Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself . . .

[sherrysusan]

Hello fellow friends ~

I have a few acres, 8 chickens, 2 horses, a kitty, and a collie doggy. Live on the edge of a small river town, just retired, so it's "my time", and have many projects on deck

My favorite hen, Joan Of Arc, was attacked by a hawk or owl May 1 on the back of her neck . . . it's pretty ugly, especially when she bends her head over . . . but she is perky and has laid 3 eggs since the incident. I have her in a rabbit cage in the garage while she is mending. Yesterday I fenced off a small area outside so she could get some fresh air

The vet happened to be here to give the horses their last shot for the season and took a look at her. Says Joannie might make it! I was so delighted to hear this b/c was thinking I'd have to put her out of her misery, although she doesn't act like she's in pain. I'm spraying the wound w/ Vetricyn, putting antibiotic in her water (too difficult to administer orally--but vet did get a dose in her), and a half aspirin in her water as well for pain (it has to be hurting even if she doesn't show signs, wound is big)

I've read that chickens are highly resilient, and can make remarkable recoveries. All my hens are very very tame . . . they come whenever I call them, and I can pick them up easily . . . they "honer down" whenever I am near them . . . they will talk to me and follow me around outside

Question: how long do I wait to put Joannie back w/ the group, and even though they are a very friendly bunch, do I have to worry about the others picking at her wound? How long should I keep her separated? It's a bad wound, but again, she acts okay. If there is a way to post pics to this forum, I have taken pics of her wound

I lost 2 Beautiful hens this winter to an owl that came right in my garage and attacked them! I didn't hear the commotion until it was too late. I am planning to have a small coop built w/ a run, and I will keep them in it, and only let them out when I'm around once it's built, but that is a few weeks down the road

Any advice is sincerely appreciated

Thanks, and I look forward to being a part of this group!

sherrysusan

 

[iwiw60]

Hi Sherry, so sorry to hear about your dear hen! You said in your post:
Quote: If it were me, I wouldn't 'isolate' her like that, away from the rest. Can you put that rabbit cage in the coop? This way she's still with the rest of the girls, but protected by the cage until she gets well. This might help...she's all by herself right now...eek! JMHO...good luck!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

So sorry about your hen. Hawk injuries can be brutal. I would keep her separated, but within the flock so the re introduction goes easy. Keep applying the antibacterial meds until the flesh is completely healed over. Depending on how bad the wound is, it may take a few weeks. Once the wound has a nice skin on it, I would start spraying it with blu-kote. This will hide the raw flesh so that others won't see it and pick or attack her. At this point, it is probably ok to mix her in. Just make sure her wound is completely healed over and you cover it with blu-kote so it is not visible.

I hope she continues to thrive and keep us posted on her condition!

 

[sherrysusan]

Wow, I didn't think of that, yes, I can put the rabbit cage in the coop at night (is a dog kennel w/ a "chicken tractor" inside of it . . . during the day, the chicks free range on my place . . . I can't wait till the coop is built w/ the run, so I can keep them in that most of the time, only letting them free range when I can monitor the situation

Thanks for you kind words and tips

 

[sherrysusan]

What do you recommend as an "antibacterial medication" . . . so far have only used Vetricyn, and the Amoxocillin the vet provided, which is going in her water. I have a bottle of Betadine - will this work? The wound is DEEP - still very open - however - she is chipper, which gives me hope, and she's even laid 3 eggs since. If her head is up, it's not too visible, but when she puts her head down, you can see it's very nasty. I'm surprised she's living . . . but her name is Joan Of Arc, and I'm a faith-based person.

I'll put her in my McGyver coop tonight, leaving her in the rabbit cage - which will sit inside the dog kennel

So appreciate the feedback! Thanks, and the more communication, the better

sherry

 

[iwiw60]

Sounds like a plan! Be sure to keep her in that rabbit cage all the time in your coop. That way, even with the comings and goings of the rest of the flock throughout the day she's still "in the mix" and personally I think she'll heal faster that way...good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Joan sounds like one lucky chicken to have made it through the hawk attack, chickens can heal from some amazing injuries so hopefully she will be fine. You could post on the Emergencies forum for suggestions about other meds to use www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures A lot of people use Neosporin (without pain relief) for a topical. Good luck with Joan.

 

[gander007]

 

[sherrysusan]

Thanks so much . . . I am so GRATEFUL that I found this forum!!! I love my hens so much; they are so tame and friendly. Most ppl don't care . . . even the vet said, "I don't know anything about chickens" . . . she cares, but kind of doesn't at the same time, if you know what I mean . . . most say, put her out of her misery . . . but she doesn't seem to be in pain

Thanks once again ~

 

[drumstick diva]

In the time I have been on BYC, I have read many, many stories of chickens surviving horrific wounds. She should heal okay, the only thing I am concerned about is you have to keep flies from laying eggs in her wound. One they hatch out into maggots they start out eating dead flesh but, will continue and eat healthy skin, etc. They can migrate to other parts of the body.

I learned this from a very terrible infestation of maggots that someone had with their little silkie.
He survived and did fine but, it was a very, long arduous journey. The little fellow just wouldn't quit and neither would his owner.

Hope I didn't scare you to death but, most people don't think about that. If the birds are kept indoors that is usually not a problem. With warmer weather the flies are everywhere.