Help! Boots was attacked by my dog

[phiababy87]

hey guys,

New to the community and a new chicken mom. I have a chicken named boots who was attacked by my dog this evening. Needless to say it was a traumatic experience for the both of us. She’s a super fancy chicken with loads of feathers kinda looks like the duster character from beauty and the beast. Which I think was boots saving grace when she was attacked my dog ripped out many of her feathers around her thigh right under her right wing. There are some cuts they don’t appear to be super deep but has quite a few of them. She is limping on her right side but her wings appear to be in good shape. She can stand but now is laying down with her eyes closed. I flushed her wounds with diluted iodine. I didn’t notice any other punctures. Her heart rate was rapid so after cleaning her up I stuck her in my spare bathroom with towels and a water dispenser. Any other recommendations?

 

[DobieLover]

hey guys,

New to the community and a new chicken mom. I have a chicken named boots who was attacked by my dog this evening. Needless to say it was a traumatic experience for the both of us. She’s a super fancy chicken with loads of feathers kinda looks like the duster character from beauty and the beast. Which I think was boots saving grace when she was attacked my dog ripped out many of her feathers around her thigh right under her right wing. There are some cuts they don’t appear to be super deep but has quite a few of them. She is limping on her right side but her wings appear to be in good shape. She can stand but now is laying down with her eyes closed. I flushed her wounds with diluted iodine. I didn’t notice any other punctures. Her heart rate was rapid so after cleaning her up I stuck her in my spare bathroom with towels and a water dispenser. Any other recommendations?

Sorry you and your girl went through such a terrible ordeal.
She is likely a little shocky needs to rest in a quiet, dark place which is what you are doing after initially cleaning her up.
In the morning, give her about a ml of Poultry Nutri-drench and some scrambled egg made soupy with water and see if that perks her up. She may need a little bit of aspirin to help with the pain in her leg.
I would check her over again really well in the morning to ensure she has no puncture wounds. It would be a good idea to put some antibiotic ointment on the wounds again.

 

[danceswithronin]

When my White Plymouth got attacked by my dog, I put him in a big plastic bin full of towels beside my bed, and kind of made it a snug little nest for him to sit in so he wouldn't move around too much. Then I put another towel over the top of the bin. I felt like it helped him for me to be close by, and that he was comforted by my presence. I had a bowl of water and gave him water by hand until the next day when he felt well enough to go back in the run. So my suggestion I guess would be to baby Boots a little bit and make a fuss over her. I swear my rooster remembered that I nursed him because he was always as tame as a lap dog after that.

 

[fldiver97]

Agree with DobieLover.... If you have a dog crate or carrier Boots can comfortably rest in I would keep her in there on some soft surface, keep in a quiet, warm area. Preferably a bit dark. Keep food and water close so she doesn’t have to wander about. Depending on her recovery she may have to rest a few days.... if she’s lonely consider placing her in the coop inside a crate or at least in a protected area so she is not isolated from her flock but she may need ‘see but no touch’ until she can safely hang out with them

 

[phiababy87]

Thanks guys! Boots survived the evening! She can stand but limps on her right side (most her injuries) I’m swinging by the store to buy aspirin, electrolytes , and some regular Neosporin. I’m really concerned about her left eye. She hasn’t opened her eye yet.

She’s in my spare bathroom with towels and blankets and a night light? Any other suggestions? Also, her eggs and water jug is right next to her!

She did poop over night and her bowels appeared to be normal.

I feel so bad. I should of kept a more watchful eye on her. I hope she makes it..

I’ll post her pictures of her later, when I clean her up again. Thanks guys!

 

[dalguiyeowang]

So sorry to hear about your Boots. I agree with keeping her in a crate just to give her some stability. If my girls need to convalesce, they get a blanket draped over the grate (but keeping some of it open for air flow). As stated earlier, keeping them in a quiet, dark place will help with the shock.
If you can't bring the crate over to the others, then consider giving her a mirror. That way she "sees" another chicken with her. You can also take and play some videos of "chicken TV". She might be comforted to hear her sisters play around outside.
Definitely let us know how she does. Keeping her hydrated is key.
Unfortunately animal attacks are a big risk of having chickens or any prey animal. I'm sorry that it happened.

 

[Eggcessive]

You have been given good advice so far. Can you post any pictures of her wounds and her swollen eye. Have you opened it to see if you just see swollen pink tissue, or if you can see the eye? Do you have other chickens? Is she eating or drinking this morning?

 

[phiababy87]

Hey friends!

So, boots is in much better Spirits and her wounds are healing. It’s amazing how fast her body is healing. She opens her eye when she wants and when I have seen it the eye is red and cloudy looking. I’ve been at work during the day so I don’t really see how much water she has been drinking. So I added electrolytes to for water jug. Also, when I get home I hand give her the electrolytes with a syringe. there’s food left out for her during the day but doesn’t seem to touch it until I hand feed her. I’ve been feeding her oatmeal with honey or scrambled eggs. She initially has a difficult time ratting until she gets the hang of it. I’m concerned she can’t see the food when i m gone. She pecks at the air and attempts but is no where near the food

Any suggestions guys? Also, I attached the photos of her after her attack.

Her limp is almost gone I think this weekend I’ll let her out with her sisters and maybe she will eat cause they are eating..

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that she is doing better. I would mix some chicken feed with a lot of water, instead of using the oatmeal. It would be more balanced, get more fluids into her. The egg is okay. Is there no one home who could offer her some food while you are gone? She may like to use a chicken chair of sling for part of the day to reach food and water. Here are some pictures and equipment to use in this thread and a video below:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[phiababy87]

Woah. Wish I had seen this before when her leg was injured. Definitely going to use the sling if this ever were to happen again. Hopefully I won’t need it. I grind her feed and use that this evening. Thanks for the guidance