Hen with head injury, possible neurological damage?

[shanadienne]

I just found my 8 year old hen on the floor with a head injury. I didn't see what happened but I'd guess roosters.

She's been bobbing her head over and over (see video) the entire time. Her "sense of balance" system must be injured?

I cleaned the wound, managed to give her a couple sips of water, and she's in a dark room for the night. I'll get water and food into her however I have to but I am wondering if there's anything else that can be done to support whatever healing she needs.

 

[ChicNmom]

Poor girl.

I'd start with electrolytes for shock asap. If you don't have pedialyte or some regular Gatorade with sugar then you can make your own with 1tsp sugar, pinch of salt and baking soda in 1 cup of water.

I'd also get some B vitamins in her and feed her a cooked egg yolk.

A friend had a hen that got attacked by a bobcat. It had a head wound near it's ear and eventually started twitching it's head and stopped eating.

Since it just happened I'd give her a few days to see if it gets better. You'll be hand feeding and all that since she likely won't be able to eat unless the bobbing calms down.

That's the best advice I have. I hope she gets better.

 

[shanadienne]

Poor girl.

I'd start with electrolytes for shock asap. If you don't have pedialyte or some regular Gatorade with sugar then you can make your own with 1tsp sugar, pinch of salt and baking soda in 1 cup of water.

I'd also get some B vitamins in her and feed her a cooked egg yolk.

A friend had a hen that got attacked by a bobcat. It had a head wound near it's ear and eventually started twitching it's head and stopped eating.

Since it just happened I'd give her a few days to see if it gets better. You'll be hand feeding and all that since she likely won't be able to eat unless the bobbing calms down.

That's the best advice I have. I hope she gets better.

Thank you, I'll see what I can get into her tomorrow morning.

She just started screaming in the dark bathroom so I checked on her. Her head looks more swollen than before. The bobbing/jerking has improved significantly but I'm kinda freaked out by the swelling and the screaming. She stopped screaming after I turned on the light and talked to her and adjusted her in her box. I don't know if she had regained some awareness and was panicking or of something started hurting her more suddenly.

 

[ChicNmom]

If there is swelling I would try holding an ice cube with a layer of paper towel on it gently for a few seconds then a break and then repeat. Just like you would for a person with an injury with a lot of swelling. She could have some pressure on her nerves.

 

[shanadienne]

If there is swelling I would try holding an ice cube with a layer of paper towel on it gently for a few seconds then a break and then repeat. Just like you would for a person with an injury with a lot of swelling. She could have some pressure on her nerves.

I was wondering about that but feared it would stress/shock her little body.

She just died a few minutes ago. She was starting to look better, ever so slightly, during the night and swallowed some water at one point but when I went to give her some nutrition this morning she panicked, struggled out of my hands, threw up, and passed.

I feel so bad for her. She was my oldest and the absolute matriarch.

 

[Finnie]

8 years is a good long life for a chicken. It’s possible she was dying from old age, and as chickens are wont to do, one or more of them tried to peck her head. It is their instinct to drive weak and dying members away from the flock.

You took good care of her there at the end, but it is very possible that it was too late for her before you even found her. You are a good chicken mama. Sorry for your loss.

 

[ChicNmom]

So sorry she didn't make it.

I had been thinking the same, that maybe she had collapsed and the rooster or other chickens were trying to get her to get up.

I have had 2 that passed from some kind of seizure and I did find one with the others around her and a few peck marks on her comb and vent area. It didn't look like they were trying to kill her. At least not at that point.

So in that regard she went out in a better place.

You did good. Eight years is a good long life for a hen.