 25mg per lb of body weight. Give orally,wrap in a piece of meat or cheese or dissolve one 325mg aspirin per gallon of water.If wound is bleeding wait until bleeding stops before giving aspirin.

Try and discourage laying.if possible,if not do not worry.

Make sure she is eating/drinking,encourage by giving her some favorite healthy foods.

If you decide there is enough tissue to stitch,do it immediately otherwise do not even bother b/c after so many hours all you will be doing is trapping in bacteria.

Watch for infection,signs of infection are: foul smell coming from wounds,redness/swelling,spreading redness/swelling,bird becoming lethargic,not eating/drinking.

 

[Appleby2003]

Thanks for the input everyone. She appears to have made it through the night although the 'sun' has not risen in the garage just yet. I'm hoping that she at least drinks today if not eats. Drinking is key though.

 

[Appleby2003]

well we put the water and food in there crate with her and she shows no immediate interest. I'm not surprised since one eye is open 75% and the other isn't open. I'm sure there is a lot of injury swelling happening. May have to research how to get water into her in a little bit.

 

[Jnkbtd08]

My 7 month old very large German Shepherd got alhold of one of my hens. I too, thought she was a gonner. He really dug into her back and side and her wobble thing on her head. She must have had like 4-5 good deep wounds. I also nursed her in a dog crate in my shed, I started a fire every night for a week or so to keep her warm. She made it!!! They are very hardy!!
Just don't put her with general population until there aren't any blood spots or open wounds. My other hens tore her up when I tried to reintroduce her to the flock, which only consists of 4 hens.
I think she will be ok, they are very hardy. Your a good mom.

 

[ten chicks]

well we put the water and food in there crate with her and she shows no immediate interest. I'm not surprised since one eye is open 75% and the other isn't open. I'm sure there is a lot of injury swelling happening. May have to research how to get water into her in a little bit.

Try and manage her pain,this is a very painful wound and when in pain no animal usually eats or drinks.

Did she have severe blood loss,head wounds usually bleed profusely and blood loss of 10% is a considerable amount given how small they are. If she had a large amount of blood loss it might help to give her some liver to eat.