Please help!!! Dog got one of my chickens :(

[Truekeys]

Hi peeps!! Im new here and new to having chickens.. I have 3 Brown Shaver chickens (5 months old) they were so happy and super fat and laying lots of eggs! They stay in their coup and run while Im at work, and I let them out in the afternoons when I get home and they run around the farm chasing moths and butterflies.

However I got home 2 days ago and my neighbors dog dug underneath the coup and got in. 2 of the chickens got high enough to get away from the dog but one of them got injured quite badly. When I found her she was shaking in the corner of her coup and the other 2 chickens were pretty much eating her alive.. it was horrible to see

I took her inside, cleaned her wound (on her back) with salt water and bandaged it up. She's also limping and one of her wings seems to be hurt too... I didn't have much hope for her, but she actually seems quite happy when I have her inside with me. She still eats and drinks a lot and hobbles around a bit. And yesterday she even laid an egg!!

I guess what I want to know is... what else can I do for her? ..and will she be ok? should I keep her inside or outside? ..she seems quite scared when I put her in the coup, even though I've separated her from the other chickens

please help! the kids absolutely love this chicken!

 

[chicmom]

If you can, I would keep her inside with you until she recovers. If you put her back with the others, they will just bully her and she'll be miserable. She will be alot better off with you.....chickens unfortunately, can be really cruel to eachother.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Jeesh, I don't know, I wish I could help!! Maybe one of the experienced people can help out!!! Scrambled eggs for protein, some AVC in her water!! Mealworms!!

 

[MandyH]

chickens are quite tough animals. Cleaning the wound and keeping her warm and isolated is the best for her. Make sure to keep an eye on the injury for any infection while she is inside healing. It will be only a short time before she is healed and ready to go back out with the others. Make sure to watch for any bullying when you do reintroduce her to the flock.

 

[bigstack]

Chickens will almost deffinately attack any weaker looking/acting chicken! Survival of the fittest and all. What did you do about the neighbor and dog? You'll get alot of oppinions here on what to do. Some good and some way bad! LOL

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[max101]

I'm sorry to hear a dog got your chicken

Its true you will have to talk to your neighbor about his dog on your property
The dog will be back
A permanent food supply now
Hope everything goes well for you

 

[Truekeys]

Thanks heaps guys!!! Yeah even though I separated her from the other chickens... they were still trying their best to climb over the fence and get to her, and she seemed really sad and scared and wouldn't eat. But as soon as I brought her inside, she was happy and eating and just slept a lot. So will definitely keep her inside. THANKS GUYS!!

My neighbor apologized and they're gonna tie up their dog from now on.

Just one more thing... she was such a friendly chicken.. the kids could pick her up and pet her, and she even ran around and played with my dogs (which is probably why she trusted the stupid neighbors dog) she was also the more dominant of the 3 chickens. Is that going to change?? Will she lose her friendliness and be scared and withdrawn?? I really hope not

 

[Truekeys]

Quote:
Yeah exactly.. my neighbor said that the next day, his dog killed another bird that came onto their property... he said it was unlike her to do that. I think that dog has the taste for it now

 

[horsejody]

Keep her warm. Put neosprin on any place that the skin is broken. Don't put her back with the others until she is compltely healed. Even then, you will have to watch to make sure she isn't bullied. As for the dog, make sure that you talk to the neighbor. If they don't confine it, it will be back. If it comes back, you may have to decide if the lives of your pets are more important than the life of your neighbor's pet.

ETA: I just saw the post and that you talked to the neighbor. I hope that they are vigilant because that dog is quite the threat.

 

[Chickielady]

Last year a neighbor's dog went through the welded wire fence and killed 6 of my 6-month old pullets, and the other 25 ran..it was a horrific massacre, and all the surviving birds were trembling and did not want to venture out of the henhouse afterwards for several days.
My neighbor went crazy looking for replacement chicks and put 5 foot wire folded on the ground so no digging under could occur, then ran a hot hot wire 10" from the ground, all around his side of the hen yard...it would practically shock you when you were still an inch away.
But the pullets recoverd, and became trusting and brave again, but they know danger very well now, and at any sign of strange barking or a hawk above they haul tailfeathers into the hiding spots I have created for them.
So your babies should recover too.
Keep her inside and away from where others can peck her until she is stronger, as already suggested, and feed a good dirt.
If she lost alot of blood, electrolytes would help. warm water with a bit of corn syrup in it or a product like "quick chick" that Murray McMurray sells I have used before for newly arrived baby chciks as well as injured or ill birds.
It is basically powdered electrolytes for poultry, good luck !