Help! Injured chiecken!!!!!!!!!!

[BunnyLover44]

Hey,

Yesterday my chickens got attacked and one was killed by a dog. One was injured and cant fly, and is slightly limping. Any advice is helpful at this point thanks! Luckily out of my five three were untouched.


BunnyLover44

 

[Outpost JWB]

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?

 

[BunnyLover44]

Me and my mom but some peroxide on her wounds a couple hours ago.

Yes we know whose dog it was she lives three houses down from ours, and she promised and is going to make sure he is locked up securely in the future.

Can you give me any idea how long they will be skittish and if I can help them in any way?

Thanks
BunnyLover44

 

[Outpost JWB]

Just daily reassurance. We have 60-80 chickens and they were free ranging when Pepper attacked them. I know it was my fault, but I do take a risk letting them free range. Could have been coyote, fox, raccoon, mink, or anything get them. But it was my dog. For sure.

When the attack happened, the chickens of course scattered. We have 3 acres. I could account for most of my chickens, but was missing a few. One of my dominant roosters (Hippy) hid under our back deck and we could not find him for hours. Some of the chickens flew into trees on the neighboring wooded property. Didn't find them until the next day. My main rooster, I believe, fought with Pepper. I did not see it, but I know Red Roo would have fought off a rhinoceros if it was bothering his girls. Well, Red Roo was not "back to normal" for about 2 weeks. He was really on edge and would make more warning calls than normal. The others adjusted about a week. Hang in there. Hope she heals soon. Let me know if you have any other questions

 

[BunnyLover44]

Should I put peroxide on the wounds daily? And keep it isolated from the other chickens or is better for it to be with its herd?



BunnyLover44

 

[Outpost JWB]

I kept mine in the coop, but isolated in a dog crate so the hen could rest and the others would not pick on her wounds.

I would use Peroxide & Anti biotic ointment daily. Watch for signs of infection & watch for maggots. If flies get in there and lay maggots, it won't be pretty! The peroxide daily will help keep them away. I was lucky that mine occurred in the winter here, so I didn't have to worry about that.

 

[SuperflyMD]

Peroxide is decent for cleansing a wound initially, and getting out contaminants. It is also toxic to cells, especially new cells. Using it repeatedly will slow healing. I'm an emergency doctor and I use it only for cleaning very dirty wounds.

After that, I clean with water daily, or maybe twice daily, and apply a good topical antibiotic.

I keep a small coop near the main one to isolate injured or ill chickens.

 

[jochickenlady]

That's good to hear!!!!Wow, I too thought we should euthanize her but we stitched her up, now she's healing but there are weird green hard (leukocytes?) with a hair growing out of them? She's on anti-biotics and pain meds... 500.00 freakin dollar late....
's

 

[Outpost JWB]

Jochickenlady, Yikes!! The vets around here charge an arm & a leg too. Many won't even see chickens & many don't know squat about them. Glad she is doing better though. I am sorry if my earlier post to you seemed so short. I have been super busy today & I thought that my previous post to BunnyLover44 might help you. Let me know if you have any more concerns or questions.