Recovery

[Texag87]

We had a coyote break into the run and pull a Rouen out by her head. She survived and after three days and two nights in the vet hospital, she is back home. She has a bite on her head and could not walk or hold her head up at first but is getting better by the day. I have a few questions. She will not eat her allflock feed even if we water it down and mush it. Peas and mealworms disappear like normal. Is she playing us for treats or is it likely her feed is just too hard to swallow? My second question is, can stress like this induce molting? She is almost 10 weeks old and has been molting since we brought her back home. None of her siblings are molting. She has been eating her own feathers . Is that normal ? Any other suggestions for feeding her because I do not think mealworms and peas would be a good diet for more than a couple days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you talked to the vet about what they think about her not eating her feed. They may want you to tube feed for a few days or longer till she gets her appetite back. They can show you how and @casportpony can help too.

So sorry about the attack glad to hear she is healing. Molt maybe because she has been inside in warmth . Eating feathers can mean they need protein so maybe try and get her to eat something like canned salmon [salt free] or tuna same as salmon. She may or may not eat any.

Hope you have secured you pen now? really only thing that will protect our birds is hardware cloth over what ever you are using now.

 

[Shadrach]

We had a coyote break into the run and pull a Rouen out by her head. She survived and after three days and two nights in the vet hospital, she is back home. She has a bite on her head and could not walk or hold her head up at first but is getting better by the day. I have a few questions. She will not eat her allflock feed even if we water it down and mush it. Peas and mealworms disappear like normal. Is she playing us for treats or is it likely her feed is just too hard to swallow? My second question is, can stress like this induce molting? She is almost 10 weeks old and has been molting since we brought her back home. None of her siblings are molting. She has been eating her own feathers . Is that normal ? Any other suggestions for feeding her because I do not think mealworms and peas would be a good diet for more than a couple days.

I’ve often found with injured chickens they go off their normal diet.
Some people will tell you to not feed them anything special and when they are hungry enough they’ll eat. It may be true, but in the meantime the chicken loses weight and strength.
I feed them whatever they will eat until they are fit.
Tuna, cooked sardines, yogurt, walnuts, cheese (not too much) peas, tomatoes, vitamin supplements.
Basically any combination that will give them a complete protein.

 

[Texag87]

Have you talked to the vet about what they think about her not eating her feed. They may want you to tube feed for a few days or longer till she gets her appetite back. They can show you how and @casportpony can help too.

So sorry about the attack glad to hear she is healing. Molt maybe because she has been inside in warmth . Eating feathers can mean they need protein so maybe try and get her to eat something like canned salmon [salt free] or tuna same as salmon. She may or may not eat any.

Hope you have secured you pen now? really only thing that will protect our birds is hardware cloth over what ever you are using now.

The run was a commercially built run attached to the coop. It had hardware cloth stapled from the inside. I did a temp repair to it from the inside and double layer chicken wire on the outside until I have the time to get hardware cloth and put on the outside. Btw, the coyote also got through a three strand electric fence that was around the coop and run. Thank you for suggesting canned fish.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Man that coyote was determined. Did any other of your birds get injured?

 

[Texag87]

Man that coyote was determined. Did any other of your birds get injured?

Thankfully all the rest are fine. They played, I guess you would say less playfully than normal when let out in their temp fence area with water the first day. The next day they were acting normal.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s amazing how quick they got over it. So happy for you none of your others were injured or killed.

 

[Texag87]

The cute thing is when my wife or I leave the room she quacks. Last night she was quiet all night until she heard my voice this morning calling the dogs to be let outside. Then it was two quick, strong quacks. It has been less than 48 hours since we brought her home but we are getting used to having a duck in the house.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My drake is inside today he likes to come in a visit. Who knows maybe she’ll become a permanent resident. Do the dogs mind her? My dogs don’t mind our drake but boy they sure don’t like our gander.

 

[Texag87]

My drake is inside today he likes to come in a visit. Who knows maybe she’ll become a permanent resident. Do the dogs mind her? My dogs don’t mind our drake but boy they sure don’t like our gander.

Our old Lab would probably be alright with her. The young one would probably "play" her to death . If she never recovers enough to join the flock, we will deal with it. My wife works from home and we keep Rou in a dog crate. The good news if this becomes permanent , she gets to bath in the bathtub she was brooded in. Right now I am just happy to have her. When I first picked her up I seriously contemplated ending her misery.