Injured hen hawk attack

[Staceylavonne]

I’m new on the forum, I read the threads constantly but finally decided to ask for help. Yesterday my dog and I heard the alarm from my pekin chickens and ran out on the deck and saw a hawk setting on one of my hens. It wasn’t doing anything when it saw me and I ran ( barefoot in the snow) to chase it away. My little hen just laid there so I snatched her up got her into the basement beside the wood stove to get warm and noticed she only had one wound on her head, I’m pretty sure she’ll be blind in one eye. I immediately washed the wound with saline solution and put antibiotic cream on it. I just held her in a blanket for a long time. Today she has been crying really low and I talk to her and reassure her constantly. My questions are…do I get antibiotic like amoxicillin? I have to make her drink pedialite and she will not eat anything. I gave her a massage a few minutes ago and she acted more normal than she has but still won’t eat or drink? Also, should I stay with her this much or should I leave her alone more? Please help me!!

 

[alinas2010]

Welcome to the site. I’m sorry to hear about your chicken. It sounds like she may be in a bit of shock still from the attack. Shock can last around 48 hours. You are doing things right, but continue to push the pedialyte and perhaps some egg yolk or scrambled egg.

It may not be a bad idea to have an antibiotic on hand, but might not be necessary. How does the wound look? You’ll want to keep it coated in a triple antibiotic ointment (without pain relief) and clean with a wound spray or something like hibiclense at least once if not twice a day.

How often you visit her and interact with her during this “shocky” period will depend on how comfortable she is with humans and human contact. If she’s really not much of a human chicken, it might make her shock a bit worse. Instead you’ll want minimal contact with her and to leave her somewhere warm, dim and quiet to recover for a bit after tending the wounds. That’s really general care after anything that throws them into shock. Some respond better after recovering from the initial shock when they’re with their flock and can at least see them. It’s important to keep them separated in a kennel, though, if there is an injury that could get pecked at. Some might not even think of eating until they’re back in the company of their flock. That’s where supervised visits outside or bringing another chicken inside come into play. This is all once the initial shock is over of course and healing has started. Sometimes if a chicken looks at their human caretakers as part of their flock, none of that will matter quiet as much. It just depends on the chicken.

 

[McChooky]

I’m new on the forum, I read the threads constantly but finally decided to ask for help. Yesterday my dog and I heard the alarm from my pekin chickens and ran out on the deck and saw a hawk setting on one of my hens. It wasn’t doing anything when it saw me and I ran ( barefoot in the snow) to chase it away. My little hen just laid there so I snatched her up got her into the basement beside the wood stove to get warm and noticed she only had one wound on her head, I’m pretty sure she’ll be blind in one eye. I immediately washed the wound with saline solution and put antibiotic cream on it. I just held her in a blanket for a long time. Today she has been crying really low and I talk to her and reassure her constantly. My questions are…do I get antibiotic like amoxicillin? I have to make her drink pedialite and she will not eat anything. I gave her a massage a few minutes ago and she acted more normal than she has but still won’t eat or drink? Also, should I stay with her this much or should I leave her alone more? Please help me!!

Raw honey is a natural antibiotic.Its easy to find in the store too.
Mix 1 Tb honey with a 3 Tb water and dip her beak in it for energy.
Keep her in a warm ,quiet place with low lights.She should be eating by day 3.Update?

 

[SamLockwood]

If they're in a lot of pain they won't eat and they'll drink very little. You can give them aspirin for the pain, either crush up a tablet let or get some aspirin powder from somewhere like Tractor Supply. Mix.it on with her water. I think the dosage is a maximum of 150 milligrams for a full geon hen per day, but look it up your self to be sure.

If you got the wound clean quickly you shouldn't need antibiotics. Recovery depends on the injuries and the bird. If she starts acting normal she's probably OK to go back with the others.

Is keep the rest of the flock cooped up for at least a few days to deter the hawk from coming back. Good luck.

 

[Staceylavonne]

Welcome to the site. I’m sorry to hear about your chicken. It sounds like she may be in a bit of shock still from the attack. Shock can last around 48 hours. You are doing things right, but continue to push the pedialyte and perhaps some egg yolk or scrambled egg.

It may not be a bad idea to have an antibiotic on hand, but might not be necessary. How does the wound look? You’ll want to keep it coated in a triple antibiotic ointment (without pain relief) and clean with a wound spray or something like hibiclense at least once if not twice a day.

How often you visit her and interact with her during this “shocky” period will depend on how comfortable she is with humans and human contact. If she’s really not much of a human chicken, it might make her shock a bit worse. Instead you’ll want minimal contact with her and to leave her somewhere warm, dim and quiet to recover for a bit after tending the wounds. That’s really general care after anything that throws them into shock. Some respond better after recovering from the initial shock when they’re with their flock and can at least see them. It’s important to keep them separated in a kennel, though, if there is an injury that could get pecked at. Some might not even think of eating until they’re back in the company of their flock. That’s where supervised visits outside or bringing another chicken inside come into play. This is all once the initial shock is over of course and healing has started. Sometimes if a chicken looks at their human caretakers as part of their flock, none of that will matter quiet as much. It just depends on the chicken.

Thanks soooo much! She’s doing a lot better but she still just doesn’t want to move around a lot. She by

 

[Staceylavonne]

Thanks so much! She is eating and drinking well, I too her to vet just to be safe and she has keflex but she still doesn’t want to move around a lot…she is very much a people chicken but she loves her flock too so I don’t know why she doesn’t want to go back with them, she just hides her face in my jacket. She can’t see out of one eye well so she’s having a little bit of trouble eating and drinking but she’s figuring it out. I hope maybe I’ve just spoiled her so she doesn’t want to leave my basement?

 

[DocL]

Thanks soooo much! She’s doing a lot better but she still just doesn’t want to move around a lot. She by

Had a fox attack my chickens. The rooster did his job protecting his girls, but was injured. He was definitely in shock with the "1000 yard stare". Took him almost a week to come out of it. Then a few more weeks to fully heal. The shock was the worst part. It was like he just gave up on life.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks so much! She is eating and drinking well, I too her to vet just to be safe and she has keflex but she still doesn’t want to move around a lot…she is very much a people chicken but she loves her flock too so I don’t know why she doesn’t want to go back with them, she just hides her face in my jacket. She can’t see out of one eye well so she’s having a little bit of trouble eating and drinking but she’s figuring it out. I hope maybe I’ve just spoiled her so she doesn’t want to leave my basement?

Glad to hear she's doing better!

Do you have a chicken you could bring in by her for a day or two? Then when you take that chicken away, she may go better.

After you finish the antibiotic, it's a good idea to give them probiotics afterward. They can all benefit from it so that should make it easier.