Momma hen attacked need advice

[raiford921]

We live in a rural neighborhood, and rarely lock our birds up. Well, since we added a rooster, we usually lock them up so he doesn't roam and crow at 5 am. Well we have 9 day old chicks that hatched naturally and last night I did not lock the coop up. This morning I am missing two chicks, momma feathers galore, and she looks a bit beat up around the head and neck. I don't see active bleeding, but her right eye is shut but not swollen. What can I put in her to make it better and avoid infection? I have some antibacterial cream, peroxide, but do I need to get any injection antibiotics?

 

[kgardiner]

You said there is no active bleeding, but is she cut up or wounded in any other way?? If you were you clean her up a bit and put some Neosporin on her she'll probably be fine. Just be sure not to use the kind with pain relief in it. It is toxic to your hen. If she has wounds, it would be a good idea to separate her from the rest of the flock, they will peck open wounds. If you can get some Blu-Kote, you can apply that. It is an antiseptic and will curb the others from pecking.
Chickens do heal very nicely from some pretty bad wounds. I had a pecking issue where a hen had a huge hole in her back. I separated her, gave her some TLC and she is good as new now! I'm not an expert but I hope this helps.

 

[raiford921]

I've been reading all over the forum about blukote and penicillin. Our chickens are all natural, and we use galic and oregano for the sniffles and such, but we will use antibiotics in a heartbeat to protect the chickens. We built a quarantine and a maternity ward under the coop, in the run area. I'm going to put her and the remaining chicks in it til she heals, and I'm going hunting tonight.

Thanks for the quick reply, I told my wife that everyone on the board usually responds in minutes to people in need.

 

[Michael Apple]

Get some Terramycin eye ointment from the feed store for the eye. Look the bird over carefully head to toe and make sure there are no lacerations or puncture marks. If you see any wounds, get some Penicillin G. Here are some detailed directions: https://sites.google.com/a/poultryp...oultry-podiatry#chickens_penicillin_injection
Provide vitamin-electrolyte powder and probiotic powder in the waterers.

You will lose all of them,including the chicks, if you don't lock them in a secure coop at night. A secure yard should exist around the coop. Secure means no predators can get in. Not even a weasel.

 

[raiford921]

UPDATE: I believe it may have been a cat attack. She has no other wounds except on her head and right eye. We doctored her up with peroxide, antibacterial cream, Blukote, and penicillin. She won't eat, doesn't scratch for her chicks, but does walk them around the yard a little bit. Babe mainly wants to settle down and let the chicks to their thing. Is it depression form the attack or losing 2 chicks? Is it shock, she won't eat feed, scratch, or treats. Need more advice. I've looked through other threads and some say to administer electrolytes for shock.

 

[budgielover101]

don't use hydrogen peroxide. it kills tissue that heals. My chicken had a swollen eye, try eye drops for red eyes.

 

[raiford921]

Thanks for the heads up on the peroxide. We used it after the initial attack but have not since.

 

[ten chicks]

I use peroxide all the time on all my pets and children. I use for full strength or diluted,depending on what the use is for,never had an infection get out of control by doing this. I am aware that it may kill healthy tissue(it is a small amount) the infected tissue is more of a concern. What i would never use peroxide on is eye issues.

 

[raiford921]

We flushed around her eye with water and used the peroxide around her head and neck. Also used blukote, which says to stay away from eyes and mucous membranes. I put my thumb over her eye and beak and applied it around her head and neck. Also giving her daily injections of penicillin for 4 days. So far she's only had two injections and I just checked in her and she has both eyes open now and has both eyes. She ate a little today but not what she should be.