unknown attack

[Denmarc]

One evening my husband forgot to close up the coop/run, when I got home from work we were watching TV and heard a muffled screech sound. I asked if the hens were put away for the night, and he said oh, I forgot. so we grabbed a flashlight and went outside. we heard a rustling and found one of our cream legbars stumbling towards us. I immediately picked her up and by the flashlight could see she was injured. my husband and I quickly ran to the coop to check on the other hens, all accounted for so we closed the coop up and brought Lightning inside . I cleaned her up a bit so I could try to see the extent of her injuries. pretty bad, but not continuous bleeding, noted several puncture wounds and de-gloved area on her scalp and neck. also puncture on her beak. Long story short...brought her to the Animal emergency care center. we spoke about helping her vs euthanizing. we opted for trying to help her, she looked a bit shocky to me, they gave her pain meds and cleaned her wounds, gave her a fluid bolus and some antibiotics. They were able to reclose some of the skin tissue with dermabond surgical glue.

Since we have had her back home I am continuing with the antibiotic and pain/inflammation medication. she is in the house in the crate we had just finished using as a brooder. she is not eating, made a slurry with her feed and water to offer her as a liquid which she is sipping on , she does drink if I put a small cup of water to her beak.

Praying she will recover from this, she is 1.5 year old and a sweet hen. She is a little unsteady with walking and loses her balance when she shakes out her feathers, but regains her stance without intervention.

we have no idea what found her, a terrible lesson for my husband to learn.

this is before - after I got her cleaned up a bit we took her to the ER


















this is her, after the vet cleaned her up more and reattached her skin


in the brooder turned infirmary at home








anyone have suggestions on what I can try to get her to eat? or how long she can go without eating, if she is still drinking?

 

[redsoxs]

My best guess would be that she tangled with a raccoon. I think she can likely go several days without food but it's good that she's drinking. I wonder if she's still in some shock from the whole ordeal? Please keep us posted on her condition. You folks are good chicken parents.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I'm so happy you chose to help your mama!

You can offer some crushed boiled egg. The extra protein will help her rebuild tissue. You can add some turmeric to double fight inflammation.

As long as she keeps drinking (and drinking enough), she should be okay. Monitor her water intake. You may have to tube her if she's not drinking enough. Also an excellent opportunity for some KayTee baby bird food.. but liquid first!

Some Pedialyte or electrolyte water could perk her up (not Gatorade).

She may have a scar, but I feel like she will come around.

MrsB

 

[Denmarc]

Thank you so much for the encouragement

Lightning is still drinking if I offer it. I have several water vessels in the brooder to give her options. I just gave her some hand feed babybird food via syringe. hoping that will hold her over until I get home from work, she also has her layer pellet and some scratch in the brooder. I am still giving her antibiotic and pain/inflammation meds

She is a little more perky this morning, she actually turned to look at me when I walked in the room and stood up

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thank you so much for the encouragement

Lightning is still drinking if I offer it. I have several water vessels in the brooder to give her options. I just gave her some hand feed babybird food via syringe. hoping that will hold her over until I get home from work, she also has her layer pellet and some scratch in the brooder. I am still giving her antibiotic and pain/inflammation meds

She is a little more perky this morning, she actually turned to look at me when I walked in the room and stood up

Great news!!!

Just keep doing what you're doing. As we've stated over and over, if she's drinking, she should come around.

Awesome job.

MrsB

 

[Denmarc]

drinking on her own now

antibiotics pain meds and food

 

[Trish1974]

She looks a lot better than in your earlier pics! Best wishes for a full recovery!

 

[Denmarc]

Lightning started eating her layer feed today!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Great news and good job!!

MrsB

 

[Denmarc]

Ok, so any suggestions on how long I should keep lightning inside? I brought her outside today to let her get some fresh air since she has been cooped up in the house since her attack. I was out there with her of course. but no sooner had the rest of the hens noticed her out there , her sister Flash started picking on her. Is this a normal process of reintroduction, or should I wait until lightnings feathers have grown back? (thought I don't know if they will given the extent of her scalping) I don't want to leave her out there unsupervised if they are going to hurt her because they sense she is injured.