Just lost 2 chickens today, have one injured, dog attack

[buff]

I just lost one of my buff orpingtons which was only about 7 months just starting to lay I believe its my neighbors dog again, because I also lost a leghorn and I have another one of my buff orpingtons (7 months) that is injured. and from looking at the injury its a dog attack. It always seems like when the neighbors go away their dog always comes to our house and kills several of our chickens. We can usually tell when they are away. and when they do go away they never pen up their dog they always just let it lose. I am not sure of all the injurys or how bad the one buff is hurt for I didn't see any blood but she does seem to be able to walk very good and her one wing seems bad. I am not sure how she even got away and up to the house in the bushes right in front of our house. We free range our chickens and we own 129 acres that I feel my chickens should not have problems with dogs but we do and I am not about to pen up my chickens. We have told the neighbors many times to keep their do off of our property but they always try to tell us it wasn't their dog. But we have caught their dog 2 different times in the act. I hope my buff lives but I just not sure what or how to fix her when I don't even know what injury's she has. I have her in our garage that is attached to our house for its warm and I didn't want the other chickens picking on her. I just not sure how to take care of her any suggestions? I wish I could take her to the vet but just can't afford it. If anyone could give me any suggestions on what to do to help her be more comfortable it would be greatly appreicated.

very sad

 

[Nekhebet]

Do you have Blue Kote for any injuries (sp?)? It's supposed to be good for injuries. I guess you should probably check to see if there's any broken skin first!! Also people say to give them electrolytes, like gator aid, and try to get the bird to eat things like egg and yogurt.

TBH, I vote for shooting their dog. SSS, if anything. I mean you've caught it a few times, if you catch it in the act...what can you do? Clearly they don't believe it was their dog. It seems odd that you own so many acres and have problems with dogs....but I live in the city, so I don't really know much about country life

 

[Airplaneguy57]

Another vote for SSS.

 

[CMV]

Any open wounds should be cleaned well with betadine tea (1 part betadine to 10 parts water). Trim back any feathers that appear to be hanging into the wound to keep the site as clean as possible. Coat the area with Neosporin/Blukote/Bag balm. Keep the bird where it can be warm and dry and away from the flock so others won't be picking at the wounds. Any broken bones can be set, splinted and wrapped like you would do for any animal. Refer to a picture of a bird skeleton if you are unsure of how the bones should be aligned. In splinting broken bones Vet Wrap/Coban is essential for securing the breaks, but I know someone who routinely uses duct tape for casting material. I've never used it myself, so I can't vouch for it, but he has had very good luck with it. Pain killers are not really necessary or all that safe to use with chickens. Some folks use aspirin with chickens, but I'd be reluctant to use a blood thinner on a bird with who-knows-what kind of internal injuries and bruising. I'd be afraid of making matters worse. The biggest killer after an attack is shock. The bird will likely be in shock for the first few days after the attack. Keep her warm and dry and quiet. Try to get some sugar water/electrolytes/Pedialyte/Gatorade into her tonight. If she makes it through the first couple days she will likely survive. Keep her fed with high protein foods, but don't worry too much if she won't eat for the first couple days.

Good luck.

 

[buff]

No I don't have any blue kote, is that for if they have any broken skin? Also, I have pedialytes on hand for my kids would that be okay to give to chickens? And I will try to get to look at her better tomorrow and try to get her to eat maybe some egg or yogurt and the pedialytes if I can give that to my chickens. Thanks for all suggestions.

 

[CMV]

Blukote is a wound dressing for open skin. You can also use Neosporin from your medicine cabinet, just make sure there are no -caine (lidocaine, benzocaine) ingredients in it because -caine drugs can kill small animals. Pedialyte is a great electrolyte solution and is totally appropriate to use on chickens. I bet the chicken will like it more than your kids do.

 

[theFox]

Also in addition to what CMV told you, make certain that your bird is kept warm, has access to clean water, is isolated from her flock mates until any bleeding has stopped and the color red is covered (one of the reasons for the bluekote), when the blood situation is taken care of put her best buddy in with her or provide a good sized mirror (chickens get depressed when separated from others of their kind), also keeping her in a low light area will calm her down as well as hide any bleeding.

Try to get her to eat as soon as you know she is taking water. It is critical that she remain hydrated.

 

[theFox]

Oh I can't recommend what to do about the dog, I will say that first make certain that whatever you do is legal.

Dogs attacking my flock are bullet stoppers.

There are at least three laws that are broken when a dog attacks another persons domestic animals in this state and it is legal to dispatch the dog.

 

[Ibicella]

I can't help with chicken first aid, but my suggestion is to get a game cam and get pictures. Then start documenting and calling either Animal Control or the Sheriff and start creating a paper trail.

Send a bill to your neighbor with copies of the pictures of their dog in the act.

As for the dog, if that doesn't help, either try to catch it or SSS.

 

[buff]

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I do have another question I just looked over my chicken alot closer today and her wing is pretty much detached from her she has a lot of meat showing and she is starting to smell rotten in that wound I am not sure what to do because that means she is getting infected and I don't think that Neosporin is going to be much help on this wound, I believe her wing would need to be sewed back on her. I would take pictures but camera is broken. I believe I need to take her to vet and he might be able to help her I just say this her wing is pretty pulled off of her where you can see the bone, but it is not just hanging there. I will put the Neosporin on it but and no she is not drinking yet is there any way I can get her to drink? Very Very Very Sad