HELP! asap!--update with pics

[krackerkim]

my puppy attacked my hen..my baby hen is hurting so bad.. her back is messed up, i can see the muscles and stuff..i dont know what to do, i have a phone to call a emergency animal hospital around town but because it has a autoblock they wont accept my calls..this hospital is probably about 30-40 mins away so i dont want to drive out there and wake up my 5 year old son before knowing if they take chickens.., i dont know what to do for the hen, this is my first hen ever, shes laying on a towel on my lap, half awake half asleep, very quiet, im keeping her from pecking her back as shes seeming to want to do, but i dont know where to go or what to do for her, anyone, please help me

 

[deuce11705]

Hello krackerkim,

I've not had to deal with any of these such issues, but I would think to put a damp towel or some other covering over the afflicted area for the time being. Hopefully someone with more knowledge about open wounds will respond quickly. I'm not sure what autoblock is on the vet's phone, but I would try to call them again or see if the operator can bypass the block? I hope your hen will be okay!

 

[Daisygirl]

I am so sorry that I dont know how to help, but hopefully someone more experienced will post here...but I would just check that she isnt bleeding, that the wound is clean and not infected, that she gets plenty of water, is warm, and get on the case of that hospital. Mabe they have a website with information about whether they take chickens. I hope she will be ok!

 

[lorieMN]

chickens can survive some pretty nasty wounds,,one the other hand they can heal up and look fine while there is a raging infection going on inside,,I think its a bird thing,,,they seem to be able to live with big puss filled pockets under their skin and they seem fine..I myself wouldnt spend the money on a vet,sorry,not for a chicken.,I would probably put her down..

 

[Qi Chicken]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.

I am Not the best person to help but until better help arrives.... Have you given her anything to eat or drink? Do you have polyvisol without iron on hand? If you do add it to the water and give her that. A scrambled or hard boiled egg mashed up is good for them to eat. If she is half asleep she may be in shock. You could gently clean the wound and put neosporin WITHOUT pain meds in it on the injury. Probably don't use bluekot until the vet sees her if they do see chickens. I guess if there is no way to find out I wouldn't wake your son as putting her in a crate and all that would probably stress out the bird unnecessarily. These things always happen on friday don't they, although most vets are open Saturday mornings.

To calm her you could put some rescue remedy (homeopathic in her water too)

You may not have any of these things on hand except the water and the eggs. Do those and you probably do have some neosporin with a 5 year old I imagine. Don't use it if it has ingredients that end in ---caine. If you have some pedialite that will work in a pinch for electrolytes.

If she is alert enough to want to peck at her back that is probably good. Keep her calm and in your lap. Feed her some egg. I haven't had an injured hen yet but people say they heal well from terrible injuries. Injuries down to the bone can heal up fine.

Let us know how she is doing and in the meantime type hen attacked or wound or something into the search function at the top right of the page. More info should come up for you.

The main thing would be to keep her warm, calm, hydrated and clean. Good luck to you both, let us know how it goes.

Anne


Use regular neosporin because the pain relievers are toxic to chickens. I would cover her back loosely with something so she can't get to it like another poster said.

 

[stoo]

I had some guinea keets get attacked by something before I knew they were hatched and two had their backs torn up. The bleeding was stopped by the time I found them. I applied Neosporin ointment to them twice/day and they healed fine. Neosporin is for people you can get it about any where and sometimes you can find it with 'pain relief' in it. You may want to give her an antibiotic as well because of the 'dog days' like weather in some places in August. Let us know how she's doing. Also - keep her away from the others until bleeding stops and scabs are gone due to cannibalism/picking/etc.

 

[dawg53]

Clean the wound with betadine. Then pack with regular neosporin (without pain reliever). Keep her seperated away from other chickens til she heals. Feed her plain yogurt and scrambled egg mixed with some of her feed and give it to her. The wound will take time to heal, just keep an eye on her.

 

[krackerkim]

i had her on my lap with a warm wet cloth, then a dry one, shes awake, she keeps wanting to get down to peck the ground now..it looks bad, but the bleeding stopped, except if i put a towel on it.

neosporin is okay to put on the muscle?

 

[dawg53]

Yes

 

[Qi Chicken]

Yes, just put it on. Wash your hands first. If she is pecking at the floor that's good! Give her some scrambled egg and water or her regular food mixed with PLAIN yogurt. Like the others said don't put her back with the other chickens until there is nothing to peck at.. A lot of people use blue kot. You can look it up. I think that disguises the injury and helps it heal too. Then they can go back in earlier. Watch her closely of course though.