Interrupted weasel attack. Hen with swollen neck

[ValerieJ]

I think it's important to make sure she is eating. Perhaps it is hard for her to swallow because of the bruising, but she needs to eat. To help get nutrients in her give her some Nutri-Drench, if you have that. I wouldn't keep her separate from the other chickens since there are no visible open wounds. You can put her out in the day. She hasn't been gone that long.

She is probably in a bit of shock. That will keep a chicken from eating too. If you can encourage eating and drinking with her outside, that would work best in your situation.

 

[CCinVT]

That is what I will do then. I have veggie scraps and such from thanksgiving I was going to give them maybe that will encourage her some. I can mix up some oatmeal too for a soft option. I dont have nutri drench but I do have some probiotics? She is for sure in shock

 

[ValerieJ]

That is what I will do then. I have veggie scraps and such from thanksgiving I was going to give them maybe that will encourage her some. I can mix up some oatmeal too for a soft option. I dont have nutri drench but I do have some probiotics? She is for sure in shock

I would go with electrolytes. If you don't have those, you can make them. Here is a link to a recipe.

 

[CCinVT]

So I got her to eat some egg and oatmeal before I brought her out to join the flock. She joined In With the girls no problem and I saw her drink water. When I went to close them up tonight he neck seemed less swollen, and it did seem there was food in her crop. Though not a ton. I will keep an eye on her. I dont know if I'll get to button up the coop before monday between the cold weather, and baby...but I will ha e DH to help once the weekend is over, and will be able to start introducing my rooster in. We think he got into the coop from the rooster side, but how he got in through the dividing wall I'm not sure. If he got in on the hen side... I will have to really look around. Do you think with only 8 hens left it's ok to introduce this new roo? I want to wait until the shock is over before I shake things up more. I will continue to watch them. I usually only have mature boys with my ladies, and this guy is young. Hes an old English bantam and my girls are all standard/large size. I still cant believe how wasteful and violent that weasel was. It is going to be a project to find all the tiny spots he could have gotten in. How should I block up small openings? Like between boards? Our coop is rough milled pine boards.

 

[ValerieJ]

I think it's fine to introduce the cockerel to the girls in a couple days just keep an eye out for any trouble.

 

[aart]

How should I block up small openings? Like between boards?

1/2" hardware cloth....or more boards, depending on where the gaps are.
Hard to say where it got in because the lesser weasel can squeeze thru some might tiny gaps...close up anything larger than a 1/2". Looks for holes dug under edges of walls in both coop and run.
Pics of your coop all around, inside and out, might help us help you spot something.

Glad you got her back out there.

 

[CCinVT]

Ok so I gave the coop a once over and found some spots that I think a weasel could have gotten in. Its snowing tonight into tomorrow, but DH will be around to help patch up some obvious spots. The rooster side is where we think it got in, but I found a gap in the boards that divides the two sides and think that must be how it got to where my hens are. My hen seemed to have only eaten some food last night, and tonight her crop felt pretty empty. I will make some warm oatmeal and eggs to try and entice her to eat some. Maybe the feed pellets are just a bit much? Shes still swollen but not at much. She def doesnt like me looking at her neck but I still dont see any large or obvious spot I missed during the first look over when she was in the house. We will plan to start introduction of the rooster this week since his side has more weasel sized holes then I can patch up in 20 degree weather!