Treating a Traumatized Hen

[DuckMama9]

I know they say never to bring your work home with you, but when I found a hen in a “catatonic” state of trauma from surviving a suspected hawk attack out on the farm I work at, and the head farmer’s answer was to cull her, well, I just couldn’t let that happen so I brought her home to recover. I don’t know, maybe I have a soft spot because I’m a trauma survivor myself and a wartime veteran with PTSD. I’ve been to that place where I just didn’t care to live anymore, as it appears that this hen, Sweetpea I’ve been calling her, seems to be. But I found a way to come out of it and pick my life back up again, and well, I’d really like to see Sweetpea be able to do the same. I’m rooting for her. When Sweetpea comes out of her depression or whatever this is, I plan to integrate her into my backyard flock of six ducks. At any rate, when I found her on Friday, she was standing alone, motionless and unresponsive. Doesn’t eat, drink, scratch, peck or cluck like a normal chicken. It seems like she’s lost the will to survive. She had a small bleeding wound on the head that has since scabbed over...certainly not life threatening. I suspect a hawk attack and I found one other in dead in the field. I have been dropper feeding her liquid poultry supplements and electrolyte water, and I’m keeping her safe and warm in my old home-made duckling brooder, when she isn’t wrapped up in a baby blanket and held safe under my wing. It is now Sunday and not much has changed. She’s still in her catatonic state, although she has responded slightly to unwanted contact with the playful new Rottweiler puppy that we adopted this week. I have no experience treating a chicken in this state and I don’t even know how much and how often I should be supplementing and watering her. Does anyone have experience treating a chicken in a state like this? How likely is a recovery? How long will it take? Would a visit to the vet be warranted?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep on giving the electrolytes and water carefully, and tomorrow, mix some chicken crumbles with a lot of water in a cup and hold it up to her beak. I also try bits of scrambled egg, canned cat food, and tuna once they are taking water well. You can get some aquarium air tubing and a large 35 ml syringe from a feed store, and use that as a feeding tube or crop tube if you want to learn how. That works for fluids mostly, not thick food. Or you can buy a regular feeding tube for his size from a vet and use a catheter tip syringe. Aim for 15 ml per pound of fluid 3 -4 times a day, but start slowly. Here is a link about tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[DuckMama9]

I would keep on giving the electrolytes and water carefully, and tomorrow, mix some chicken crumbles with a lot of water in a cup and hold it up to her beak. I also try bits of scrambled egg, canned cat food, and tuna once they are taking water well. You can get some aquarium air tubing and a large 35 ml syringe from a feed store, and use that as a feeding tube or crop tube if you want to learn how. That works for fluids mostly, not thick food. Or you can buy a regular feeding tube for his size from a vet and use a catheter tip syringe. Aim for 15 ml per pound of fluid 3 -4 times a day, but start slowly. Here is a link about tube feeding:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

Thank you! I will check it out!

 

[Eggcessive]

I wish you good luck, and thanks for trying to save the hen.

 

[hayley3]

I know they say never to bring your work home with you, but when I found a hen in a “catatonic” state of trauma from surviving a suspected hawk attack out on the farm I work at, and the head farmer’s answer was to cull her, well, I just couldn’t let that happen so I brought her home to recover. I don’t know, maybe I have a soft spot because I’m a trauma survivor myself and a wartime veteran with PTSD. I’ve been to that place where I just didn’t care to live anymore, as it appears that this hen, Sweetpea I’ve been calling her, seems to be. But I found a way to come out of it and pick my life back up again, and well, I’d really like to see Sweetpea be able to do the same. I’m rooting for her. When Sweetpea comes out of her depression or whatever this is, I plan to integrate her into my backyard flock of six ducks. At any rate, when I found her on Friday, she was standing alone, motionless and unresponsive. Doesn’t eat, drink, scratch, peck or cluck like a normal chicken. It seems like she’s lost the will to survive. She had a small bleeding wound on the head that has since scabbed over...certainly not life threatening. I suspect a hawk attack and I found one other in dead in the field. I have been dropper feeding her liquid poultry supplements and electrolyte water, and I’m keeping her safe and warm in my old home-made duckling brooder, when she isn’t wrapped up in a baby blanket and held safe under my wing. It is now Sunday and not much has changed. She’s still in her catatonic state, although she has responded slightly to unwanted contact with the playful new Rottweiler puppy that we adopted this week. I have no experience treating a chicken in this state and I don’t even know how much and how often I should be supplementing and watering her. Does anyone have experience treating a chicken in a state like this? How likely is a recovery? How long will it take? Would a visit to the vet be warranted?View attachment 2039685

