When livestock become "companion animals"

[Beetle08]

My Carla got chomped on probably by a fox, a couple of nights ago. I thought she just lost feathers but I looked closer and she has deep gashes in her back and tail. This is when livestock become pets. I took her to the vet and they cleaned her woulds, trimmed the feathers away from the area and gave an antibiotic ($144). Please don't tease me for that. I couldn't just let her fend for herself, and I did not know how to help her.
She is by herself now in a large box on the back porch so her wounds do not get picked at. The wounds seem like they are closing up but she sounds wheezy and when I picked her up a bunch of clear drool came out of her beak. I am worried about fluid in her lungs but I don't know what to do about it. She is on antibiotics already. Could she be reacting to her confinement, or the medications? Any ideas?

 

[chickencoop31320]

I would call the vet you took her to as soon as you can. They might be able to offer a better idea of what is going on with her.
And

I wouldn't tease you about caring enough to take good care of your animal.
Some people see chickens as "disposable" but for those of us who LOVE them, they are pets just as much as a dog or cat.

 

[Tala]

Oh no, I wouldn't tease you. I am trying to play "chicken nurse" to a cockerel that I planned on eating later in the summer!!!!!!!

While I'm not taking him to the vet, I'm pretty darn good at healing up wounds (I can flush wounds and trim fur/feathers as good as any vet tech) so I'll cross my fingers for ya too!!

It's the wheezing/drooling that would have me concerned about your bird. THAT I would call the vet about if I were you. Could be a number of things. Maybe she's allergic to the antibiotic???

 

[The Lisser]

I don't have any ideas about the fluid that came out of the hen's beak, but I would have done the same thing that you did, so don't feel bad. I picked up a stray dog a couple of months ago and so far have spent over $700 on her (which I really couldn't afford to do) . . . so I understand! I hope your hen gets better!

Melissa