Hen can’t lift neck after attacked by fox

[Crazyabouthens]

Hi my hen was attacked by a fox on Sunday night and now her neck has a few wounds and is bruised. She is struggling to have any control over her neck and is very weak. I have her at home with me propped up with some pillows. She is happy to drink but I can’t get her to take hardly any food from me. She ate a tiny bit off my hand earlier but apart from that she has been showing no interest in eating. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[azygous]

This is how to syringe fluids into a chicken without getting it into the airway at the back of the tongue. You will aim for the esophagus on the chicken's right side of their throat. It leads right into the crop.

 

[coach723]

Have you flushed out the wounds well and applied an antibiotic ointment? Pictures of any wounds would be helpful. Make sure you haven't missed any wounds hiding in feathers. She may have been squeezed or shaken, and is likely very, very sore. That she has survived this long is also a good sign. This may take some time. That she is drinking is good. Try giving some cooked or scrambled egg, canned tuna, even sometimes cat food will tempt them. If you still can't get her to eat, you may need to tube feed her until she's strong enough to eat on her own.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[azygous]

At some point with a sick chicken, it will be necessary to tube feed due to the decline caused by dehydration and starvation. It can mean the difference between the patient surviving or dying.

You need to obtain the tubing kit. You can get one from a vet for a few dollars or order it here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095J7PFV..._csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&tag=backy-20

I mix up a raw egg, a teaspoon of sugar, Poultry Nutri-drench, yogurt, and warm water to half a cup total. The tube is inserted as the diagram shows inserting the syringe.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry to hear about your hen.

Do you have photos?

Good advice from @coach723 . In addition to her suggestions, I'd also start vitamin therapy to offer nerve support since she's suffered trauma to the head/neck. Give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily.

Let us know how she's doing.

 

[LaFleche]

Hi just an update, she’s had two lots of the tablets so far, ( due another tonight ) but she’s showing no interest in eating or drinking whatsoever. Can’t even get her to drink on her own anymore like she was at the start of last week, I’m now having to syringing water into her. Had to force feed her some scrambled egg last night and a small amount of porridge. Her poops are sooo stinky! There’s definitely a bit of improvement in her neck, she appears to have more control of it. What else should I be doing? She’s most definitely not getting enough water and food into her as she should be

You could start to tube feed her.

https://bitchinchickens.com/2022/05/16/gavage-tube-feeding-chickens/

 

[Crazyabouthens]

Have you flushed out the wounds well and applied an antibiotic ointment? Pictures of any wounds would be helpful. Make sure you haven't missed any wounds hiding in feathers. She may have been squeezed or shaken, and is likely very, very sore. That she has survived this long is also a good sign. This may take some time. That she is drinking is good. Try giving some cooked or scrambled egg, canned tuna, even sometimes cat food will tempt them. If you still can't get her to eat, you may need to tube feed her until she's strong enough to eat on her own.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

Yes I cleaned up the wounds straight away. I have tried various different foods, including scrambled egg and nothing seems to make her want to eat. However saying that, last night I managed to put multiple tiny pieces of ham into her beak and she was quite happy to eat it. Since yesterday I have been syringing water into her to make sure she is hydrated because I’m not sure she has been drinking enough. She’s also drank some ‘fortisip’ (I’m not sure wether I should be giving her that or not) but I thought it would be good for her as it contains many vitamins and energy to hopefully help her strength.

 

[Crazyabouthens]

Sorry to hear about your hen.

Do you have photos?

Good advice from @coach723 . In addition to her suggestions, I'd also start vitamin therapy to offer nerve support since she's suffered trauma to the head/neck. Give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily.

Let us know how she's doing.

Ok thank you, would these be ok to get?

 

[coach723]

Those vitamins are fine.

 

[coach723]

Have you tried mixing her feed with some water to make a mash? If it's thick you can put little balls of it in her beak. Many birds like it made into mash. You can grind up pellets or crumbles in a food processor also to make it finer. There is also commercial baby bird food, many big box pet stores have it, that you can mix in water and give with a syringe as it's very fine consistency. Tubing is also a good option, until she's stronger. Not as difficult as it might sound.
Ham is usually pretty salty, so caution there.
Her neck likely is going to take some time and rest. There really isn't any way to rush healing, it takes as long as it takes.