Dang I got teary eyed reading that, very heartwarming and so good of you to save her. I'm rooting for little Sweetpea...she looks a bit on the grim side but she's hung on this long and with you caring for her I'm hoping she has a speedy recovery. Poor thing.

 

[DuckMama9]

Update on Sweetpea: There has been little improvement since I brought her home on Friday. She does exhibit a bit more head movement and cluck when bothered and puts up a stronger fight against my dropper feeding, watering and medicating, so she seems to be getting her strength back, but other than that she isn’t moving around very much and still not eating or drinking on her own. I took her to the vet yesterday. He gave her injection pain killer and antibiotic, and sent me home with tablet pain killer and antibiotics to administer at home. He said that we could see improvements within a few days to a week if the treatment is going to be effective. If not, then it’s likely the head trauma we think that she experienced caused some kind of neurological damage that she won’t recover from. We’re still hoping for the best and continuing with the liquid nutrients, electrolyte water, and medication, and always a lot of loving touch, snuggles wrapped up in the baby blanket that grandma made for me, and lots of soft-spoken, loving encouragement.

 

[hayley3]

Awwww poor Sweetpea. I think the fact that she is fighting the feedings is a good sign.
I hope so. Sometimes things just take longer to heal. I nursed a chicken that could not walk for 2 months thinking she was never going to recover but she did.

 

[Laura_BelgianBantams_63]

That is so sad. Good luck to Sweetpea. I nearly cryed reading that. Poor thing. It was so kind of DuckMama9 to care for a hurt soul.
Good luck little Sweetpea!

 

[Eggcessive]

I’m hoping that you do see some improvement in Sweet Pea soon. Let us know how she is getting along with another update when you can.

 

[DuckMama9]

Update: Sweetpea has made some improvements. On Wednesday she was clearly bothered by the sticky buildup of the liquid nutrients that I’ve been feeding her, on her neck/breast feathers and she tried to groom herself. I helped her out a bit and gave her a sponge bath with a little baby shampoo and warm water, followed by a blow-dry with my hair dryer. On Thursday Sweetpea made a soft whining noise and when I went to check on her she repeated in reply to my saying her name and taking to her. Trying to figure out what she wanted to communicate, I offered her a bowl of pelleted feed and a bowl of electrolyte water. I put the water under her beak but she did nothing. I placed the bowl of food in front of her and she attempted to peck at it. Her aim was off and she seemed to have too much difficulty with the dry pelleted feed so I moistened it with water and positioned the bowl to match where she was pecking, and viola! She fed herself to a full tummy of moistened feed! She still isn’t taking water on her own so I’m still dropper watering her and administering her pain medication and antibiotics dissolved in water twice a day. A few times today I offered her moistened feed upon her request. The weather has been warm and sunny so we are also enjoying frequent breaks outdoors to enjoy som sun. With a bit of encouragement by rubbing the legs abs the hindquarters, Sweetpea will take a few steps forward. It almost seems as though she’s having to re-learn how to eat and walk, but I am encouraged by her daily improvements and I hope for a full recovery. Right now as I write this, she has been napping on my chest, wrapped up in my baby blanket and making the occasional gentle “purring” noise, especially in response to hearing my voice or hearing me say her name. She is absolutely precious!