Injury- shock or brain damage? Polish hen Fries.

[Thancock760]

Well, this city slicker learned a lot today:
1: I can’t look at my chooks as just farm foul. They are my pets.
2: never again free ranging without supervision

I am so mad at myself and so sad that I am here asking for experience and guidance.

FRIES!!! today a hawk struck her down and pinned her, face down. It was in the leaf compost pile. My husband caught it just in time to deter the hawk.

He shooed me away as he thought fries was dead. Grabbed a towel and went to end her suffering, but she opened her eyes and flapped her wings. There is no external wounds or damage aside from some messed up feathers. She has a couple scratches by her eye- pictured.

I snatched her up and put her in towels in a hamper after holding her calmly. She laid on her side and would open her eyes and look at me. About and hour later I dropped some electrolyte water on her beak- she would swallow it down. (On our beak as not to drown her) after that she started standing up and looking around.

It has been six hours now. I have her in kennel with a towel and nesting. She is not eating- is pooping. My concern is brain damage. She will “list” to the left and has a slight tick on her head movements. She is a polish and they are jerky jerky anyways- but this is different. She will stand and seem to walk in a circle and sometimes tumble. The lays back down.

How long do I allow this to manifest to see if it is shock or neurological damage?

Anyone have input? My vet doesn’t treat poults. My husband will cull her if he has to, for her well being.

I want to do what I can for her. I feel like a complete piece of trash for not knowing better and this was my fault.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Poor thing. She's most likely in shock. It can take time to recover. Keep her warm and isolated so that you can keep an eye on her food and water intake. Check her all over for any puncture wounds.

 

[Thancock760]

Poor thing. She's most likely in shock. It can take time to recover. Keep her warm and isolated so that you can keep an eye on her food and water intake. Check her all over for any puncture wounds.

Yes- looked everywhere and don’t see and superficial wounds. Will try a thin oatmeal/egg slurry in syringe later to see if this whets her appetite at all.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My girl HawkBait took a bad peck to the head when she was young. It took her a few days before I was more sure she would be fine, and months later, she's still..... off. Can't quite put a finger on how, she just doesn't act like the other polish girls she's with.

 

[Thancock760]

My girl HawkBait took a bad peck to the head when she was young. It took her a few days before I was more sure she would be fine, and months later, she's still..... off. Can't quite put a finger on how, she just doesn't act like the other polish girls she's with.

Fries might get an addition to her name. I am praying she pulls through

 

[LaFleche]

The injured tissue will swell for up to 3-4 days before the swelling will begin to subside. So be warned that her symptoms can get worse during this time because the swelling can put pressure on the nerves.

It woud be best to trim her head feathers to see exactly where the damage is and be able to disinfect and treat her properly.

Some years ago, a hawk got one of my hens and injured her head: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-head-trauma.1378361/post-22651660

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My girl laid down a lot while she was healing the first day and a half. I think it was just easier for her to rest and to keep her balance if she was laying prone and not standing. But a few times I did think she had died because of how she laid down

 

[Thancock760]

The injured tissue will swell for up to 3-4 days before the swelling will begin to subside. So be warned that her symptoms can get worse during this time because the swelling can put pressure on the nerves.

It woud be best to trim her head feathers to see exactly where the damage is and be able to disinfect and treat her properly.

Some years ago, a hawk got one of my hens and injured her head: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-head-trauma.1378361/post-22651660

I did sort through her head feathers and did not see any injury. Should I still trim her?

 

[LaFleche]

I did sort through her head feathers and did not see any injury. Should I still trim her?

Yes, she should be able to have unimpaired vision, or else she will always be an easy target.

EDIT: But don't disturb her at the moment, she needs to rest and recover from the shock first.

 

[Thancock760]

Yes, she should be able to have unimpaired vision, or else she will always be an easy target.

EDIT: But don't disturb her at the moment, she needs to rest and recover from the shock first.

Ok gotcha. I will wait until she is recovered to butcher her hairdo.