Silkie with attack wound in back-new to this/don't know what to do

[Erika]

Well, DH got the right caliber pellet and got a scope mounted on the air rifle. He put a can over where the fox was when I could have shot it and I got the can right between the eyes

Makes me feel better to know there is something I can do to defend my poor little birds...it's just I'm not always here. I will definitely bear that info about fox behavior in mind--I don't have prior experience with them. The other birds have adapted quite well to the porch, roosting on the woodpile, etc. I imagine that looks wondrously redneck to have chickens (and guineas and one pheasant) living in your enclosed front porch! Desperate times... Shelly is eating scrambled egg. I have no idea how much he should be eating though, so I don' t know if he's doing well with that or not. I have not managed to get out to get antibiotics today, but will try tomorrow and will look for what herbal things I have around in the mean time. Thanks again everyone.

 

[dlhunicorn]

can you post pics? I suggest you get some granulexV:
http://www.bullwrinkle.com/ShoppingPages/granulex.htm

Mix that oatmeal into his feed (should be grower not layer for a roo)... he will need proper nutritional balance to heal... if you suspect he is not drinking sufficiently put electrolytes in waterer (durvet is a common brand that most feed stores have)

 

[dancingbear]

Erika, good shot! Sounds like you have a good chance of taking down the fox.

You might want to consider a livestock guardian dog at some point, if you keep getting hit by foxes. I'm usually home, but I couldn't get a shot at him. I was very glad to have Cleo to help me out. I would've lost a lot of birds, if she hadn't been here. She's not even a guardian breed. I don't know what she is. The lady I got her from thought maybe some bassett hound and who knows what. She was a rescue dog, somebody dumped her. Now she's one of the best dogs I've ever had.

 

[Erika]

Update and questions:
Changed the gauze on Shelly this evening and I do see signs of progress in healing! Also, when I picked him up he struggled and fussed and actually got away from me. I didn't want him to hurt himself further with such exertion (he seems no worse for it) but that he had the strength was encouraging. There is still one really gaping wound but the smaller puncture wounds are definitely starting to heal. I

am uncertain about feed and water though. If I give him a scrambled egg he eats it all in short order. I've given some regular feed too, mixed with some of the antibiotic-laced water, but he's not so crazy about that. Is it okay to keep feeding eggs (like, 2 a day?) And how much water should he really be drinking? As he's gotten stronger he is resisting the eyedropper drinking quite effectively. Still not moving around too much. I am really nervous about having to leave him out in the coop again when we go out of town for next week.

Thanks

Erika

 

[dancingbear]

I'd try giving some regular feed, but not wet. Just like normal. Free choice, so he can eat what he wants. You could probably keep giving him an egg a day while he's healing. Extra protein might help him heal faster. A little sweet stuff will help too, but I wouldn't just give sugar water. If you have any raw, unfiltered honey, you could add a little to the water. Maybe some grapes to eat, mine love grapes. And chickens love love LOVE dairy products. Milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese. If you have any of that vitamin powder for poultry, you could add some to his water, along with the antibiotic.

 

[winekntrychicks]

I wouldn't leave him in the coop with the others until he has healed, fresh wounds might give the other chickens ideas and start cannibalism. Chickens are know for that. If you can leave him with a neighbor in a small animal crate that's what I would do. Or you could just stay home.

 

[Erika]

Yeah, the timing is pretty bad. Unfortunately, staying home is not an option. I did not know chickens did that. We have (now that the fox has "culled" for us) 3 guinea hens, 2 other Silkie roosters (we hatched them--couldn't believe we got all roosters!) and one that we think is a pheasant. Was supposed to be a guinea egg, but that is no guinea! They live together basically in harmony. Shelly, the injured one, is definitely the largest of them all.

We are getting some oral antibiotics from the vet today. I asked them if they had any better way of bandaging an animal like that and they said no. Does anyone have advice for protecting the injured area (back between wings) in a better way than gauze that other chickens won't peck at so much? If there is no bandage of course it is pretty well hidden by the fluffy feathers, which is how I didn't know he was hurt for 3 days! Or do they go after each other based on smell?

I will think about the dog crate idea--I can't think of anyone off hand who would care for him for me. (And we'll be on a 15 hour car trip that takes us through Canada so we can't take him with us!) I am very lucky to just be able to get our nephew to come a couple times a day to care for the animals. We ordinarily have more people we can rely on but our usual caregiver will be out of town for work.
Thanks

 

[winekntrychicks]

I understand it's the taste for blood that starts the cannibalism. I read just last night about it. Also, article said that chickens copy each other so it can spread through the whole flock until you have one chicken left. I watched my two RIR plucking feathers out of my beautiful Cochin as if she were their own schmorgasboard (sp) I was so upset. They were plucking and eating the feathers (lots of protein-for real) Now I have that to worry about. Hopefully, Shelly could be healed up enough before you leave. If the wound looks like it's healing good, I might try leaving the gauze off for awhile so air can get to it. Look at your other post on this thread. I thing some one said to use a sanitary pad for protecting the wound. I would use a panty liner. Thinner and might let more air get to it.

 

[dancingbear]

One of the advantages of Bag Balm on wounds is that they don't like the taste of it. Maybe you could fashion a "saddle" like they use to protect hen's backs, over a thick layer of bag balm, he'd probably be fine with the other birds. His wounds would be dressed and protected, he'd be able to move around and have access to food and water with the rest.

You could probably make a saddle out of a kitchen pot holder, you'd just have to add straps to hold it on. If you google chicken saddles, you can see how they're made and where to put the straps.

 

[smom1976]

oh please keep us posted.. so sorry that your introduction to BYC has to do with your little silky... someone mentioned something about a figure 8 bandage.. not sure if that was for a wing or the place between wings...