My hen' beak got chewed off and her face is SUPER swollen, how can I help with the inflammation?

[RooandherRooster]

Hi everyone, I need help.
So last night around 11, I heard my birds squawking so I went and turned on the outside light. Didn't see anything, I hoped the light would scare away anything that might have been there, and I went back to bed. So much for dogs, they didn't even lift their heads. Either way, this morning around 6:30 I went out and saw feathers and thought the worst. 4 of my girls were outside in the corner, which let me know something was definitely wrong. I went inside, counted, checked everyone, and they were all there (thankfully). But when I went to go back out, Amber caught my eye. Her and 2 other girls were on the floor, which was weird. There's plenty of room on roosts and in nests, plus the water was knocked over. Her face, oh my gosh. I've never seen anything like it. Her beak was like chewed off. Like in scissor beak chickens, their beak is still there, her, there were only fragments.
Her head is almost twice as big as it's supposed to be, and her eyes are swollen shut. There was a little bit of her one eye open, but by the time I got back home, they were both shut. She has blood speckled all over her face, and yet she still gave me an egg!
She seems fine with everything else though. She is a year an a half old Black Sex Link. I gave her water and got her to drink after she got settled down (I separated her). I'm thinking I'll try giving her a mashed food, but any suggestions would be very helpful. I'm putting a 3-in-1 vitamin electrolyte omega-3 acid mix in her water, and will hang some herbs up around her, hopefully keeping the majority of the bugs away as well. But is there anything natural, or in general, that I can give to her to help with the inflammation?
Any help would be so appreciated, thank you!

@Texas Kiki @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @pipdzipdnreadytogo @Cyprus

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi everyone, I need help.
So last night around 11, I heard my birds squawking so I went and turned on the outside light. Didn't see anything, I hoped the light would scare away anything that might have been there, and I went back to bed. So much for dogs, they didn't even lift their heads. Either way, this morning around 6:30 I went out and saw feathers and thought the worst. 4 of my girls were outside in the corner, which let me know something was definitely wrong. I went inside, counted, checked everyone, and they were all there (thankfully). But when I went to go back out, Amber caught my eye. Her and 2 other girls were on the floor, which was weird. There's plenty of room on roosts and in nests, plus the water was knocked over. Her face, oh my gosh. I've never seen anything like it. Her beak was like chewed off. Like in scissor beak chickens, their beak is still there, her, there were only fragments.
Her head is almost twice as big as it's supposed to be, and her eyes are swollen shut. There was a little bit of her one eye open, but by the time I got back home, they were both shut. She has blood speckled all over her face, and yet she still gave me an egg!
She seems fine with everything else though. She is a year an a half old Black Sex Link. I gave her water and got her to drink after she got settled down (I separated her). I'm thinking I'll try giving her a mashed food, but any suggestions would be very helpful. I'm putting a 3-in-1 vitamin electrolyte omega-3 acid mix in her water, and will hang some herbs up around her, hopefully keeping the majority of the bugs away as well. But is there anything natural, or in general, that I can give to her to help with the inflammation?
Any help would be so appreciated, thank you!

@Texas Kiki @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @pipdzipdnreadytogo @Cyprus

I'm so sorry to hear this!
I'm just now seeing your post - how is she doing?
Can you get some photos of the damage?

It sounds like you are doing a good job taking care of her. If she's able to eat wet soupy food that would be good.
The swelling of head is concerning - does it feel hard or air filled?

 

[RooandherRooster]

I'm so sorry to hear this!
I'm just now seeing your post - how is she doing?
Can you get some photos of the damage?
She's not getting any better, but not really any worse. I can, but you won't want to see it I promise you. It's like something from a horror movie, not even exaggerating.
It sounds like you are doing a good job taking care of her. If she's able to eat wet soupy food that would be good.
I'm trying to. I tried that this morning, which I'll give her that she was still trying to sleep, but she didn't want it. I didn't offer any yesterday because I wanted her to rest her face.
The swelling of head is concerning - does it feel hard or air filled?

I've been too afraid to touch it. I can go and feel it right now but it looks like it's more puffy than anything. Also, she won't drink on her own that I can tell. I'm figuring its because she can't see, but if I try to dip her-what's left of her beak in water she just turns away. So the only way I can really get her to drink is by pouring little bits over her "beak" and letting her swallow. And when she breathes, it sounds heavy/thick. Like when you're congested or an old man breathing (sorry if this sounds offensive), and I think it's because of the swelling. She has a couple scratches on her comb too, but I don't know what would have done this. A coon? Rat, fox, weasel?

 

[coach723]

Any of those predators are possibilities. You may need to put a game camera out to find out what you are dealing with. And work on securing your coop so they can't get in again. Whatever it was will probably be back, they usually return to where they are successful.
When you can get pictures it would be helpful. You may need to tube feed to keep her strength up until she can eat on her own, info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/
Not knowing what happened and whether she has internal injuries or not, time will tell. If you can keep her hydrated and get her to eat, keep her warm and calm, and give her some time, hopefully she will recover. Birds can adapt and live with no beak, other injuries they also can recover from, it just depends on what they are. So sorry this happened.

 

[slordaz]

There was a story of a hen and how they treated her that lost most of her beak and took a lot of care and effort but she lived and adjusted I will try and find it for you as was quite the saga on here might take me a bit though

 

[RooandherRooster]

Any of those predators are possibilities. You may need to put a game camera out to find out what you are dealing with.
I've been wanting to get an audio one, however a game camera would probably be better.
And work on securing your coop so they can't get in again. Whatever it was will probably be back, they usually return to where they are successful.
Yeah, they have a door to be closed in by, but things might still be able to lift it. Have to improve that.
When you can get pictures it would be helpful. You may need to tube feed to keep her strength up until she can eat on her own, info here:
I will post some, but I'm warning everyone, it is NOT pretty. It's the worst thing I've had to deal with. Along with a huge gash across my other girl's back a few months back that was deep and huge, and she healed fine. I'm thinking that's what I'm going to have to do, very carefully though. Thank you for the link!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/
Not knowing what happened and whether she has internal injuries or not, time will tell.
Yeah
If you can keep her hydrated and get her to eat, keep her warm and calm, and give her some time, hopefully she will recover.
I can do the hydrating part well so far, eating I have to work on, I can keep her warm and she's in a dark area to stay calm in. And that is what I am hoping and praying for.
Birds can adapt and live with no beak, other injuries they also can recover from, it just depends on what they are.
It's hard to believe what these birds can come back from, it is pretty amazing and fascinating...a lot like deer too!
So sorry this happened.

Thank you so much for your response, it was very informational! Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry to read about your injured hen. I hope that your coop is secure and locked up before dark, so that the raccoon or whatever cannot get back in there, because they probably will try. If you have Vetericyn or saline, you can spray her wounds. Pictures would be especially helpful here. We have helped a few others with their beaks bitten off, and some have survived. Some have needed tube or crop feeding for a few weeks until they have managed to learn to eat, but some have not. Pureed foods, scrambled egg, and wet chicken feed will probably be best to help her eat and get water at the same time. Baby food or canned cat food pate may be good as well. Here is a good but long thread to read through if you wish about one success story:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/plese-help-chickens-beak-got-bit-off.848424/

If you wish to learn tube feeding, it is very quick and only need sto be done 2-3 times a day for her. Here are some links:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...res-under-construction.1064392/#post-17271576

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/#post-12548717

 

[RooandherRooster]

There was a story of a hen and how they treated her that lost most of her beak and took a lot of care and effort but she lived and adjusted I will try and find it for you as was quite the saga on here might take me a bit though

Okay, thank you! I just keep in mind scissor beak chickens and how they adapt given the chance and resources. The only other thing I'm really concerned about is the swelling and trauma/shock.

 

[RooandherRooster]

So sorry to read about your injured hen. I hope that your coop is secure and locked up before dark, so that the raccoon or whatever cannot get back in there, because they probably will try. If you have Vetericyn or saline, you can spray her wounds. Pictures would be especially helpful here. We have helped a few others with their beaks bitten off, and some have survived. Some have needed tube or crop feeding for a few weeks until they have managed to learn to eat, but some have not. Pureed foods, scrambled egg, and wet chicken feed will probably be best to help her eat and get water at the same time. Baby food or canned cat food pate may be good as well. Here is a good but long thread to read through if you wish about one success story:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/plese-help-chickens-beak-got-bit-off.848424/

If you wish to learn tube feeding, it is very quick and only needs to be done 2-3 times a day for her. Here are some links:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...res-under-construction.1064392/#post-17271576

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/#post-12548717

Yeah, I'll need to adjust a few things. I do have Vetericyn so I will spray some of that on her. Well that's good to know that she has a chance according to other chickens as well. She's not really interested in wet chicken food, but I'll try the scrambled egg or wet cat food. I'm just worried that she's not taking an interest in it because, for one she can't see, and for two it sounds like her throat/esophagus/trachea is getting cut off/small guessing its more of inflammation than injury though. That is another reason I'm a little skeptical of doing feeding or tube feeding-because of making her choke accidentally. If egg or wet cat food doesn't work or I'd be more beneficial to do tube feeding, I will. Thank you for the reply, and the links as well!

 

[Ebony Rose]

If she's no longer bleeding, you can offer her aspirin for pain and swelling. Hope someone can offer you dosage as my computer died in a recent thunderstorm and I lost all of my data and links to the information.