My first hawk attack today and dealing with the guilt....

[minnehaha]

I think centrarchid means do not mess with the wounds to much, let them heal, over treating wounds can sometimes do more harm than good.

It sounds like you are doing it right though by how well she is doing!!! I am so happy for you and her. I am also surprised the other hens layed eggs today after the trauma! They must be happy girls!

 

[leithsloft]

I think centrarchid means do not mess with the wounds to much, let them heal, over treating wounds can sometimes do more harm than good.

It sounds like you are doing it right though by how well she is doing!!! I am so happy for you and her. I am also surprised the other hens layed eggs today after the trauma! They must be happy girls!

Thank you. I took her back out to the coop a couple hours ago and she was bored and kept trying to bite at her wounds. I used a collar on her and she freaked out, flipping upside down to remove it. Since being back out with the group, she is scratching in the run looking for bugs and not paying attention to her wounds which are all under her wings. If she bleeds though, the others will attack her and pick at her. So I need to check on her every hour for bleeding...so far, so good. I only gave her 2 treatments of the verticyn gel spray which seems to be working.

 

[deacons]

Hmm...I would be worried about putting her out with the rest too soon, because as you said, if they find those wounds, they could end up doing a lot of damage quickly. I totally understand the sentiment of wanting to get them back out with the others as soon as you can, but I might give her a little more time alone if they were really deep/bad wounds that are likely to reopen easily. Will she be able to fly up to the roost without reopening them? Just would hate to see your good care and attention be undone by "chickens being chickens."

That said- glad to hear she was feeling good enough to scratch and peck around outside with her flock.

 

[leithsloft]

Hmm...I would be worried about putting her out with the rest too soon, because as you said, if they find those wounds, they could end up doing a lot of damage quickly. I totally understand the sentiment of wanting to get them back out with the others as soon as you can, but I might give her a little more time alone if they were really deep/bad wounds that are likely to reopen easily. Will she be able to fly up to the roost without reopening them? Just would hate to see your good care and attention be undone by "chickens being chickens."

That said- glad to hear she was feeling good enough to scratch and peck around outside with her flock.

I understand as I was uncertain also if it was to soon. My biggest fear is the others seeing blood. But she's not picking at her wounds like she was, which will help them to heal faster. She was also panting in the house due to the wood burner keeping the house at 75 today as it's 50 outside. I didn't want to get her to use to the warm air and then acclimate her back to freezing temps. She is now in the nest box and will blow me away if she lays an egg today! She can jump up the tiered roost without using her wings. The coop is 14 x 14 with only 10 birds, so lots of room for her and 18 inches of straw to keep her warm. If she has to come back in, then I have no choice. So far, so good. Thank you!

 

[deacons]

I totally understand on the weather problems. We're experiencing something very similar here, and I know I would also not want to get her too used to indoor heated temps when she had to be ready for 20 or 30*F nights soon (said by a former Michigander now living in NH...

).

So happy to hear about her great progress. And wouldn't that be funny if she laid an egg!

 

[centrarchid]

I'm not sure what you mean by "over treat"?   

Do not get bird overly wet or too hot. Minimize handling as stressors can be additive.

 

[leithsloft]

Do not get bird overly wet or too hot. Minimize handling as stressors can be additive.

Thank you!

 

[philnj]

Wow. HopE she continues to improve. Almost had same thing happen today. Was out with the girls they are full size chickens. A pretty large hawk either a broad wing or sharp skinned swooped within 10 feet of them ( and me) and saw me last minute and flew off. Don't think it could have carried one of them off but I also have 6 week old pullets that he would have easily taken. Luckily they were in the pen.

 

[leithsloft]

Wow. HopE she continues to improve. Almost had same thing happen today. Was out with the girls they are full size chickens. A pretty large hawk either a broad wing or sharp skinned swooped within 10 feet of them ( and me) and saw me last minute and flew off. Don't think it could have carried one of them off but I also have 6 week old pullets that he would have easily taken. Luckily they were in the pen.

Thank you. Be careful as my hen is a large chicken that weighs almost 6 pounds and that hawk had no problem lifting her into the air. Luckily it dropped her at about 15 feet and not any higher only because we were waving our arms and screaming. When I was a little girl I remember a hawk taking one of our white hens right up to the top of a 70 foot tree with feathers trailing down the entire flight. The hawk took her apart in the tree and I balled my eyes out as I could see her up there and feathers falling. My hens stayed in the coop today and I brought them as many greens as I could find. They wanted out..bad. Even though they were all attacked, they laid eggs today. I think they forget.

 

[Folly's place]

When I have a hawk attack, I lock my flock in their coop and safe run for one to three weeks, until the hawk moves on. The good news is that the hawk will only take one bird at a time, and confining the flock saves everyone else. Lots of shrubs for shelter helps too, but lockdown is essential to discourage the offending raptor. Mary