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

[PistolPetesCrew]

If she still doesn't eat or drink in a couple of hours or you are starting to feel worried about her water consumption, you can go to tractor supply and buy needless syringes. I would also pick up some save a chick electrolyte packets as well.
when you get home mix the electrolyte packet with the appropriate amount of water, and put some in the syringe.
You can then give her some of the mixture in her mouth with the syringe. Only give her a couple drops of the water and let her digest that for a few seconds, then try again. We obviously don't want to drown her. If she starts making it very difficult by moving her head around a lot, then just stop for an hour or so. It could be just the encouragement she needs to pull out of the shock and realize that she is not going to die. I have had a few chickens that I have had to "save" from all kinds of different problems, but 99% of the time if I can get some electrolytes and water into them, they pull through.

 

[Appleby2003]

Actually there wasn't a lot of blood at all. I got there as it was happening so I saw it all. I don't know how much blood is in a chicken but I'd say that that is a non issue. We have the syringes so it looks like we'll be giving her water this evening whether she likes it or not. Food I won't be concerned about for a few days. We also went out and picked up the electrolytes last evening so we're prepared there too.

 

[LedgeWoods]

Ten Chicks has accurate advice. Don't stitch or superglue at this point or you'll trap bacteria. Forcing some water and electrolytes will help, but try not to traumatized her doing that. Thick layers of triple antibiotic ointment (you can get some that has pain reliever in it also) will do wonders. Any favorite treats to entice her to eat won't hurt either. I had a young pullet get partially skinned by a hawk also. TLC, antibiotic ointment, some bandaging and in a month she was running with the flock again.

 

[Appleby2003]

That little bugger started drinking on her own around 4pm today. We had to hold the water up to her beak as she clearly was not willing to bend over to drink. She is still a complete mess but improving somewhat...or at least headed in the corrent direction. No food yet but I wont be too concerned about that for a couple days. I found a few puncture wounds in the front and I am concerned one may be in the crop but I doubt it. Very hard to tell but we put Neosporin on it anyhow. Also both eye were open a little now which is great news. Tough little buggers! We'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[Jnkbtd08]

yeah!! Happy to hear! She was in our thoughts

 

[LedgeWoods]

Very good news...my pullet had her crop torn completely open. She healed up-keep up with the neosporin. If the water isn't running through onto her lower neck feathers (where her crop would be) then it's not severed. Amazing how tough they can be!

 

[Beekissed]

Try some castor oil on that wound...remarkable stuff. Antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties...really soothes the pain almost immediately and the relief is long lasting. It also is great for skin/hair/feather/scale regrowth...I don't believe I've ever seen as fast wound healing and new skin growth as I have seen with castor oil in my whole nursing career. Wish I had known about it back then. It sort of just disinfects the wound when you apply it, like honey does.

You can find it at any pharmacy and it's cheap. Nice for a one time scale mite treatment as well, so handy to have in your poultry medicine chest.

 

[Appleby2003]

We're still not really sure she's going to make it. She did get through another night. But she's still really not moving and to get water in her we literally have to hold the water to her beak. Even then I'm not really sure what she's getting cause a lot of it just spills down her front. She isn't eating yet which I am not getting concerned with as of yet. To identify if she eats I hung a small cabbage in the crate this AM. We'll see if there are any peck marks in it this evening. I guess if i were her I wouldn't want to eat either but she'll have to at some point. She's stopped bowel movements too but since she's not eating I suppose that's to be expected. The good news is that it appears the skin has fused back to some tissue so its not sliding around anymore. So in the end, to me, she is still very much in the woods and I think its 60/40 she makes it through the weekend. We'll keep doing our best. If she does get a week out from the attack then I think she'll live.

 

[CMV]

Have you considered tube feeding or subcutaneous fluids? Both are easy procedures (although they require some equipment and supplies) and may give her the boost she needs to fight back from this injury.

 

[poodlechicks]

I agree with CMV. The hen needs to eat something and is probably too weak to eat on her own by now. Only water will not do at this point. She should be fed a liquidy/smooth mixture, say, plain yogurt mixed with hard boiled eggs to give her a boost. She might need to be fed for a while because her head must be hurting also. There is a video on tube feeding somewhere here at BYC. Sorry, I don't remember who posted it. However, you don't have to tube feed her if you don't feel you'll be able to do it. Just gently open her mouth by pulling on the waddle and introducing some food a drop or two at a time.

Best of luck with your hen.