Is my chicken in shock, or does she have neurological damage? She can't stand.

[Eyikl]

Hi. Two days ago I had a chicken attacked by a hawk. When I found her she was lying on her side on the ground with her eyes closed. She a small round wound just below her comb, a scrape on her beck, and a little cut inside mouth, but otherwise she seemed physically fine. She wouldn't move though, and kept her eyes closed. My father and I took her inside and held her for a few hours and she was mostly still, but would occasionally open her eyes, flap her wings, and kick her feet - usual struggling for a chicken. I put her in a cage with a heat lamp and gave her water mixed with electrolytes using a syringe. She eventually opened her eyes, and she occasionally flaps around and ends up in awkward positions (which my mother thinks might be her having flashbacks to the hawk attack), so we propped her up with a box.

Yesterday she laid an egg in my lap (her first!) and she could eat and drink by herself when she was sitting in my lap, but she seemed to have trouble seeing the food or water in front of her (i.e. she wasn't moving her head much to see the food/water), and she still can't stand.

My parents think she might have neurological damage. Is that likely? What else should I be doing to help her?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

After an attack birds can be in shock and extremely sore. Generally for about a week or so. I would check her eyesight when she's feeling better. Sometimes a squeeze to the neck can rupture eyes. It happened to a polish my dog grabbed. The legs could be a broken pelvis or legs. I generally give them a week or two. If they aren't improving it may be best to cull. At this point it's a wait watch situation. I would keep it as quiet as possible.

 

[Eyikl]

okay, thank you. Only I thought that a chicken with broken legs would be loud about it, and unable to move their legs at all.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

okay, thank you. Only I thought that a chicken with broken legs would be loud about it, and unable to move their legs at all.

I don't think chickens experience pain exactly like we do. I have seen a chicken with a broken leg act like nothing is wrong. Perhaps it's the hollow bones. Chickens can also heal up from stuff pretty quickly and easily compared to us humans. Give her a few days than gently reevaluate her for breaks. That's what I would do.