not responding well after an attack

gailmaison

In the Brooder
6 Years
Oct 4, 2013
31
6
24
My three free ranging hens were attacked last week...one completely gone...the littlest of course...one untouched...the third and largest of them had a nickel size hole in her back like she'd been stabbed with a BIG beak or perhaps talons. I cleaned the wound...there were actually feathers pushed into her 'meat'...applied Neosporin and then blue kote. I separated her from her one remaining flock sister and she has been lethargic, not eating, barely alive. Last night I put her in the pen with the other...after three days of separation...they got along...no pecking at the wound...when it started to pour rain she got under the coop...all good...when it came time to lock the coop up, she was inside in a nest box...also good. This am my hubby let then out as I leave at 5am. She stood up and seemed to want out...all good. The thing that most confuses me is that IF I can get her to eat anything at all...she will then toss her head around, wipe her beak back and forth and then drop her head pretty much to the ground and it just stays that way. She seldom will lift her head. I have to actually put her beak into the food and then she will peck a few bits then start the weird throwing her head around and wiping her beak again. I am afraid she will starve to death or die of dehydration....any thoughts ??
 
My three free ranging hens were attacked last week...one completely gone...the littlest of course...one untouched...the third and largest of them had a nickel size hole in her back like she'd been stabbed with a BIG beak or perhaps talons. I cleaned the wound...there were actually feathers pushed into her 'meat'...applied Neosporin and then blue kote. I separated her from her one remaining flock sister and she has been lethargic, not eating, barely alive. Last night I put her in the pen with the other...after three days of separation...they got along...no pecking at the wound...when it started to pour rain she got under the coop...all good...when it came time to lock the coop up, she was inside in a nest box...also good. This am my hubby let then out as I leave at 5am. She stood up and seemed to want out...all good. The thing that most confuses me is that IF I can get her to eat anything at all...she will then toss her head around, wipe her beak back and forth and then drop her head pretty much to the ground and it just stays that way. She seldom will lift her head. I have to actually put her beak into the food and then she will peck a few bits then start the weird throwing her head around and wiping her beak again. I am afraid she will starve to death or die of dehydration....any thoughts ??

Yes,she will starve and become dehydrated if she is not eating/drinking,this happens very fast.Check her over for any possible injury you may have missed. Check her crop to rule out any crop issues,if she is not eating,it will probably be empty. Did she have access to grit when she was inside? Issues with her neck can be a result of injury or that she is weak. Bring her back inside to monitor her condition,if you cannot get her to drink/eat,you may want to consider tube feeding her,this is very easy to do. I would bring the remaining one inside also,she will be lonely by herself and may cause her stress. Can you open her beak to get a look inside,you are looking for an obstruction in her throat. The stress from an attack,definitely takes it toll on chickens,add electrolytes to her water. You can give her a baby aspirin 81mg or a reg 325mg aspirin for pain/swelling,dose is 25mg per lb of body weight,crush and place in water(you an sprinkle over feed,but i prefer placing in water). How does her wound look,any sign of infection?
 
Last edited:
ok...stupid here...how do I 'check her crop'...I'm not even sure I know what her crop is ???
And thanks for all the other advice...her wound looks good.....still open but no puss, blood, etc...
 
ok...stupid here...how do I 'check her crop'...I'm not even sure I know what her crop is ???
And thanks for all the other advice...her wound looks good.....still open but no puss, blood, etc...

The crop is in the front and slightly to the right of bird around breast. It fills during the day as they eat,resembles a pouch,look at your other girl so you can see the crop. Chickens do not have teeth so the crop fills with food,then slowly makes it way to the gizzard(very strong muscle)where the feed is ground up in order for it to be digested. Grit is accumulated in the gizzard,the contractions of the muscle along with the grit,grinds the food up,this is how food is digested. The crop usually empties over night after this process is complete. That is why it is so important to have access to grit at all times.
 
Last edited:
thank you...I googled it right away and found an excellent illustration...as well as a pic of a person extracting, surgically, the undigested mess !!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom