Is my hen in shock after attack?

[chickengeorgeto]

Thanks. She is happy to drink. She reaches for it. She guzzled scrambled eggs very greedily. I can hold her and she doesn't appear to be in pain.....

Chickens are notoriously stoic and in almost 70 years I still don't know if a chicken can feel what we think of as pain. I think not. Panic, fear, wrath, yes.... however I am unsure that they feel pain, at least not like you and I perceive pain.

... She flaps her wings sometimes like she wants to get herself up but her legs won't help her. I saw some tiny movement in both legs yesterday, we stroked one foot and she responded just enough to be sure it was a response.... Not sure how much time she might need and if she can recover.

A firm but gentle massage and rubbing of her legs and back with some stretching of her feet, legs, and neck may be called for. Don't neglect her cafe and thigh mussels. A chicken's cafe begins at the lower end of it's drumstick. Begin and end each therapy session with a short pistol style hair drier session to help stimulate blood flow. Heat will also help dispel shock.

In the world of farming any animal that can stand and eat (not necessarily in that order) is a healthy animal. Good luck.

 

[Sagenovese]

hanks everyone! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks. Luna is doing surprisingly well. She has been eating and drinking on her own ever since the shock wore off. I kept her wrapped the first night. The following morning she drank water that I held in front of her. She still cannot walk. However, she is moving both legs. I had initially been concerned about spinal cord injury/paralysis. Her many deep wounds are healing. She seems not to have any infection. She eats and drinks but you have to hold it in front of her. And she's getting picky! I make her scrambled eggs, she might turn her nose or guzzle them. Depends on her mood. She is eating whatever young seedlings I offer, I have some potted catnip and some potted Kale sprouts that she enjoys. I ordered comfrey but it hasn't arrived yet. She has eaten a few fly larvae and meal worms. It is a bit tricky keeping her fed but I think if she were hungry enough she would eat. It's more finding what she is in the mood for. OK, so she is now spoiled, but I guess she's earned it. The extension office told me to give her aspirin but it's not working. I'm not going to pour it down her when she happily drinks on her own and even if I dissolve the proper dose, she drinks what she likes and that is that. So, I stopped trying to give her aspirin. Could not tell a difference anyway. One leg is broken at the hock joint and once I used vet tape to support it, she started to use it more than the other. I suspect that her other leg (now the less mobile leg) is either broken at the hip, or is struggling due to injury to the back of the leg... she has a cut straight across. It's fairly deep and I suspect it will be hard if not impossible for that leg to function completely normally in the future. But, she does move it on her own. She is no where near weight bearing but she regularly flaps her wings with all her might and attempts to get up on her legs. So, she is doing her best. Not sure what I'll do with her next week when new baby chicks arrive. She is hogging my brooder right now!
Thoughts and advice are definitely welcome. I feel like I am doing this completely blind. Just guessing every day and hoping for the best.

 

[Morrigan]

She looks like she's being well spoiled.

I wish I had some advice for you, but I've never dealt with broken legs before, so I don't know what the timeline or prognosis for healing is.

I have seen threads about building slings to help a chickens rehab from leg injuries. Here is one thread in which the rooster made a full recovery. It was just one leg, however.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/update-on-roo-with-broken-leg-pics-of-chicken-sling.147520/

 

[Sagenovese]

Thanks, Morrigan!!!
I made a sling for Luna.
Hopefully, this is what helps her start to trust the weight bearing at her own pace.

 

[Morrigan]

Looks good. She is lucky to be in such good hands. I hope she heals enough to be able to get around. I have one hen who either was born with something wrong with one leg, or it was broken as a chick and I wasn't aware of it, but she gets by really well on basically one leg.

Please keep us posted, as it may help others in the future to know the outcome.

 

[Cayuga momma]

Awe! I'm praying for Luna.

 

[Sagenovese]

Has Anyone seen the Chicken Therapy Chair?
https://www.facebook.com/chickentherapychairs/
I've tried to contact them, but haven't gotten a response. So I went to the store and picked up materials to attempt to make one. Wish me luck.

 

[Secrethensociety]

Has Anyone seen the Chicken Therapy Chair?
https://www.facebook.com/chickentherapychairs/
I've tried to contact them, but haven't gotten a response. So I went to the store and picked up materials to attempt to make one. Wish me luck.

Know its been a while. Wondering if your girl was able to fully recover?