After care for chickens after dog pack attack

[zmender]

Hello everyone - being lurking here for a few months. This spring we accepted 6 rehomed hens from a friend - 3 leghorns, 2 easter eggers, and 1 brahams. Laying 4~6 eggs daily pretty consistently. They are housed in a solid coop attached to an outdoor run protected by electric fence.

Yesterday evening right before sunset, a pack of neighbor's dogs (3 medium/large sized) jumped over the fence into the run. Within a few minutes they killed one of the easter egger. The Brahams was coughing up blood and died on the way to vet. 1 of the easter egger flew out of run under the patio. Dogs plucked off half of her feathers but the hen is alife. She hide underneath patio for a few hours, but was circling the run a few hours later. We let her back into the run / coop. 3 of the leg horns were very shaken up but escaped back to coop unhurt.

We called police + opened case. Now we have a flock of very scared chickens who are not coming out of the coop, and I don't want to directly reach into coop fearing causing additional stress. Couple questions for everyone -

1) For the easter egger who returned to coop after dogs plucked her feather (extremely skittish / scared), do we try to catch her in the coop + bring her to vet? Or just leave her alone and observe?
2) What's best emotional care for the survivors?
3) Any special food / diets for next few days? Their poop seemed very watery this morning.
4) Surprisingly still got 2 eggs already this morning - this is a very, very vocal flock usually but unusually quiet this morning. Hearing the egg songs again gave me some degree of comfort.
5) We think dogs were under care of one of the county's dog walkers, but not sure where else to go. What are usual ways we can take to hold these people accountable?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't have a lot of advice except that treating them all for shock by giving them some sugar & electrolytes in their water will help even if they're not physically injured. They probably laid eggs because the eggs were ready to lay but most likely there will be a pause in that for a while

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I would not take anyone to the vet who is not showing signs of major injury. Shock alone can kill a chicken and bringing them to the vet will only add more stress. The best thing you can do right now for them is treat for shock and keep everyone somewhere safe. Try not to disturb or separate unless absolutely necessary (keeping them calm is very important when treating shock), provide some heat or an area with some extra warmth (if it's still a chilly there), offer electrolytes along with fresh water and even wetting the food to make a mash can make it more appetizing for those who are too stressed to eat much.

 

[zmender]

We've always kept food outside in the run, and provided hens with water only inside the coop. Should I provide food in coop for a few days?

 

[coach723]

For the one that lost feathers, once the shock has worn off I would try to examine her to make sure it's just plucked feathers and she has no wounds that need to be treated. Minor wounds can be dealt with at home. They are likely to be skittish and reluctant to come out for a while. Yes, I would provide them some food and water where they are comfortable getting it. Have some outside also, so they are encouraged to come out when they are ready. It may be a week or more before they are feeling safe enough to start returning to more normal activities. They may be more skittish than usually for awhile. I've had hawk attacks that left them alerting on everything that moved for a while, and running for cover. It's normal after any kind of attack.
For the dogs, I would work with your local authorities, different places have different laws and regulations. If needed you may need to secure your run better, adding and electric wire can be a good deterent. Everyone feels differently about options, but in many places you are entitled to protect your livestock from attacks on your property with firearms. You may be entitled to compensation for your losses if you can id the dogs and whoever was supposed to be in control of them. Your local police/sheriff and animal control are your best resources.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

) For the easter egger who returned to coop after dogs plucked her feather (extremely skittish / scared), do we try to catch her in the coop + bring her to vet? Or just leave her alone and observe?

Never chase a bird by waiting until they are on roost at night and using a flashlight gently remove them. I would let her be.. I've had a duck scalped by a raccoon and chicks scalped by hawks and recover quite quickly without my intervention. Watching that other birds don't try to pick at her is probably key.

2) What's best emotional care for the survivors?

Return to routine as soon as possible.

3) Any special food / diets for next few days? Their poop seemed very watery this morning.

I only do electrolytes if the birds aren't drinking or if they're having diarrhea.. there are many homemade recipes available.

But I always have poultry nutri drench on hand to use when the immune system could use a boost. It has added amino acids and absorbs rapidly This stuff works! (if you're in the US)

4) Surprisingly still got 2 eggs already this morning - this is a very, very vocal flock usually but unusually quiet this morning. Hearing the egg songs again gave me some degree of comfort.

They probably could not stop eggs that were already in the tract. Reduction may still happen..

The egg song.. proof that animals despite being attacked have an easier time moving on than most humans. They might miss their friend.. but they don't sit around asking why'd that happen or how come I survived and so and so didn't.. Yes they DO have emotions and such but they don;t get stuck in the over thinking loops like we do.

5) We think dogs were under care of one of the county's dog walkers, but not sure where else to go. What are usual ways we can take to hold these people accountable?

Accountability, if you can identify the owner/care taker.. will likely be limited to a fine for dogs at large and replacement cost of your livestock. There may also be some sort of registration to track problem dogs and eventually demand their life if they've shown to kill enough livestock. Domestic dogs are a top predator for chickens.

They are housed in a solid coop attached to an outdoor run protected by electric fence.

I question the installation (and type) of this fence, or it's functionality. E fences require maintenance and testing plus proper placement and should NOT be used as a sole perimeter fence.

Call animal control (or code enforcement) as the police DON"T care.. they got bigger fish to fry and this is not a criminal matter!

Side note, the breeds characteristics played for or against them on par with their stereotypes.. Leghorns are better at getting away (aka flighty) while brahma are kinda slow (calm).

Your flock got SO lucky surviving an attack like that which usually results in ALL dead birds. That's no consolation, I'm sorry you all went through this! Sorry for your loss.

Your set up showed it's weakness. Figuring out what you can do to increase your security would be a wise consideration.

 

[zmender]

But I always have poultry nutri drench on hand to use when the immune system could use a boost. It has added amino acids and absorbs rapidly This stuff works! (if you're in the US)

This is available at local TSC w/ recommended dose of 1cc/3lb. Do I need to give it to chickens via a syringe or dilute it with water / food?

 

[coach723]

Give it directly. Put 1/2 cc at a time in the beak and let the bird swallow it. Repeat until the whole dose is given. By giving it 1/2 cc at a time you reduce the risk of the bird aspirating any.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This is available at local TSC w/ recommended dose of 1cc/3lb. Do I need to give it to chickens via a syringe or dilute it with water / food?

If they are drinking on their own, then I just add it to water. No supplement should be given more than 10 days in a row

When I direct dose a bird to the beak it's by putting drips just below the nostrils and letting it roll around into the mouth which they then swallow.. I direct dose (without dilution) anyone who isn't actively drinking (and also not actively being treated for coccidiosis)

I have added it to a small amount of moist feed and also to a cooled off scrambled egg, depending on circumstances. This is quick and convenient in already responsive birds not showing any symptoms of crop disorder or other blockage...

I haven't syringed anything since aspirating a chick. But I see helpful tips posted above.

 

[zmender]

Starting around noon, I've being successful in getting the birds out of coop with barley scratch + bread crumbs. I'll toss small handful out of door and creating a trail to the main food dispenser. They are happy to follow the crumbs + scratch the ground so long as I'm in the run with them, and quickly runs back into coop once I leave. All are drinking water on their own. They have not touched their own food however.