Hen injured by hawk.

[emrys]

I just interrupted a hawk attack on one of my hens. Once I rounded everyone up, I found which hen had been caught. She has a large tear in the skin and tissue near where the neck joins the body. I sprayed the area with Blu Kote, put her in a modifed dog crate with a nesting box, food and water. Is there anything else I shoud do for her for the time being? My plan was to keep her segregated to see if she will heal from her injury. The other chickens are back in their pen. I just have to hope fishing line criss crossed over the top and dangling CD's will keep the hawk out of the pen.

 

[dkosh]

Sorry to hear of the attack. I just lost one this week to a hawk myself. I did find one of my hens that had the back of her neck ripped open by something this fall. (I assume it was a failed hawk attack) It looked awful. I put pine tar on it and kept her separate until it healed up and feathers started to grow back around the area. She is doing fine now. I think once the shock is over and she heals up she will be okay too. Good luck!

 

[Carolyn]

Sounds like you are doing the right things. I might have cleaned the wound and put some neosporin on it just to have observed it better but blu kote is good too. If you left her with the others there is the possibility they would have pecked at the wound without the blue kote. Give her just TLC. Glad she is a survivor.

I would suggested you keep your chickens up for a few days to discourage the hawk's return. Good luck on hawk proofing, it's not easy to protect them from air attacks. To me hawks seem to attack worse in winter although they are around all year here.

 

[emrys]

It's not like I didn't have any warning. I've seen this big hawk lurking in a tree near my house for a couple of days. Even though the pen isn't covered I will be keeping them in for a while as well as improving the criss crossed fishing line. Big brave rooster was hiding in a nest box that is recessed in the side of the barn then tried to attack me for bothering his hen. Thanks for the information about caring for Pitty Patt. I have pine tar and neosporin I can use for future treating her.

 

[terrilhb]

So glad she is ok.