Help with Electrocuted Chicken!

[morganstig]

Advice for my fried chicken. Bless her heart, I feel just terrible.

The day before yesterday, we left for errands and all was well. When we returned home around two hours later, I heard squawking and ran outside to the run. My welsummer, Rhubarb, had busted out of the screen door on the run. We have electric fencing (rated for small animals) running around the outer perimeter of the run to protect from dogs and predators. In her haste to get back in, I think she was continually bumping into the electric. When I unplugged the fence and ran around, she was sitting under and in contact with the wire. I’m not sure if she went into literal shock and ended up just sitting there frozen in constant contact with it, enduring a constant shock. I picked her up and brought her back in. I checked her over and didn’t see any injuries. She was a little unsteady on her feet, but ate a few bites of bread and drank a little. A few hours later and all day yesterday, she has been up and around the run, but is tired. She walks a few steps and lays down, and walks a few steps and lays down. I think she could be sore or tired, maybe still in a bit of shock.

Today she has progressed to the tail down stance at the edge of the run. I saw her drink a little, peck the ground a little, and poop a little. The temperature is going to plummet tonight so I plan on bringing her into the warm house.

Thoughts and advice please!?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. I have been shocked by electric fences, and cannot imagine getting stuck under one. Hopefully, she will be alright, and her soreness will subside in a few days. If you have a regular vet that would call you back, you could ask the staff and tell them what happened.

 

[sourland]

Hopefully time will result in a recovery. I'd provide feed and protection from aggression and from the weather.

 

[morganstig]

I have been shocked by electric fences, and cannot imagine getting stuck under one.

I myself will touch it by accident every now and again and can’t imagine. I don’t think she was stuck in the wire, just concerned with getting back in with the rest of the flock, so the thought didn’t cross her mind to back up. The electric fencing is ran loosely about 6 inches outside of the chicken wire so they are less likely to touch it when sticking their heads through for grass, but not enough to give her room between the chicken wire and electric wire.