Rooster Attacked by Fox! Need Advice ASAP

[lunagrove]

wow, what a terrible event! I applaud you for your quick action and current actions with the care you are giving him. Bet he'll pull through. If you look up the medication, can you see if there is a calculator for the weight?
The breeder I got chicks from said to administer antibiotic for my 4 month old, approx. 3 lb hen at 1cc if this helps. Maybe you can get an idea from your vet about dosages? or your local teaching hospital university.

Oh great idea. Maybe I can contact Virginia Tech- huge vet school a few hours away. Didnt even think about that!

 

[lunagrove]

I saw a video where you let the bird drink it little by little. I made a mistake putting it down the wrong way. Luckily no serious side affect.

A video would be perfect. I'll definitely look around for one. He was willingly taking the Rooster Booster but hes getting a little feisty now that his strength is slowly coming back.

 

[lunagrove]

What a cute boy. I'm sorry for his injuries.

I do not believe I see a kidney through the wound. Just muscle and fascia. The key to healing large surface area wounds like this is to keep it MOIST. Don't use the Neosporin sparingly. Slather it on there.

You've gotten really great advice here.

It seems that you're doing all you can for him and it sounds like he's responding well. Now it's just a waiting game. I'll be following along.

Thank you! I've been living on the forums here, reading others' experiences. He is definitely a tough guy. My partner said we should rename him Nails Arnie still fits though. As far as the Neosporin, yes... I have been packing it in the wound and definitely not using it sparingly. Do you find triple antibiotic ointment or cream to be better? I tried the cream at first and like how it stays in place, is thick and not oily but I do like the ointments ability to somewhat melt with body temp because it seeps down into the wound better.

 

[lunagrove]

Definitely wouldn’t suture that wound even if it was fresh! Too much bacteria from bite wounds unless there’s a really good reason to try to cover vital structures back up your sutures would just let go anyways, so best to treat like an open wound.
I concur with getting an anti inflammatory into him, if his neck is severely swollen he may have issues breathing and swallowing and we don’t want that! Keeping his wounds clean and dry and monitoring for infection, helping him eat and drink, continuing with prophylactic antibiotics, and giving him some time are all the things you’re doing and all you really can do. You may need to debride the wound in a few days if there’s lots of dead tissue. But you’ll have to play it by ear and see what it does.
Awesome job caring for him! I hope he pulls through. Sounds like a tough little guy.

I fully expect to have to debride the wound, but so far so good. I'm not sure I could have sutured it anyway- I believe the fox actually ate that piece of skin or ripped it off of him rather than that just being a tear. Poor guy. He is still eating and drinking via syringe but today he has been holding his head up a lot more and the swelling is slowly dissipating. No issues breathing at all

 

[lunagrove]

Chickens are pretty resilient. I would not even do antibiotic orally. I would do Neosporin no pain medicine in it ,topically. I had a silky whose scalp was completely ripped off to the skull, she pulled through just fine ,keeping the wounds cleaned she didn't really respond for 24-48 hours due to shock hope this helps! Pic off her now with her first kids! (They are not really hers don't tell her that )

I've always heard chickens are pretty resilient to wounds but fragile to illnesses and after my experience of having them and growing up with them, I whole heartedly believe that! I have not been a silkie owner very long though. I love the breed! My guy was also in shock for 48 hours- pretty unresponsive for the most part. Your girl is beautiful. It's hard to even imagine that her scalp was ripped off. How awful!

 

[lunagrove]

Quick Update on Arnie...

He is still eating and drinking from the syringe. I do this every 2 hours or so, hopefully that's enough. Today, I tried offering him some Henny Penny mix... he was interested but still not able to peck from his neck injury so I gave him one little piece of wheat at a time and he gobbled it right down. He was taking Rooster Booster Poultry Cell with no issue but now he gets feisty when he decides he doesnt want to take his meds/vitamins. He is actually flapping his wings, standing up and perching himself on my leg now (I sit on the floor to feed him). Pooping okay and all that also. I suppose him being feisty is a good thing, although I could do without the attitude all in all, hes doing well, I think. It's been 5 days since the attack and all I've seen is improvement. It's been slow improvement, but improvement nonetheless (and still no signs of infection in the wound). I'll grab some photos of him tomorrow during feeding time. I cannot thank you all enough!

 

[Rebecca Woodruff]

Quick Update on Arnie...

He is still eating and drinking from the syringe. I do this every 2 hours or so, hopefully that's enough. Today, I tried offering him some Henny Penny mix... he was interested but still not able to peck from his neck injury so I gave him one little piece of wheat at a time and he gobbled it right down. He was taking Rooster Booster Poultry Cell with no issue but now he gets feisty when he decides he doesnt want to take his meds/vitamins. He is actually flapping his wings, standing up and perching himself on my leg now (I sit on the floor to feed him). Pooping okay and all that also. I suppose him being feisty is a good thing, although I could do without the attitude all in all, hes doing well, I think. It's been 5 days since the attack and all I've seen is improvement. It's been slow improvement, but improvement nonetheless (and still no signs of infection in the wound). I'll grab some photos of him tomorrow during feeding time. I cannot thank you all enough!

I think you have done a great job! Please keep us posted on progress

 

[lunagrove]

Arnie has been refusing water lately and I think it's because his neck is still so swollen, yet now he has energy so he is fighting me on food and water, which before- he couldnt. Does anyone have an idea on how long swelling can last on an injured chicken? The swelling is pretty severe on his neck but doesn't keep him from swallowing his food or water, hes just being feisty

 

[Rebecca Woodruff]

Arnie has been refusing water lately and I think it's because his neck is still so swollen, yet now he has energy so he is fighting me on food and water, which before- he couldnt. Does anyone have an idea on how long swelling can last on an injured chicken? The swelling is pretty severe on his neck but doesn't keep him from swallowing his food or water, hes just being feisty

How long has it been now?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

You are doing a great job, keep it up. As for your question (other thread) about bruising or pus under the skin, I agree with @FeatheredFriends&Horses2, I think there is only one small possible area.

Any new pictures of the wound on his back?

Quick Update on Arnie...

He is still eating and drinking from the syringe. I do this every 2 hours or so, hopefully that's enough. Today, I tried offering him some Henny Penny mix... he was interested but still not able to peck from his neck injury so I gave him one little piece of wheat at a time and he gobbled it right down. He was taking Rooster Booster Poultry Cell with no issue but now he gets feisty when he decides he doesnt want to take his meds/vitamins. He is actually flapping his wings, standing up and perching himself on my leg now (I sit on the floor to feed him). Pooping okay and all that also. I suppose him being feisty is a good thing, although I could do without the attitude all in all, hes doing well, I think. It's been 5 days since the attack and all I've seen is improvement. It's been slow improvement, but improvement nonetheless (and still no signs of infection in the wound). I'll grab some photos of him tomorrow during feeding time. I cannot thank you all enough!

It's good his activity is up, and that his appetite has returned. Also very good that there is no sign of infection.

There are obviously some chickens that can heal without antibiotics, but I definitely feel that the penicillin injections are making a big difference with your rooster. Not everybody has access to or can work up the courage to do such. A lot of chickens die I think because the wound gets infected, maybe spreads to the bloodstream and causes septicemia.

So good job on everything, keep us updated of course! Hoping he pulls through.