Sorry to hear
My DH brought home a bird dog one day last year (I know, WHAT WAS HE THINKING?? We are chicken farmers). Anyways within a week the English Setter (named Pepper) got loose because she had been constantly trying to get to my chickens. Well, she one day did. I happened to be off work that day & seen the attack. When I ran all the way to the back of the property, Pepper had her teeth sunk into the butt of my
Partridge Cochin (named Fur Foot). I removed Pepper & put her back in her pen (without punishing her, because she is a Bird Dog!) and started caring for the attacked chickens. Fur Foot was by far the worst. Her whole butt was missing feathers, bloody & there were deep puncture wounds to where I could see her insides on one side
She had trouble walking. I contemplated culling her to put her out of her misery because I did not feel she was going to make it. I washed her, soap & water, put peroxide on her wounds & triple antibiotic ointment-a few times daily. I also isolated her in a dog crate. It was November here, so it was cold enough I didn't have to worry about flies/maggots. There was one point that I thought she had gangrene, but found it was only bruising. She lived and starting laying eggs again this past spring
. Her feathers grew back, and you would never know she was attacked. Everyone, including me was amazed.
Your chickens will not be their selves for awhile. They will be skidish after the trama they have seen. Just a warning.
And yes, we still have Pepper, she is more securely penned up & we have worked with training her that the chickens are mine, not hers.
Do you know who's dog attacked your chickens & have you made provisions to make sure it doesn't happen again?
