Huge hail storm

[Carlyb22]

We had a massive hail storm and possible tornado?? My house is luckily fine, several neighbors houses are mostly destroyed, we we had lots of hail and stuff thrown around the yard and part of our fence taken out. One of my hens had a bloody head I’m assuming because she was hit with ice. She’s in the house separate from everyone else and I’ve put vetricyn on the bloody spot on her head. She seems okay otherwise, she was laying down dead looking when my sister found her but she’s sitting in the dog crate pretty alert. Anything else I can do? What are the chances she makes it? One of her eyes is open the other she’s keeping closed.

 

[dawg53]

I'm glad that you are safe and sound. As for your hen, gently apply Neosporin ointment to the wound on her head. You're going to have to try and get her to eat and drink to regain her strength in order for her to survive. You can make a watery gruel with a feed and water mixture and try feeding it to her via a syringe without a needle. If she can eat the watery gruel from a bowl on her own, that would be a good sign.

 

[Carlyb22]

I'm glad that you are safe and sound. As for your hen, gently apply Neosporin ointment to the wound on her head. You're going to have to try and get her to eat and drink to regain her strength in order for her to survive. You can make a watery gruel with a feed and water mixture and try feeding it to her via a syringe without a needle. If she can eat the watery gruel from a bowl on her own, that would be a good sign.

Thank you! She’s comfortable for the night so I’ll let her sleep and try to feed her in the morning! I’m hoping by tomorrow she will be less in shock and I can gauge how had she’s hurt by her behavior.

 

[Carlyb22]

She’s doing a lot better today!! She ate some berries that were going to go bad in our fridge since our powers been out over 30 hours now, and she’s drinking. Head looks a lot better and she even laid an egg!

 

[dawg53]

That's great news regarding your hen! Be watchful when you introduce her back into the flock, she might get picked on.
Sorry for the food loss. I bought a portable generator and inverter generator in case we lose power. Our area is susceptible to hurricanes and tornadoes.

 

[Starrponies]

She looks like she will heal up great to me! You guys rock for getting out there and finding her! The weather sounds crazy! Good luck, be safe and take care!

 

[Carlyb22]

Thanks guys!! My first thought when we were going home was hoping the house was standing and the dogs are okay, and then find the hens that were free ranging
She seems pretty normal this morning and her head looks almost normal. She seems to be annoyed that she’s in a dog crate which is a good sign.

I also have 2 week old chicks and they were without heat for 32 hours but seem completely fine. I got handwarmers for them and hot water bottles but they refused to use them, and even when the power kicked on at midnight they didn’t sleep under their brooder plate They’ve been eating, drinking and super active not huddled together except overnight when sleeping

 

[Carlyb22]

Update! She’s doing a lot better. Her head wound is pretty much healed, her feathers are covering it so you can’t even see where it was. I’ve been putting her out with the others during the day and keeping her inside at night but last night while I was out in the yard it started POURING suddenly. I grabbed her and put her in the coop since I didn’t want her getting soaked and cold. All the others immediately went to roost (it was 7pm) and so I sat her on the roost bars as she started cleaning her feathers like everyone else. I checked her again around 10pm and she was asleep!

This morning when I came to let everyone out of the coop she was still on the roost bars so im not sure if she can’t get on or off or what but I helped her down and she immediately started eating and scratching in the grass. She’s acting pretty normal just not quite as active, and her tail is still hanging low. But she’s eating, drinking, alert and excited for treats so I think she will be okay!

 

[Starrponies]

Yay!! She is a tough one