How many days of antibiotics are enough?

[ErinMaria]

Hi everyone! I mentioned in my intro post that I'm currently helping my favorite chicken Chelsea back to health after a hawk attack. She lost all the feathers on her back and under her wings quite a bit. I think the hawk was scared off by the neighbors dog. Anyway her neck is badly damaged as well missing most of her skin and feathers. I have been heavily slathering triple antibiotic ointment and cleaning it with Bannix, similar to Vetricyn spray. 2 days after her attack she was VERY HOT to touch, sluggish, sleeping standing up a lot, not drinking water or eating very much. So I did my research and found that chickens can have amoxicillin, which I had a few leftover capsules 500mg each. So I divided those up with 25 ml of water in a mason jar and gave it to her by mouth 5 ml 2 times a day 10 hours apart, shes only like 2.5 pounds. It has been 5 1/2 days and shes improved A LOT!!! Yay!! Shes eating on her own, I was hand feeding in the beginning because she cant stretch her neck to the floor because of her injuries and it seemed to help coax her to eat. I've since propped up her dishes and shes eating on her own very well, poops went from liquid to more solids and no more shamrock green in them. Yay!! The first 2 days of antibiotics she refused to drink any water so I was giving her sips with a syringe every 2 hours or so, now shes drinking way more all day long on her own.
So I guess my question is how many more days do I give her the antibiotics?? Her injuries look like they are improving, although in very beginning stages of healing they definitely look better. Where there was no skin there is a layer of tissue. Where there are deep scratches and ripped skin there's a thick layer of new tissue. There is no foul odor so I don't suspect any infection and her temperature has gone down. I would post pictures but Im afraid it might be too much to look at. My poor girl! I just want the best for her and I really don't have the money for a vet right now so I'm doing my best! So far shes doing well, even resuming her attitude and pecks my jewelry again! LOL
Any information will help thanks!!

 

[CatWhisperer]

It’s hard to say whether the antibiotics healed here or just Mother Nature and tincture of time. However once you have started antibiotics I would recommend you treat for 10 days to wipe out anything they may be helping with and to prevent antibiotic resistance.
Glad she is recovering.

 

[chickens really]

Some poultry antibiotics say to treat till symptoms are gone.

 

[casportpony]

I would post pictures but Im afraid it might be too much to look at.

You can post pictures, we're used to seeing them.

So I guess my question is how many more days do I give her the antibiotics??

The times my vets prescribed amoxicillin it was for 10-14 days.

 

[ErinMaria]

Im going to snap a few photos and post them here. She was so badly attacked and now im unsure if it was a hawk or raccoon. I found one in the yard this weekend around 10am and then Sunday morning the hubs found it dead by our forsythia shrub. We think it was diseased because it was out during the day and then it was dead... no visible injuries either.

 

[casportpony]

You found a dead hawk or raccoon?

 

[ErinMaria]

I found a dead raccoon. That’s why I’m now unsure if it was a hawk that got her. It could have been the raccoon. It just showed up one day, and he next it was dead. Really Weird.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Oh my gosh, poor Chelsea! I'm glad that she's on the mend! Good job researching what to do & nursing her back to health.

And never be afraid to post pics. In fact, you can even post the before & after pics so that we can celebrate with you just how far she's come! Even if you don't, we're all thrilled about her recovery & knowing that there's a happy end to her troubles on the horizon!

 

[dawg53]

The amoxicillin helped immensely in healing Chelsea. You're lucky an air sac wasnt ruptured whether it was a hawk or coon. Do not give amoxicillin for more than 10 days.