We had unwelcome visitors today. Two dogs. They wreaked havoc in the chicken pen. I had some 3 month olds that were freeranging, and surprisingly, they didn't get attacked--it was the adult ones in the back pens. (these pens can't be seen from the house).
Long story short, at least one of the dogs was IN the pen when I discovered them, and had chased Sebastion, our young roo, who had enough wings to get over the fence, out of the pen. From there, the other dog attacked-- and attacked and attacked again--feathers in many places in the yard. The dog inside the pen chased and injured three of the hens.
Thankfully their wings had grown out enough so a few flew high into the roosts. (we're not clipping wings anymore, so they have better ability to escape predators)
There are three that I am worried about, and would like advice in how to care for them.
The roo, Sebastion, looks bad--he got it the worst. His back is really torn up, I'm concerned he might get infection. I put triple antibiotic on the wounds I could get to, but I need advice. Lots of open wounds.
Another hen, Charlotte is also in bad shape. Her left wing is dangling, and she's panting--I think she's in pain. No blood, but she looks bad. I'm thinking the wing is broken.
Henrietta, I thought was dying when I found her. She was laying on her side, not getting up, and breathing hard. But I picked her up and she seemed okay--feathers gone in some places. She screamed when I touched her in spots to check her out, but no blood, no hanging wings, and she can walk. I think she's mostly shaken up, but she might be okay. She has a lot of bare patches, but no bloody spots.
Felicity, I'm not as worried about, she lost feathers, but i think is okay otherwise. I want to kill two dogs! I was screaming and swinging a big stick at the one that was still in the pen--he frantically got away. I know they'll be back, now that they know the chickens are here. We normally free range, and hadn't gotten out to let the older ones out yet today. I don't care if they are someone's "Beloved pets", they're MINE if they come back, if I catch them. And they'll be quietly buried, never to be found again, and if someone comes asking if I've seen two dogs, I'll tell 'em there's coyotes around here, and they attacked my chickens, maybe they got your cute li'l dogs.
I need advice about the first aid care. Should the injured birds be taken out of the pen? I have one dog crate, and three injured birds. I no longer have a quarantine pen, because it became a pen as we have added chickens. I have a small cage that we used to let the baby chicks play outside in--hardly big enough for a chicken to turn around in. And if I took them out of the pen, do they come inside the air-conditioned house? Or sit on the open (covered) porch our brooder sits on? (Not very predator-proof, except for it being so close to people.)
I am SOOOO angry about these dogs!
Long story short, at least one of the dogs was IN the pen when I discovered them, and had chased Sebastion, our young roo, who had enough wings to get over the fence, out of the pen. From there, the other dog attacked-- and attacked and attacked again--feathers in many places in the yard. The dog inside the pen chased and injured three of the hens.
Thankfully their wings had grown out enough so a few flew high into the roosts. (we're not clipping wings anymore, so they have better ability to escape predators)
There are three that I am worried about, and would like advice in how to care for them.
The roo, Sebastion, looks bad--he got it the worst. His back is really torn up, I'm concerned he might get infection. I put triple antibiotic on the wounds I could get to, but I need advice. Lots of open wounds.
Another hen, Charlotte is also in bad shape. Her left wing is dangling, and she's panting--I think she's in pain. No blood, but she looks bad. I'm thinking the wing is broken.
Henrietta, I thought was dying when I found her. She was laying on her side, not getting up, and breathing hard. But I picked her up and she seemed okay--feathers gone in some places. She screamed when I touched her in spots to check her out, but no blood, no hanging wings, and she can walk. I think she's mostly shaken up, but she might be okay. She has a lot of bare patches, but no bloody spots.
Felicity, I'm not as worried about, she lost feathers, but i think is okay otherwise. I want to kill two dogs! I was screaming and swinging a big stick at the one that was still in the pen--he frantically got away. I know they'll be back, now that they know the chickens are here. We normally free range, and hadn't gotten out to let the older ones out yet today. I don't care if they are someone's "Beloved pets", they're MINE if they come back, if I catch them. And they'll be quietly buried, never to be found again, and if someone comes asking if I've seen two dogs, I'll tell 'em there's coyotes around here, and they attacked my chickens, maybe they got your cute li'l dogs.
I need advice about the first aid care. Should the injured birds be taken out of the pen? I have one dog crate, and three injured birds. I no longer have a quarantine pen, because it became a pen as we have added chickens. I have a small cage that we used to let the baby chicks play outside in--hardly big enough for a chicken to turn around in. And if I took them out of the pen, do they come inside the air-conditioned house? Or sit on the open (covered) porch our brooder sits on? (Not very predator-proof, except for it being so close to people.)
I am SOOOO angry about these dogs!
