URGENT: predator got in coop, killed 2 chickens and injured 2 others

[Morrigan]

The wound looks like its starting to heal to me. No more smell and pus are excellent signs. I agree with @CindyinSD that I would let the wound dry out a bit now. Hopefully flushing the eye will help.

Thanks again for updating. I'm always interested in knowing the outcome.

 

[It_is_I_Rae]

Update: the eye had a pin feather stuck in it and it was causing irritation but thankfully I was able to remove it and it looks better

 

[CindyinSD]

How is her little head looking?

 

[It_is_I_Rae]

How is her little head looking?

she's looking a lot better. Most of the injuries seem to have healed really well and all that's left of them are bald spots. The injury near her ear is still scabbed up and I'm slightly concerned about it, but like I said before, it doesn't appear to be infected anymore, but I'm kind of afraid that it has caused damage to the ear. It will probably be fine, though. I'm hoping that I can put her back in the coop in the next few days because she's doing well and the house smells like a farm

 

[CindyinSD]

Watch her close... the others will probably peck at her. You might need to put her in there in her kennel.

 

[It_is_I_Rae]

Watch her close... the others will probably peck at her. You might need to put her in there in her kennel.

Yeah, I don't want the others to hurt her. How long should I leave her in the kennel before it's safe to let her out with the others?

 

[CindyinSD]

You could try three or four days and see what happens. I wouldn’t let her out of my sight with them unless I sprayed her ouchies with Blukote, though.

 

[CindyinSD]

I tried to let one out yesterday after several weeks. It’s a Cornish cross girl I wanted to keep and try breeding. They had savaged her for what I don’t know. They’d been together for months without incident. I’m guessing it was the unseasonable cold and snow. I let her out and they started in on her again so she’s back in the kennel. I’ll give her a bath and fluff her all up and Blukote her head (though there’s no open wound now). I may have to process her when I do the Tom turkeys. It’s sad, though. She’s just too gentle to defend herself.

 

[Morrigan]

Great update! You did an excellent job caring for her.

How long she'll need to spend in kennel before she's safely integrated depends a lot on all the personalities involved. I'd keep her in a kennel, or in a sectioned off part of the coop for 2 or 3 days, then try and see what happens. Sometimes it goes really smoothly, sometimes, more time is needed, or you need to start by putting her in an sectioned area with a few of your most easy-going hens, letting them adjust, and then merging the groups.

 

[It_is_I_Rae]

I tried to let one out yesterday after several weeks. It’s a Cornish cross girl I wanted to keep and try breeding. They had savaged her for what I don’t know. They’d been together for months without incident. I’m guessing it was the unseasonable cold and snow. I let her out and they started in on her again so she’s back in the kennel. I’ll give her a bath and fluff her all up and Blukote her head (though there’s no open wound now). I may have to process her when I do the Tom turkeys. It’s sad, though. She’s just too gentle to defend herself.

Aw, I'm sorry about your chicken. I hope that the others will stop picking on her.