Help - Hawk Attack

[CJD]

well, it's been 3 days now with the radio on, and I haven't seen a hawk. Lets hope that they don't get wise......

The chicken's eye is finally starting to open, but she's scratching at it a lot, and it's really red around it. Can anyone tell me what I can put on it that will stop the itching?

Also, she still doesn't seem to be eating much. She is pooping, but not a lot. She turned her nose up at oatmeal, chopped egg, grapes, and her regular feed, but she did peck at the scratch a little. It seems like she can't see what she's pecking at. I brought her outside so she could eat with the other chickens, but she just stands there, or makes half-hearted attempts at pecking at the scratch. I'm hoping that as that eye opens more, she may get her depth perception back. She's still seperated because a couple of the chickens are picking on her (including my naughty little Polish rooster). Any ideas on how I can get her to eat?

Mary

 

[Lunachick]

I'm no expert, but how about trying to put those food items mentioned in a blender and use an eyedropper to feed her?

 

[CJD]

I did just that last night. I chopped up some eggs, grapes and lettuce really fine, set it on the floor of the cage with some grit sprinkled on top, and she ate it! I think that she is having a hard time seeing the food, because she pecks to the left of where the food is every time. But, I'm just so glad that she's finally eating. Now if we can just get her to stop scratching at the scabs...

Mary

 

[Lunachick]

Hope it's going well for her! Maybe you can put some neosporin on the scab?

 

[CJD]

Never thought of that... I'll give it a try. Thanks!

Mary

 

[Chris & Mary's Kids]

I can totally relate and sympathize. The same thing happened several months ago to a young hen we'd raised ourselves. She was not only stripped of neck feathers, the hawk ripped a huge slice down her breast and the skin and feathers were hanging down. Our story had a happy ending so I'll share it with you.

We were able to catch Solo and kept her quiet and warm in a cat carrier in the laundry room. My neighbor suggested giving her a mixture of honey, water, and a few drops of whiskey using an eyedropper to squirt it into her mouth, which we did.

It happened on a Saturday. By Monday she was still alive so I took her to our vet, who was rather taken aback because no one in this farming community had ever brought her a chicken to treat! It was too late to sew the skin back so she removed the flap of skin, presumably cleaned the wound, gave me antibiotics to give the hen twice a day, and told me to spray Granulex on the poor raw skin. It stinks to high heaven but it's good stuff.

It took six weeks but we were able to nurse her back to health. The vet told me later she couldn't believe the chicken had survived. So don't give up hope. I believe they are remarkably resilient. Good luck!!!!

 

[Chris & Mary's Kids]

Oh, and I forgot! There was also a hole in Solo's craw or crop or whatever it's called. When we gave her the liquid it would drip out of the hole! But she still survived.

We fed her canned cat food (Fancy Feast) because it was soft. She gobbled it up.

 

[CJD]

I'm glad your hen survived the attack. I'm so afraid that I'm going to come home one day and find another pile of feathers outside the barn.

I'll have to give the cat food a try (since the cat's picky and won't eat it, maybe the chicken will!).

I was fortunate that her wounds weren't too serious, but the fact that her eye was swollen shut and she wouldn't eat really worried me. She was starting to get weak, but since she's been eating a little, she really perked up, and she's even walking around a little.

Question - At what point would it be safe to bring her back into the henhouse? I know that the other chickens can be merciless when it comes to injuries.

 

[Chris & Mary's Kids]

I think when any wounds are totally healed (so they don't get infected), and she's eating pretty well and seems fairly normal. Other people may know better than me.

 

[Chatychick]

Well it sounds like she is in shock..had 2 hit by hawks and brought them in the house for a few days and they did better after they knew they were safe...No guinnie hens or guinnie roos dont keep hawks away... I have lost 11 to hawks as they only stay close if they want to ...mine were raised with the chickens and still would wander if they want to...the hawk got them instead of the chickens sometimes..also dogs will get guinnies too. Guinnies are mean sometimes and mine were raised with my chickens and would still pick on them, but when and if they were out late and didnt get in with the chickens at night they became hawk or owl bait and the coons love them too. With my Bantys I have a screen over their coop area to prevent the new young hawk that has been trying to get at them away and safe, so far its working and it hasnt gotten in yet. Hawks and the other predators are part of nature and sometimes they win. I have heard African geese scare off the hawks so I got 2 grown geese and it still dont work but they do alert you as to when it comes around just like the guinnies... I am raising 28 baby guinnies now to restock my population of them again and they are barely a month old now and not outside yet. Good luck and if they are not free range I would cover their coop area with chicken wire to deter the hawks from getting to them...Good Luck