hawk attack survivor question.

[Big Cluck]

My pullet Roberta (hatch date 6/15) was attacked by a hawk today

(so much for my hawk deterrants!). I heard the commotion and scared it off. She has a few puncture wounds on her head, other than that I find no injurys to her body. When she came running to me she felt weak and in shock, She was bleeding from her nostrils and eyes. She will not open her eyes, it has been almost 12 hours since the attack. I have been giving her Save-A-Chick electrolyte with an eyedropper by beak every 1-2 hours. She is improving, getting stronger

. She had a few bowel movements. Is there anything I can put on her eyes? Should I start her on an antibiotic? is her keeping her eyes shut an indication of shock or injury or both? She does respond to the other girls when they talk to her, but I have removed her to a nest box in the bathtub for care and to ensure her sisters dont peck her wounds.

It took us an hour to find where the rest of our girls were hidden. they were really sweet though, I would call them and listen and they would make soft clucks in response, like playing chicken Marco-Polo!

Needless to say our girls will be confined to their run for the forseable future!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would get some Vetericyn eye wash or the eye gel. If you can't get that, then use saline to clean her eyes, and use some Terramycin eye ointment twice a day. I hope her eyes are okay, and hopefully she will recover.

 

[Big Cluck]

Thank you. She seems to be making a recovery. That is, she answers every time I speak to her. She's started to put up a bit of a fight when I give her her electrolytes and does take some from a cup on her own. I just flapped a towel by accident in the bathroom and she jumped up started screaming and tried to run, I felt so sorry for her. She seems to have PHASD. I'm going to offer her some egg yolk tomorrow. She did open 1 eye a little bit for just a second tonight.
Where would I find those eye products? Would they be at a vet or tractor supply? I was hoping I could get some gel/salve of some sort to dab on and stay on. She's been pretty clear she doesn't want me to touch her eyes, I tried wiping them with a warm damp cloth this afternoon when she first started to show signs of improvement and she put up a fight.

Thank you!!

 

[Big Cluck]

Update! This morning she is opening 1 eye, not all the time, but sometimes. I am going to have to confine her to a pet carrier, when ever she hears any kind of flappy noise she freaks (understandably) out and flies out of her box, but gets stuck in the tub I'm afraid she will get hurt. She didn't seem eager about taking her fluids this morning, I am going to try hard boils egg in a little while.
Does anyone have experience with a survival from a hawk attack that had a good outcome?

Thanks!

 

[Sonya9]

Try scrambled egg, i think they like it better with the yolk mixed in.

I am sure birds can recover from hawk attacks just like many recover from dog maulings.

I would be concerned about blindness though.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes the Vetericyn or Terramycin would be from many feed stores. Sometimes with the Terramycin, you have to ask for it since they keep it locked up because it is in a small package.

 

[Big Cluck]

For anyone following this thread, We did end up bringing Roberta to the Tufts small animal ER tonight. She is in good spirits, is likely to make a full recovery but may have to have 1 eye removed next week. I will keep you posted on her recovery. Fingers crossed!!! Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Big Cluck]

My pullet Roberta (hatch date 6/15) was attacked by a hawk today

(so much for my hawk deterrants!). I heard the commotion and scared it off. She has a few puncture wounds on her head, other than that I find no injurys to her body. When she came running to me she felt weak and in shock, She was bleeding from her nostrils and eyes. She will not open her eyes, it has been almost 12 hours since the attack. I have been giving her Save-A-Chick electrolyte with an eyedropper by beak every 1-2 hours. She is improving, getting stronger

. She had a few bowel movements. Is there anything I can put on her eyes? Should I start her on an antibiotic? is her keeping her eyes shut an indication of shock or injury or both? She does respond to the other girls when they talk to her, but I have removed her to a nest box in the bathtub for care and to ensure her sisters dont peck her wounds.

It took us an hour to find where the rest of our girls were hidden. they were really sweet though, I would call them and listen and they would make soft clucks in response, like playing chicken Marco-Polo!

Needless to say our girls will be confined to their run for the forseable future!

Roberta never made a "full" recovery. She was doing well for a while, but passed recently. She lost the use of one eye and it seemed the hearing in one ear. She was never quite right again, she suffered from fear of being out doors, inabilty to wipe her beak, and was being bullied. I think in the future I would be less likely to try to save a bird with head injuries. I feel as though my inexperience resulted in the prolonge suffering of my beloved little Roberta.

 

[Arrakis]

Sorry for your loss. Hawks got 3 of mine last summer, only one survived. I was more worried about coyotes and bobcats. Never even seen a hawk around my place until we got chickens.

 

[Big Cluck]

Thank you! I'm sorry for your losses also! The hawks are brutal. Roberta was the second loss to a hawk. I'm putting up bird netting over half of my yard. I've had it. I like to let them out because they enjoy it. I can't tell you how many times I've caught the hawks observing my flock. I toss rocks in their direction and they take off, we are in a pretty populated residential area so we don't have many day predators except the hawks, our yard is fenced so we don't even have much worry about dogs. I've tried fake crows, fake owls, noise makers, wind socks, shiny hanging things, feeding crows, so I spent 30 dollars on bird netting and I'm going to set it up high over the fence in hopes that that will keep the "wings of death" at bay.