Heart Broken - Our New Puppy Injured A Hen

[BurkeyFarm]

Tuesday (3/22/2016), we had a BIG scare at BurkeyFarm.
After looking through the newest Food & Wine and Cooking Light magazine at home, I used the ladies room. While I was using the restroom, Mike looked outside as it did seem quiet, wondering where Tux (our puppy) was. Yes, things were too quiet for a reason and then I was interrupted by Mike to let me in on some terrible news. He found Tux mounted on Ollie (my spirit creature 2.0) and found that she was missing her feathers and had a gaping area on most of her back with her flesh exposed and that things were not looking so great. Of course, I rushed right out to see how she was doing and to be by her side.
After Mike made a quick call to our Veterinarian to get advice on what to do next (Dr. Fuxa at Highlands Bird and Pet Clinic), Mike rushed to get the car so that we could take her in to get looked at to see what our options were. Ollie was such a good girl and in such shock after what happened. She did so well, wrapped in a towel in my arms, on the ride in to see the Vet and during her visit with Dr. Fuxa. Dr. Fuxa gave us the option to keep her overnight, give some stitches to areas where they were needed, give her pain medication to tough it through this nightmare and to figure out what our next steps for at home care would be. We are still waiting to hear the news and when we are able to bring her home.
Please keep Ollie in your thoughts as we try to make it through her recovery. She is truly a special bird and has had a special spot in my (and our) hearts since we got all of our chickens last year.
This was Ollie on 3/22/2016 at the Vet.

 

[BurkeyFarm]

After chatting with the vet (yesterday, 3/23/2016), we all thought that it was best for Ollie to spend another night at the vet as she was still in a lot of shock, on some pain management and didn't show much interest in food. We decided to drop in to check in on her yesterday and she really did perk up a bit after seeing myself (momma) and her papa.

Still waiting to see how she did for her second night staying at the vet but we are excited to take her home and start the road to her recovery as we know that it will entail a lot of work and time, along with her being an house hen for a bit.

These pictures were of her during our visit with her yesterday (3/23).

 

[Bridebeliever]

Oh the poor dear! I hope it all turns out well for her. How heartbreaking!

 

[BurkeyFarm]

Oh the poor dear! I hope it all turns out well for her. How heartbreaking!

Thank you for your kind thoughts...

Our vet said that most of this looked cosmetic and that we had two options: To put her down or to try and save her (since mostly cosmetic) and that saving her would mean recovery time, separating her from from the rest of the flock for her recovery and not being able to consume her eggs due to meds for a few months. Obviously with Ollie being my spirit creature and all (literally all of the flock just had their 1 year birthday 2 days prior to this incident), the option was clear - I needed to save my bird. Yes, will she be a house hen - not a problem because I was raised owning indoor birds as I grew up and at one time had 2 dogs, a cat and 13 birds and had to care for an African Gray that got ecoli, had seizures until we lost him. Will this be a learning lesson for everyone involved? Painfully so. Now, our puppy (almost 4 months old) is not allowed to go outside (after us getting proud of him learning the dog door late last week and excited that he could relieve himself) unless he is on a leash with a lead to correct him anytime he looks at the flock or our cat. Yes, this is a learning lesson for us as well because what were we thinking to trust an almost 4 month old puppy outside while the ladies were out of their coop/pen? Trust me, it is sad to say that I honestly feel guilty and terrible for this incident - I feel like I am holding this burden on my shoulders and it is terribly sad because it happened to one of my favorite birds.