throat injury from hawk

[chicknmania]

I chased a hawk of my Araucauna hen this morning. I thought she was ok as she was just acting a little stunned, and I couldn't catch her but this afternoon I finally did catch her and noticed that she has a hole in her throat and is having trouble breathing. It is not a big hole. I wonder if we can bandage it, would she survive, and should we try to give her some injectible antibiotic or just leave her and see what happens? I don't think we can tube feed her at all which is going to be a problem as I am not sure how she will drink or eat. The hole is right under her chin, at the base of her beak.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I have no idea really but maybe you can post some pics for when the more experienced members chime in...

I hope she heals up

Gary

 

[chicknmania]

Thanks, I brought her in and we were able to look more closely. It's hard to see because of all her face fluff, I don't think I can take a good pic.. Where the hole is it does not appear to be huge, but my concern is that she is breathing as if she has fluid in her airway, and there is clear fluid leaking from the hole. there's no way we can bandage it.that we can see. If she's still alive tomorrow I might see if the vet can stitch it, which is what I think it really needs. Just makes me sick as she is a big beautiful hen and otherwise very healthy.

 

[Isaac 0]

I would take her to a vet as soon as possible.

 

[chicknmania]

We brought her inside and looked more closely. Her breathing is better. It is a puncture wound, but my husband doesn't think it is all that deep. We can't bandage it, but we do have her in the house in a hospital pen. Will re-evaluate in the morning, and decide what to do going forward, provided she is still alive. She actually did seem quite a bit better once she was warmed up and calmed down. At the very least we will give her a shot of penicillin, although I am not sure of the dose. She is about 7 lbs.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I chased a hawk of my Araucauna hen this morning. I thought she was ok as she was just acting a little stunned, and I couldn't catch her but this afternoon I finally did catch her and noticed that she has a hole in her throat and is having trouble breathing. It is not a big hole. I wonder if we can bandage it, would she survive, and should we try to give her some injectible antibiotic or just leave her and see what happens? I don't think we can tube feed her at all which is going to be a problem as I am not sure how she will drink or eat. The hole is right under her chin, at the base of her beak.

So much for a hawk falling out of the sky like a lightning bolt and killing a hen in one fell swoop.

A robin red breast, or an orchard oriole can be dispatched like this but not something like a hen that may be twice the size of the attacking hawk.

 

[Eggcessive]

We brought her inside and looked more closely.  Her breathing is better.  It is a puncture wound, but my husband doesn't think it is all that deep.  We can't bandage it, but we do have her in the house in a hospital pen.  Will re-evaluate in the morning, and decide what to do going forward, provided she is still alive.  She actually did seem quite a bit better once she was warmed up and calmed down.  At the very least we will give her a shot of penicillin, although I am not sure of the dose.  She is about 7 lbs.

Dosage of procaine penicillin G for about any size chicken is 1/4 ml given 1/4 inch deep into the breast muscle daily for 4 days, alternating sides of the breast. Other penicillins may differ. I probably would not give antibiotics or even get it stitched myself, but clean the wound with Vetericyn, and let it close on it's own from the inside out. Small wounds heal pretty quickly within a day or two, but just watch for any swelling or redness which may indicate an abscess. We have hawks around here most of the year, but I still feel they need to be out free ranging all day. We have a couple of pine trees they hide under when the hawks come out, but we dis lose a half blind polish last summer when two hawks pulled her head off through our chainlink fence.

 

[chicknmania]

Dosage of procaine penicillin G for about any size chicken is 1/4 ml given 1/4 inch deep into the breast muscle daily for 4 days, alternating sides of the breast. Other penicillins may differ. I probably would not give antibiotics or even get it stitched myself, but clean the wound with Vetericyn, and let it close on it's own from the inside out. Small wounds heal pretty quickly within a day or two, but just watch for any swelling or redness which may indicate an abscess. We have hawks around here most of the year, but I still feel they need to be out free ranging all day. We have a couple of pine trees they hide under when the hawks come out, but we dis lose a half blind polish last summer when two hawks pulled her head off through our chainlink fence.

yeah, they will do that. We lost a crippled pullet once that way too. I took our pullet to the vet this morning as she was struggling to breathe. He determined that her windpipe had been severed and said there was nothing he could do, so we had her euthanized immediately.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry for your loss

 

[chicknmania]

Thanks. I am glad I took her. It would have been horrible is she had suffered longer while we tried to see if she would make it. Vet was very good about making an emergency appointment for us without the charge.Wish I had just been two minutes earlier chasing the hawk off her though.