Hawk Attack

[cpait]

I work from home so I'm here all day everyday. My husband even got me surveillance cameras for Christmas so I could check on my 5 girls from my desk while I worked. Wouldn't you know it yesterday (Saturday) I leave them out in the back yard while I make a quick errand. I was gone about an hour when my neighbor called me. She heard a hellacious racket and came over in time to run off a red tail hawk.
I have a girl about 10 months old. Just started laying about a month ago. Delaware/Dorking mix. Very hardy. Her wing, her side and her tail has been plucked nearly bald and she lost half of her big tail feathers.
I cannot find any open deep wounds and she never bled freely. The only blood seems to be from where the big feathers where plucked out.
This is my first flock so I'm not sure what to do. I put her in a crate in the basement last night with a little baby aspirin dissolved in water. She's drinking and I got her to eat out my hand this morning. I made a soft cereal out of her regular pellets. She's pooping but not making any noise. Usually she's pretty spunky. Can chickens go in to shock? I'm off to tracker supply to get some healing spray. Any suggestions? When will the feathers grow back? How long should I wait before I introduce her back to the flock and how? (They were being real jerks to her before I could get home and get her sepeated from them)
Any advice is greatly appreciated. I feel somewhat lucky she wasn't more injured.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I work from home so I'm here all day everyday. My husband even got me surveillance cameras for Christmas so I could check on my 5 girls from my desk while I worked. Wouldn't you know it yesterday (Saturday) I leave them out in the back yard while I make a quick errand. I was gone about an hour when my neighbor called me. She heard a hellacious racket and came over in time to run off a red tail hawk.
I have a girl about 10 months old. Just started laying about a month ago. Delaware/Dorking mix. Very hardy. Her wing, her side and her tail has been plucked nearly bald and she lost half of her big tail feathers.
I cannot find any open deep wounds and she never bled freely. The only blood seems to be from where the big feathers where plucked out.
This is my first flock so I'm not sure what to do. I put her in a crate in the basement last night with a little baby aspirin dissolved in water. She's drinking and I got her to eat out my hand this morning. I made a soft cereal out of her regular pellets. She's pooping but not making any noise. Usually she's pretty spunky. Can chickens go in to shock? I'm off to tracker supply to get some healing spray. Any suggestions? When will the feathers grow back? How long should I wait before I introduce her back to the flock and how? (They were being real jerks to her before I could get home and get her sepeated from them)
Any advice is greatly appreciated. I feel somewhat lucky she wasn't more injured.

Yes, chickens can go into shock after an attack.

You can apply some triple antibiotic ointment or vetericyn to any wounds that she may have. Keeping her hydrated is the most important thing. You can add some electrolytes or poultry vitamins in her water for a couple of days and give her some chopped egg or tuna for an extra protein boost.

Once she "bounces back" a bit, if you have a wire dog kennel that can be placed in the run or near the other chickens that will work well for re-introducing her back into the flock.

 

[cpait]

I just purchased some blu-kote and nutri-drench. She needs a bath. She pooped on herself during the attack I think. Or the hawk did.
I see ppl post about soaking their hens. Do I just use water or will a tiny bit of dish soap be ok??

 

[centrarchid]

Odds are she has puncture wounds coming from talons. It is hard for such not to involve the respiratory tract.


NO BATH!!! Major stressor. Wipe feces away using a wet wipe or rag.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

Soap is unnecessary. Just warm water. The blu-kote and nutria-drench are going to be better than soap.

 

[cpait]

Thanks I just gave her a warm soaking. Blow dried her and applied blu-kote. I had no idea it was purple.

How do I get this stuff off my fingers?
She's in the back porch in a dog crate acting completely normal now and head banging the crate. She bloodied her comb. What the heck? Seems like she should not go back in the flock because she's half naked and purple but she HATES the crate.
What would you do?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos of her and the wounds?

It's possible she may still be in shock. If you have her outside caged, she may have actually seen/heard Hawk and/or crows making calls. She may be nervous and feel "exposed". You may need to place her where she feels safer.

 

[cpait]

[/IMG]
Here's her bottom. This was just after I soaked her. The feathers are wet. She doesn't appear to have any bleeding. She was very calm inside but when I put her in a dog crate in the porch she got very panicky.

 

[cpait]

She was plucked.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poor thing. Looks like maybe the Hawk only got some tail feathers.

She may be a bit shocky, so keep watch on her to make sure she is drinking well.