Help - behavior after bobcat incident

AngieB71

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Hello,

Looking for some feedback: Yesterday while out free ranging, a bobcat snagged one of our chickens (Nutmeg). We screamed at the cat (we were right there) and it pretty quickly dropped her and ran off, while she took off in the opposite direction at a ridiculous speed. After 45 minutes of looking, we found her hiding under a log in the front of the house. We calmed her down and did a quick check. We didn't see any puncture wounds, just a bit of blood that appeared to be from the feathers being torn out. We sprayed her back with Vetericyn. When we put her back in the run, she seemed to be acting normally, although thoroughly freaked out and warning anyone in earshot to watch out. Within an hour, she was bedded down with everyone else on the top roost bar.

We were supposed to be headed out early this morning to catch a flight across the country (crappy timing, like usual!), but it got cancelled so we are back home. While at the airport, and once the sun came up, we took a look at the video camera, and saw that one of the chickens was still on the roost bar, and looked like she was sitting in the penguin pose. I thought it was most likely one of the other chickens and was egg bound (looked darker than Nutmeg). But when we got home, it turns out that it's Nutmeg.

We've brought her into the house, and she is sitting in the warmth and the dark. We'll give her some time to calm down a bit, then go try to do a more thorough exam. But before we get to that, I'm hoping for some insight into whether it's likely that her posture is due to trauma (psychological OR physical), or if it is really indicative that she is now egg bound as well? Will an incident like that cause them to be egg bound, through some weird psychological egg-preservation nature? We're just trying to figure out what we are dealing with, because our flight is rebooked to tomorrow morning, so we have a limited amount of time to do what we can. I want to make sure that I look for the right things in the limited time that we have.

I should have taken pictures, yes. I thought the video was recording as I watched it (which it used to do), but apparently they have changed their processes. But, fluffed up, tail down, huddled in the corner on the top roost. RLB Wyandotte, will be 2 years old next month.

UPDATE: We were able to locate a small laceration/puncture would on her back, by her tail. Sprayed it with Vetericyn as well. We'll soak her messy butt, but we aren't finding any other obvious injuries. Small bloody spot by her wing and laceration pictures now included, as well as a picture of her standing in her box...
 

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It’s possible she has internal injuries. I would treat for shock as a first step by giving a little electrolytes and sugar in her water. I’ve lost three chickens to a bobcat—you were super lucky to be around and that the cat dropped her! But bobcats are nasty and prefer to bury their kill to come back and eat later so even though you cleaned the wounds and they seemed minimal I would keep an eye out for infection. Do you have any antibiotics? I will tag some experts with more wound experience
@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive
 
Good idea to treat for shock with electrolytes or sugar water. Clean the wound with Hibiclens or 10% Betadine (Equate First Aid Disinfectant from Walmart is about $6.) Try to get it down inside any puncture wound and then coat with antibiotic ointment. I also lost 3 older hens to a bobcat several years ago. You are lucky that you scared off the bobcat. When she is drinking offer some watery chicken feed and egg up to her beak. Check her crop first thing in the morning to make sure the crop is emptying.
 
Thank you both! She gobbled down some eggs, and we gave water with electrolytes, but since she's sitting in the dark, she's currently avoiding the water. Pretty sure we have betadine and neosporin in the first aid kit.
 
She's a very lucky bird! I think that Silvadene is best, 'silver sulfadiazine' is the generic, Rx from your vet, as a wound dressing.
And keep your birds in their safe (I hope) coop and run for a few weeks, at least!
Approximately where are you located?
We al have so many predators who love chicken, it's an ongoing management story for many of us.
Electric poultry fencing might be a good thing for you to have too. Se Premier1supplies.com for advice and products...
All the best for your hen!
And remember to always wear gloves to manage your risk (rabies!) when handling animal attacks.
Mary
 
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We had a buff orphington grabbed by a bobcat and dropped when we yelled. In her case, she had no puncture wounds, lost some feathers, but she had some shock for a couple of days, and then was very very sore, we think orthopedically, for almost 2 weeks. Walked very stiffly. We kept wondering if she was about to die but she bounced back really well with time. Good luck!
 
I don't have anything more useful to add than what everybody else already added but just wanted to say good luck and I hope she recovers! I have a bobcat that has come back at least six times in the last 3 weeks, they're protected in my state so I'm not allowed to shoot it unless it's actively killing the chickens. I trust my predator-proofing but I also just ordered electric fencing off of Premier 1 last week and will install once the snow melts which I know others in here have suggested. Mine hasn't actually gotten its hands or paws on any chickens it just sniffs around the coop and leaves after I scare it away but I do think with your situation since it got a mouthful it will probably be back so I would definitely make sure everything is locked up extra tight! Good luck!
 
Thanks Mary. We're in the middle of a forest in the foothills if the Cascades, Washington State. The boncat has made multiple attempts over the last 2 years... It's the first time he's managed to snag one. We're always out there with them. The coop and run are a fortress, lol. A bear tore the door to the poop trays off this summer, so it's been strengthened considerably since then. Electric fencing is in the works thanks to the bear. thanks for the reminder on the gloves/rabies...I want even thinking about that!

Chicken update: eating and drinking great. Pooping. Wounds were cleaned with hibacleanse and packed with Neosporin. We'll give her a bit of time to relax, then slowly transition her back out into the cold and hope for the best. I don't want to keep her in too long... She already gets picked on, and we leave for try 2 of our flight at 4am tomorrow. 🙄 Do it's more or never. I wish it was warmer out
 

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