promoting healing and feather growth?

[awalters0815]

Can feeding yogurt to my chicken that was attacked by a hawk help her heal and regrow feathers on the back of her neck? Is there anything else i can do for her?

 

[chickenlady08]

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I would try to put some antibiotics in her water to fend off infection. Extra protein will also help her to heal faster. She is one lucky chicken to have survived. Are there open wounds or just scratches? Is she eating and drinking? How old is she? I would also give her some vitamins. Extra protein is beneficial for feather growth and healing wounds. Actually yogurt is a nice treat for her she deserves it and if you give her the antibiotic she could use some of the benefits that yogurt has to offer.

Hope she is doing well.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Extra protein – either by purchasing feed that has higher protein (20% and up is good), adding a boiled egg to her daily diet or every other day (chop with shell), can offer some high protein cat food, or canned salmon. Protein is needed for both feather growth and egg production, which is why during molt egg production often drops off.

For her wounds, I would dress them with Neosporin – the kind without pain killer – so no ingredient that ends in “caine”. If you have a fly problem, I would keep her inside for a couple days (not a bad idea anyway) or put some “swat” fly repellant paste around the wound.

She will need to be apart from the flock – can be in a dog crate or fenced corner of the coop or in the house. But she needs to be away from curious and mean picking.

Good luck to her and you - I hope she heals quickly.

You might try hanging some cds from trees and around the coop/run – seems to help deter hawks around here.

 

[awalters0815]

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Its been a week since the attack. i have kept her confined and in the garage. Yesterday was the first day she walked around the cage, so i let her out to graze for a bit. I have dressed the wound and it seems to be drying out. I will supplement the protein and give her some pro-biotic food. What type of antibiotics and how much should i add to her water?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Personally I would not add any - unless she had not been healing, and you could tell an infection had set in - body-wise.


She sounds like she is healing well, and now just time is what she need - and good food. Out and about in the fresh air and grass will help alot.

 

[awalters0815]

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good, then I will let her out more and give her some nice treats to help those feathers grow!