i have a new hen and has a head injury and wont drink

[maddybp]

i just recently got a new chicken and it is still in what i call teen years. it has a large wound on the side of its head and on the top since i just added him to the flock i understand the pecking order but she is still too scared to come out of the coop and drink the water and it worries me because i am from the south and it is very hot. i have been letting her out in the mornings to feed her seperately because she is also scared to eat but she still does not want drink water she has taken a few sips but plz help me

 

[NewToFarming]

Did the other chickens do this too her? I would separate her from the others until she heals up and slowly integrate her into the flock again.

 

[BrattishTaz]

I agree with the previous poster. Separate her from the flock so she can heal. Try offering Gatoraid(my birds seem to be attracted to the red one) and see if she will drink that.

 

[chicknmania]

With any new chicken, you should keep them separated from the flock for the first three weeks or so. This is a good safeguard to prevent the spread of diseases. After that, put the new chickens in a pen or enclosure so they can hear, see, and if possible socialize through the wire with the others, and vice versa, but still be separated, for protection from each other. After another week or so, they should be ok to mingle with the flock. That's the way we do it anyway, and it seems to help. Try that with your hen, keep her isolated til she heals, then try to slowly reintroduce her the way I described.

 

[chicknmania]

btw, I was told by a poultry expert that Gatorade has a lot of salt in it, and is not really good for them.
Poultry vits/ electrolyte mixture is better, but only give that to assist with healing, electrolytes all the time are not good either.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
You are correct about the sodium. I give straight Gatoraid the first day, then dilute with water. I have found that the color encourages them to drink when they may not really want to. The sugar also gives them enough of a boost to get up and eat. You will usually see a difference in minutes. I have used it on several severely injured birds with much success.