Beamerz
Songster
I believe my chicken was attacked by a hawk and injured. I free range my birds a few hours a day and keep an eye on them. I also have a group of crows nesting on my land and they provide a lot of help with the hawks.. I was in my house, saw some unusual shadows pass by, heard the crows sounding and ran out. My flock was absent from where they had just been and so I took off on foot toward where that had been.
I saw my chicken laying upsidedown in the dirt on my way and I couldn't see her head at all so I thught she was dead for sure and just kep going to find my flock. They were hiding and I finnally got them all to the coop. Nearby the crows were perched up and sounding loudly. I went back for the body of my chicken but when I lifted her up she moved her head. She'd been there "playing dead for at least 20-30 mins. No chicken feathers were removed . I did find hawk feathers . I put her in a box in my house so I could assess and she slowly came around. At first I fed her with an eye dropper but now she's drinking water and I made her a poached egg which she ate a good part of this morning. Her wings are fine and I've examined her as best as Im able.
It seems her right leg doesn't bear weight but when I examine it there is nothing obvious that I can feel and I can't make her wince. She did just lay and egg ( with a little help from me) as she'd become a bit agitated moving around and when I saw why I just supported her and caught it. This attack was about 44 hours prior. She tries to walk but isn't able. I don't know what to do and realize this info is likely not to have enough substance to better know what is wrong but then I"m new to this so I thught I'd just throw it out there for those of you who have been there and done that.. Any comments are welcomed. Thanks in advance.
I saw my chicken laying upsidedown in the dirt on my way and I couldn't see her head at all so I thught she was dead for sure and just kep going to find my flock. They were hiding and I finnally got them all to the coop. Nearby the crows were perched up and sounding loudly. I went back for the body of my chicken but when I lifted her up she moved her head. She'd been there "playing dead for at least 20-30 mins. No chicken feathers were removed . I did find hawk feathers . I put her in a box in my house so I could assess and she slowly came around. At first I fed her with an eye dropper but now she's drinking water and I made her a poached egg which she ate a good part of this morning. Her wings are fine and I've examined her as best as Im able.
It seems her right leg doesn't bear weight but when I examine it there is nothing obvious that I can feel and I can't make her wince. She did just lay and egg ( with a little help from me) as she'd become a bit agitated moving around and when I saw why I just supported her and caught it. This attack was about 44 hours prior. She tries to walk but isn't able. I don't know what to do and realize this info is likely not to have enough substance to better know what is wrong but then I"m new to this so I thught I'd just throw it out there for those of you who have been there and done that.. Any comments are welcomed. Thanks in advance.
