hen attacked by neighbor's dog - any hope?

[ChixFlix]

RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME the neighbor's dog ran up to my hens and chased one, grabbing it and running off with her in his mouth.

I sit out with the hens for 45 minutes each night, so they can get some greens and enjoy "free ranging" in my yard. My neighbors unfortunately don't understand the need to keep their animals on their property.

I chased that dog, until my heart felt like it was going to explode, then I jumped in my car and took off to the neighbor's house.

Meanwhile, another neighbor (next door to me) had a visitor, who saw the dog chewing on the hen, and the hen was still alive. He chased the dog off, rescued the bird, and found me at the other neighbor's house ringing their bell. They weren't home, but that killer dog was.

They handed me the rescued hen. Oh, my stomach was turning. Her back was ripped open, and some meat was eaten off her.

I took her home, my husband got needle and thread and sewed her back up. She never blinked an eye - if it was me, I'd be shrieking!

She's segregated now, resting. What do you think her chances are?

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

Take her to a vet, you may have to call around to find one that works on birds, but it is no more expensive than if you brought in a cat or dog, and chickens deserve the same medical care....


and save the bill and have it presented to your neighbor by the local police, (which is within your legal rights by the way) watch how quickly the dog develops a leash.

A police report would also be helpful, may seem like overkill over one chicken, but guess what, now the dog knows where to come to for an easy snack.... this wont be the last attack, sorry.

 

[hankshens]

My dog bit one of my hens and ripped her crop open so that food was coming back out of her chest. I took her to the vet and he sewed her back up and told me she probably wouldnt live. Well she is fine and out with the others. Just be very careful about infection setting in. I kept her seperate and kept her warm. I cleaned her wound every day and put antobiotic ointment on her. She was up for about 6 weeks but is fine now. Oh yeah, and I gave her terramaycin in her water and fed her soft food.(laying mash with water in it to make it mush) Good Luck

 

[jjthink]

Keep her in a comfortably warm quiet stress free place. (such as dog carrier with lots of comfy towels or shavings for comfort, with food and warm accessible and in a quiet room - keep reassuring her if she is comforted by that). Rescue Remedy in her water for stress if you have it or can get it. Right now the goal is to prevent her from dying of shock.

She will have considerable pain and once the bleeding is under control you may be able to give some aspirin - not while she's bleeding tho - check back in about that if you don't know dosage.
Pain relief can be important to lifting spirits, maintaining will to live, and desire to drink and eat.

The wound(s) will need to be cleansed once she calms down (one recipe is 9 parts water to 1 part betadine - there are others in various threads here on BYC) and from the sounds of it she may need more than topical neosporin, that is, oral or injectible antibiotics.

I agree with above - get veterinary care and give the bill to the "neighbor".

Tonight I could hear that one of my neighbors lost track of their dogs - calling and whistling to no avail. Thankfully I had just locked up my feathered friends and may have barely missed a similar sad situation. People with dogs need to get the message that they have a solemn responsibility not to let their dogs harm other living beings. The number of attacks reported on BYC alone (which we know is a mere fraction of the actual total) continues to be heartbreaking.

I hope she will heal (it can surely take some time but they have amazing capacity and will to live) and I hope much brighter days are ahead.
JJ

 

[cyrixlord]

If you aren't in the mood to kill the offending dog, you can always get some pepper spray from your local gun dealer. once you see the dog on your property give it a good spray, the dog will run home and shake off all over the owners house.Works every time for me, even when I walk my dog and a stray dog comes up to mine.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Everytime I heard one of these stories, I wanna hope on my broom and open up a can o whoopbutt on these ijits who don't understand how much damage fluffy or rex or whomever can do on a bird...And don't get me started on "It's just a chicken".

Make sure she's warm and not stressed and I'll say a prayer for her.

 

[ChixFlix]

Thanks for all your advice.

She is sitting comfortably in her separate cage, keeping an eye on the other hens, drinking water and eating a mush of water and layena.

I have used the blue kote to help healing. She of course got it all over her beak.

What can I put on her skin to keep it pliable? I don't really want to touch her which I imagine will cause pain. Does she need to have anything on her during this healing?

She is alert and what a stand up bird - any additional advice at this point is still helpful.

I spoke to the owner of the dog - a Brittney Springer - I guess that means "bird dog" - after the dog showed up AGAIN the day after the hen attack. I took it to the pound this time. Next time I might not be so kind.

He seems to think the dog won't get out again; I tend to doubt it. His dogs have been all over the neighborhood for years. Why should this one be different?

Anyway, thanks for all your kind replies.

 

[Cetawin]

I hope you cleaned the wound really well before stitching. Keep antibiotic ointment on it and make sure nothing goes on her that contains any of the "caines", it will kill her.

Give her eletrcolytes, vitamins and start antibiotics to ward off any potential infection.

Oh and...get that stupid dog's owners. Make them pay for her care, medication and her, should you lose her. Contact animal control and have them pick the loose mutt up and lock him/her up.

Oh I hate irresponsible dog owners with a purple passion!

Oops editing...just dispatch the beast if it comes back.

 

[Hawn808C]

buy airsoft gun and shoot the beast

 

[Bec]

She should be fine with good care and lots of love! I recently had a dog..well not just any dog, it was MY dog that ripped the back off of one of my hens. It was bad..her back looked like raw hamburger meat Sounds like you have it all under control !! Keep us updated!!!

for your little girl!




(I had a thread called Dog Attack if you want to see how bad it was..I had almost day by day updates with pics!)