Predator attack... skull exposed... put out of her misery?

[StickyChicky]

Thanks! Unfortunately, we are in the boondocks and the closest vet, 35 minutes away... "doesn't do chickens"... There may be one in another town about 55 minutes from here - I'll have to research.

 

[StickyChicky]

... and now we have a crowing hen in our basement this morning... UNBELIEVABLE!!! I've heard people say that they sometimes have a hen that takes to crowing. Never thought I'd witness it... in my basement...

 

[islandgirl82]

Are you sure they're both hens? It's not unheard of for a hen to crow but it isn't very common either. Would you be able to post clear side view photos of them?

 

[StickyChicky]

I think I'd have to start a new post with a warning of the graphic photos, if I were to post pictures... I can only post this one, which is her good side after the attack.

 

[StickyChicky]

We lost the hen that was very hurt (back of her head was scalped). She was starting to do better, the "blu-kote" seemed to be doing an amazing job at healing, but then she took a turn for the worse yesterday. Stopped drinking water we were offering her with a syringe, was very limp, and her head started bobbing around again. I couldn't stand to see her like that anymore, it was past the "72 hour critical period" and she was doing worse, so we put her out of her misery today. Not surprising since she had been bleeding from her mouth a little when it happened thursday, probably internal injuries...

The other hen, pictured above that has been crowing in the mornings seems to slowly keep getting better.

FYI -
I finally found a vet this weekend by phone (1.5 hour drive from us)... who recommended a 81mg baby aspirin ground up and dissolved into 5cc water - split between the two hens, 3-4x per day for 3 days to help with pain. The hope was they would feel better to start eating on their own. I have food/water in the kennel with her, but not sure if she's eating & drinking independently or not. I'm still giving her vitamin water by syringe and oatmeal ground up/dissolved in water by syringe, which she took like a champ today. The vet said to not focus as much on the wound at first (focus more on pain control to encourage eating, and of course vitamins in water at the beginning). So waited a bit and am going to try a colloidal silver spray on her wound later this week.

 

[islandgirl82]

I'm so sorry about your hen!

Are you sure the hen in the photo is really female? I have a hard time being able to see the hackle feathers with barred birds but those do look questionable to me though it isn't unheard of for a hen to crow.

I'm glad you found a vet who can help you!

 

[dawg53]

We lost the hen that was very hurt (back of her head was scalped). She was starting to do better, the "blu-kote" seemed to be doing an amazing job at healing, but then she took a turn for the worse yesterday. Stopped drinking water we were offering her with a syringe, was very limp, and her head started bobbing around again. I couldn't stand to see her like that anymore, it was past the "72 hour critical period" and she was doing worse, so we put her out of her misery today. Not surprising since she had been bleeding from her mouth a little when it happened thursday, probably internal injuries...

The other hen, pictured above that has been crowing in the mornings seems to slowly keep getting better.

FYI -
I finally found a vet this weekend by phone (1.5 hour drive from us)... who recommended a 81mg baby aspirin ground up and dissolved into 5cc water - split between the two hens, 3-4x per day for 3 days to help with pain. The hope was they would feel better to start eating on their own. I have food/water in the kennel with her, but not sure if she's eating & drinking independently or not. I'm still giving her vitamin water by syringe and oatmeal ground up/dissolved in water by syringe, which she took like a champ today. The vet said to not focus as much on the wound at first (focus more on pain control to encourage eating, and of course vitamins in water at the beginning). So waited a bit and am going to try a colloidal silver spray on her wound later this week.

I disagree with the vet's recommendation giving aspirin to the hen that had been bleeding from her mouth. Aspirin thins blood and wouldve made the bleeding worse.