Small dog attacked my 3 yo submissive hen

[TropicalBabies]

blue-kote is only needed when your dealing with other hens pecking an injured hen.
Please don't use blue kote, it won't help your hen heal and as said, it may dry out

Aloha @HawaiiCoyote big mahalos for chiming in!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha gang,
Today Mazie does not seem quite as strong and willful as yesterday and her appetite has gone down a little. At about 10:30 I got her set up outside with a chicken stay out of my garden box protect-er thing I made a while back. She seemed a little fearful and vulnerable but I am painting a gate pretty close to her and also threw out a little scratch and craisens for her and the crew so she will have some wanderers picking after the initial rush.
Her wounds still look disgusting but I don't see them going the wrong way at this moment. I'm using a new/clean/soft paint brush to spread the Neosporin. I think we both like that.
I'll run some water for her toes later this noon when it gets closer to 80 degrees and take her back to a clean little cage when she looks ready.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Today I have a constipated hen, may have an egg in there. Not surprising with the damage to the rear. She is more quiet forsure, I don't see the poop i'd like to see and she has slowed eating. I will cut her a papaya and if she does not eat that... wow. Also I will give her a warm Hawaiian salt bath and soak and gently feel her bum to see if i can't help her out some with her new ailment.

 

[CHlCKEN]

It does not look bad at all.

Do you happen to have a bigger box or a dog crate that you can put her in?
Having her crammed in this small box is probably freaking her out.

She would prefer a quiet dark place, and like you said, more space like in a dog crate. Bright lights and noise will stress her out even more.

 

[CHlCKEN]

She would prefer a quiet dark place, and like you said, more space like in a dog crate. Bright lights and noise will stress her out even more.

Whoops, I just noticed this thread is already several days old.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Oh hey, chime in! Please! It will help me and then maybe the next person with a chicken injury that pulls up this thread and uses it for a resource. I am hoping to keep it going and log as much of the experience and progress- and wisdom is always welcome.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Yesterday late morning I put a possibly constipated or egg stuck Mazie in a warm bath with Hawaiian salt and very gently manipulated her underbelly, she let out a super big poop after about 5 minutes. I then, after drying her and reapplying Neosporin put her back in her clean brooder where she ate her Papaya happily but nothing else. Last eve, after her few hours of outside time with the gang b4 the rains she was not interested in her papaya or scramble or wet feed so I gave her a handful of live mealworms that she gladly gobbled.

She seems to really like the heating pad that is on low and under a doubled up towel. She also seems like she is a little insecure/vulnerable about being out with the flock but that may have something to do with Spider making advances through the fence . She has always been a favorite. Today I will play it by ear if I let her out. She seems to be liking the quiet/warm and I am going to focus on her food intake and poop and is there a reason she has slowed her eating.

Well, we had lots going on yesterday with new layers causing a ruckus, 1 ton of hay to pick up and offload with a tsunami warning and a loaned roo returning home, chick sale and a farrier's last minute availability. in our neck of the woods we take when we can get him. I am hoping today will be much less dramatic... I will give her another soak as she still aint quite right and I am worried about the possibility of an egg and her bruising and swelling- though it does seem to be looking a little better don't cha think?!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha gang,
Just an update on Mazie. She has quieted down quite a bit. Much less of an appetite than in the beginning but still taking in some foods though methodically rejecting her favorites. I keep crumbles and vitamins in her water for her at all times but don't see her touch them. Yesterday she voraciously whacked a small mango, I heard the 'C' is good for healing- then some meal worms and fresh caught bugs but not much of anything else that I offered. Today she is snubbing the cooked oats and plump craisens, feed n scrambled egg, wet feed, papaya, chopped meat- but she did eat the fresh meal worms again, don't feel like collecting bugs... but I will chickens .
I am worried about the bluing on her rear. It looks like it could be bruising but I hear blues can be infection also- keeping an eye on. She also has a very red and swollen bum, could be from dog plucking her... I am monitoring for smells as I read that is a big indicator. So, no smells, no flies and keeping a watchful eye on.
She also seems more weary of me, like what now?! kinda thing. I do my best to be gentile and give her her time. Poops seems about right to her feed intake at the moment and I think yesterdays warm butt soak is her last for awhile as I don't think it helped her one way or the other.
Today is day 6 and it looks like her wounds- to me- are starting to be offensive as opposed to defensive if that makes sense, like she is at the start of her visual healing instead of just being wounded. It has been a wishy washy worry for me and I am ready to see some good news.
We have had scatted showers the last couple days and she got a little outside time in though just a few hours, today w/ 50-70% chance of rain maybe no outside time. She does have a good view of the goings on.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Well we are plugging along on the road to happy healing. The appetite and energy that Mazzie experienced after the attack is long gone and now I have a picky hen who is laying low. That's ok. she gets to be picky and lay low as long as she is healing- and healing she is. Mazzie actually has some new feather growth already and I think her skin is wrapping around a little more over her wound. The swelling and redness is all gone from her underside and she looks more comfortable though she is not moving around a lot, she is very settled and that works for me cuz I feel she needs to put her energy into healing.
It has been raining here pretty hard off and on for the last few days and I have only taken her outside for a few hours here and there, always running to beat the drops and always in her makeshift "cage" with a make shift roof. Next week I may let her wander some to strengthen her legs and coordination. She has lost some weight but not a terrible amount. She eats her crunchies and the healthy treats I provide along with xtra mealworms for her feather growth. Food/poop ratio is good.

I forgot to take photos of her today, these are from 2-3 days ago (I think). Still terrible looking but no smells so I am thinking all is good. At the rate she is going I may be able to do a full reintroduction 3 weeks-ish??? I guess.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh your poor girl. Do you know what kind of fluids she is drinking? Is an avian vet an option? Her wound does not look too bad. How does it smell?

I suspect this girl is dehydrated. If you cannot entice her to drink enough fluid, would you be open to tubing fluids? What was her laying status before the injury? Has she passed any egg material since the attack?