Presumed Dog Attack

[Mylied]

I let my chickens run around my fenced in front yard during the day and lock them up at night. Tonight when going to lock them up, I discovered two were missing. I found the first one under a bush, not moving. I got her out and she was still alive. Feathers were laying on the ground and I checked her out. Although I found a spot of blood on her feathers, I couldn't find any wounds. I put her in the coop and then found the other one in another hiding spot they like. She also wouldn't walk and didn't fight at all when I picked her up. I couldn't find any wounds on her and she didn't react when I felt her body. They both had wet feathers and seemed shocked. I'm pretty sure a small dog must've squeezed in the fence and gotten after them just before I went out there.

Since I couldn't find any wounds, I just put them in with the other four chickens. Now I'm wondering if they will be picked on since they are in shock and not really moving too much. I got them both to walk, just to make sure they didn't have hurt legs. I'm really scared that I'm going to find a dead chicken or two in the coop in the morning. Is there something else I should do?

 

[TeamChaos]

I hope you don't find any dead chickens in the morning! It does sound as if they are in shock. Birds aren't going to be too active right now, so as long as they were able to comfortably roost- they'll probably be okay. I'm a nervous nelly so I would want to have them inside so I could watch them for evidence of injury I may have missed the first time. In the morning, make sure you look them over really really well- you do not want the flies to find a wound before you do. Is there a specific small dog you have in mind that may have done this? Where were the feathers wet at on the hens' bodies?

 

[Mylied]

I'm a worrier too, which is why I am up at 5:30. I'm about to go check on them as soon as the sun starts coming up. My neighbors have two small dogs which could possibly squeeze through a certain section of our fencing, which is why I assume it was a small dog. Everyone around here seems to let their dogs run loose. I keep a good eye on the chickens though and usually check on them several times during the day. I thought I'd hear or see something through the front window. Lesson learned. One was wet on the back, near the neck and the other was wet near the wing and belly.

 

[Mylied]

Okay, just checked on them and they are all alive. They seem more subdued than normal. The one chicken in particular is walking gingerly, but I couldn't find any wounds. I'm hoping the spot of blood I found was from whatever attacked them and they put up a good fight. I stood out there for a while and it doesn't look like they are getting picked on. They drank and ate fine. So I think it's going to be okay.

 

[Sylvestor12]

Where did you feel for wounds?

 

[real_redhead]

You might want to try and check them for wounds again, I had a dog attack and there were pucture wounds I couldn't see when I looked but when I took her to the vet he found mutliple pucture wounds, the vet said they don't bleed and are hard to see unless you are looking and I am squimish so I wasn't looking good enough. I am with the above poster you might want to try to bring them in and keep them warm and in a dark place, they are in shock and need to have some time to recover, If there are any wounds you don't want flies getting in them (won't go into detail but you have to worry about some gross stuff). Good luck!

 

[Mylied]

I felt all over their bodies. I moved the feathers around by the wet spots and the spot of blood. I will check again though and I'll get my husband to check too when he gets home. He of course was out of town during this, but he'll be back tonight. I can imagine what flies would do and that does not sound pleasant.

 

[Sylvestor12]

Well, I'd wipe the blood off with a rag or cloth and clean any wounds you find and rub on some neosporin on it.