Hen Attacked by an Animal

[CottonGinWaste]

I had a bad night last July due to a neighbor's dog, lost 25 chickens. I nursed 3 back to complete health, two of which had horrible injuries. I isolated them in wire cages. Twice a day cleansed wounds with Chlorhexidine soap and rinse ($4 for 8 oz bottles from my vet), f/b Triple A ointment (bought 10 tubes cheap - Walmart) and Swat ointment to deter flies (Tractor Supply). Once a day x 3 days Penicillin inj (Tractor Supply) alternating breast sides, 0.1 cc to the largest hen. I'm in Lower Alabama so I kept a fan on low 24/7. Once the open access wounds were closed, and I was conservative there, I Blu Koted the feather-less sites well and returned them to the flock. Only lost a neurologically damaged SS cockerel, saved 3 pullets, cried every morning at 3:00 as I went thru my routine before work . . .

 

[3chickchicks]

I'm nursing one that was attacked as well. Inspect her really well for additional wounds. Bite wounds almost always have at least two spots.

Take my advice with a grain of salt. Nobody would reply to my thread so I had to figure it out. But she's doing well now so I guess that's something to speak for my care.

I ran copious amounts of water over her wounds for about 15 minutes (studies say doing this soon after the injury keeps infection down better than disinfectants) and picked out debris and broken feathers. Then I applied betadine to disinfect. I patted her dry and finished drying her with a hair dryer on low. Then I applied blu-kote (which stings, the poor girl). I didn't want to put something on her that creates an anaerobic environment since that is a beneficial environment for bacteria from bites to grow in.
After that I put her in a dog crate, with food and water, in a quite place in the house on clean bedding (I used shredded paper).
She didn't want to eat or drink so I had to force feed her to get her through shock. I gave her yogurt thinned just a bit with water by syringe (without the needle). It was still thick which prevented it from going down the wrong pipe but did give fluids and nutrition. I also gave her bread drenched with milk. I read online about dripping water onto their beaks to make them drink, but that didn't work with her.

I cleaned (just soap and water after the initial cleaning) and dressed her wounds twice a day and force fed her. I'd let her out with the others for fifteen or thirty minutes twice a day, until it became apparent that she was tired. I watched the entire time for pecking.
The second day she started drinking and eating on her own. I still kept her inside most of the day so she could rest until she started protesting my care lol!
Today was her first full day with the flock and her first night back. *crosses fingers* Her wounds have dried up enough that flies won't be a problem. She's doing well so far. I arranged her on the roost so that she wasn't right next to one of the girls who pecks.

The blu-kote is critical to keep them from pecking the wounds.

 

[Country4ever]

I had a bad night last July due to a neighbor's dog, lost 25 chickens. I nursed 3 back to complete health, two of which had horrible injuries. I isolated them in wire cages. Twice a day cleansed wounds with Chlorhexidine soap and rinse ($4 for 8 oz bottles from my vet), f/b Triple A ointment (bought 10 tubes cheap - Walmart) and Swat ointment to deter flies (Tractor Supply). Once a day x 3 days Penicillin inj (Tractor Supply) alternating breast sides, 0.1 cc to the largest hen. I'm in Lower Alabama so I kept a fan on low 24/7. Once the open access wounds were closed, and I was conservative there, I Blu Koted the feather-less sites well and returned them to the flock. Only lost a neurologically damaged SS cockerel, saved 3 pullets, cried every morning at 3:00 as I went thru my routine before work . . .

Bless your heart CottonGinWaste!