Injured Chicken . . . advice please?

[Chowder]

This is my first post. We have a Delaware hen. She is about 7 months old. She and our lab had some sort of run in the other day (but we are not sure exactly what happened - we kinda think she got out and got into the pool and the dog pulled her out - but that is just a thoery cause they were both wet) we just found them together (wing in dog mouth) and all of her back feathers are gone. There was no blood (some tenderness from the removed feathers it looks like). She had just recently started laying and the night she was injured laid and egg (VERY SOFT AND SMASHED BY MORNING) and hasn't laid since. My question is this - is there something more we can be doing for her - we cleaned her up and kept her warm and she is now coming back downstairs in her coop (it is enclosed). She seems back to her normal self. Will the feathers grow back? How long? This is our first chicken (we planning adding 2 more soon - as we can have 3 chickens where we live). We got Chowder for our daughter to raise and she has become part of the family. I was devastated when I saw it laying in the back yard - but am grateful that she appears to be doing well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Alison

 

[jjthink]

Dogs and chickens all too often mean trouble. I am glad your hen seems to be improving. What you've been doing - keeping her warm and dry - is good.

She may benefit from some pain killer for the next few days - it sounds like this happened a few days ago so she's probably been hurting for awhile...... One 81 mg baby aspirin (NO SUBSTITUTES) crushed and mixed in with a cup of water. This is the rough equivalent to 5 regular (325 mg) aspirin crushed and mixed with one gallon of water. Gave you the smaller dose so you can make fresh batches given there's only one bird. It is good that you are getting her some feathered friends. Make sure she is staying hydrated. If she's not drinking you may have to slowly drip the water with eyedropper along her beak - she will swallow on her own, best so it doesn't go down wrong.......

It is oft reported that extra protein will help her heal and grow feathers back. You might try a scrambled egg (take one egg and mix with one tablespoon water and microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute. Mix well, let cool and serve.) Some folks give a baby parrot formula or mealworms to encourage good spirits and recovery. I always feed hens black oil sunflower seeds in addition to their regular diet.

Assuming she is offered free choice layer food and oyster shell, her eggs should begin to be normal.....

JJ

 

[Chowder]

I am off to get her some sunflower seeds and meal worms. I will go and get her an aspirin started right now so that will kick in while I am out getting the other goodies for her.

Thank you SO much for the advice . . . much appreciated from a newbie chicken owner!

 

[SpottedCrow]

As long as she's acting normal, walking, flying, eating and pooping alright she should be fine...If Rover yanked out the feathers, they should grow back within a couple of weeks, at least you'll see the start of the pincushion look. When Obelisk yanked out Penny's she took most of the roots too, so I was expected a terminal baldy, but she did start growing them back.

 

[akd23237]

My hen was attacked once by a possum. Her feathers and skin came off. I treated her wound with tincture of iodine. She's now 100% well again. Oh, and btw, mypetchicken.com sells a stronger iodine solution for chickens in case of attacks: http://www.mypetchicken.com/Health_and_Sanitation-Xenodine__Antiseptic__1oz_dropper-P405.aspx