Hawk attacked Silkie bantam

[filmcmahon]

Darn. That was a lucky escape. Glad your silkie is okay. Yeah, as everyone says... a covered pen is about all that will stop that.

I had an owl come in and grab some calls. Fortunately, i haven;t had to much trouble with hawks, that said i have an osprey nest up the road so they tend to be the rulers of the sky here.

thank you for your kind words! everyone on this site is soso nice!! i’m only 16 and already the “boss” of the chickens so i make the calls and i think we will leave them in their run for a while. has a nice metal roofing material on top and is a pretty big space! thanks again

 

[hayley3]

Make sure you check really good under her wings for puncture marks. When a BOP grabs it's prey, it sticks those scissor-sharp talons in to carry them off. I had a chicken once that had been grabbed by a raccoon and she looked fine until later we picked her up and her wings moved to reveal a huge gash.

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

Yesterday late afternoon I was at the coop ushering in the hens for the night. My big Plymouth Rock, Mary was nowhere to be found. She is the alpha and several years old. She always comes running, no Mary! They free range but it is wooded on the side of a mountain. I checked till after dark but no Mary! No feathers etc. Could a hawk pick her up and carry her away with no sign of a struggle? Or was it something else?
I so sad!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Very sorry for your misfortune and this late reply. I'm so glad your girl is safe, but please keep a very close eye on her even though there was no external injuries. I too have silkies, not bantam kind though. If she was dropped watch for internal injuries, like humans after an accident this could take a day or more to show up. Best of luck to your little girl.

 

[hayley3]

Yesterday late afternoon I was at the coop ushering in the hens for the night. My big Plymouth Rock, Mary was nowhere to be found. She is the alpha and several years old. She always comes running, no Mary! They free range but it is wooded on the side of a mountain. I checked till after dark but no Mary! No feathers etc. Could a hawk pick her up and carry her away with no sign of a struggle? Or was it something else?
I so sad!

Sorry...I know it's stressful when you can't find them. Normally when they are missing it's a fox or coyote.

 

[merceme57]

My poor sweet Ms. Penny was attacked by a hawk yesterday morning. By coincidence I had let the dogs out in the yard as the attack was occurring and the hawk flew off. I irrigated the wound, the trachea was exposed and lathered TAO in dressing and bandaged it, gave her .25 mg of prednisone, children’s ibuprofen. She made it thru the night inside and the Vet put 3 stitches in and gave antibiotics, Vetricyn spray <sp? but she will not drink or eat. Been forcing small amounts of electrolyte water. Please help me! This is my first flock, we have six 9 month old hens we’ve raised from 2 days old.
I’m just heartbroken. They have a big run inside an electric fence that will now be net covered until spring hits here in Ohio.

 

[filmcmahon]

thank you so much for the reply! i will keep an eye on her and check under the wings for any scratches. we did find an egg from her today, is that normal after an attack? is it a sign all is well?

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

thank you so much for the reply! i will keep an eye on her and check under the wings for any scratches. we did find an egg from her today, is that normal after an attack? is it a sign all is well?

I'm so glad she is doing well. I would consider the egg a good sign that maybe she isn't to stressed from the ordeal.

 

[featherhead007]

A hawk killed one of my barred rocks!!
I cried!! We name was moon

RIP poor Moon

 

[hayley3]

My poor sweet Ms. Penny was attacked by a hawk yesterday morning. By coincidence I had let the dogs out in the yard as the attack was occurring and the hawk flew off. I irrigated the wound, the trachea was exposed and lathered TAO in dressing and bandaged it, gave her .25 mg of prednisone, children’s ibuprofen. She made it thru the night inside and the Vet put 3 stitches in and gave antibiotics, Vetricyn spray <sp? but she will not drink or eat. Been forcing small amounts of electrolyte water. Please help me! This is my first flock, we have six 9 month old hens we’ve raised from 2 days old.
I’m just heartbroken. They have a big run inside an electric fence that will now be net covered until spring hits here in Ohio.

Poor Ms Penny...looks painful but that Vetericyn is some amazing stuff.
I would just keep trying to give her water... I would not want to eat with that wound. Ouch! Thank goodness you got there in the nick of time.