Post-hawk attack first aid: emergency!

[chicknmania]

Our Speckled Sussex hen Squeak was just attacked by a Cooper's hawk. My son found the hawk trying to carry her away, but couldn't she was too heavy. He said she was just lying there at first after the hawk left,but when he put her in our hospital pen she stood up...she walked around for several minutes but now she is lying down again. There are no visible signs of injury.We gave her Rescue Remedy in water, but don't think she's drinking. Should we try to force feed her any fluids? I would think the best thing is to just leave her alone and let her hear her roo crowing out there, but just checking. We really want to save her, cause Lil Dude won't know what to do without her...they're a two-chicken team! It is also very cool here today...50's..should she have a heat lamp? The hospital pen is enclosed and is also in the barn.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hen!

I wish I had some sage advice to give you, but I'll let the experts do that! I don't think I'd forcefeed her anything just yet, though. Seems like it would be easy to send into her lungs.

I hope she pulls through. I have a cock and pullet with that relationship.. each would be heartbroken without the other. I'm sure hearing her buddy will help.


-Meghan

 

[chicknmania]

dlhunicorn, I read some of your previous posts re treating shock after something like this...but can you tell me (or anyone else who knows, please)...if you give them Gatorade/water, what are the proportions? How long should we wait before we try to actively try to get her to drink...ie, dribble water on her beak?

 

[Freebie]

If this just happened I would check her over real good for any wounds. That was a hawk, and if she has a wound it needs to be cleansed. Also, if it just happened, I would not worry to much about her drinking right this minute. But keep an eye on her through the day, and see if the water level is going down. If she drinks nothing all day, then do what you have to do to get her to drink this evening. Hope all is well, and definately give a good once over for wounds, especially puncture wounds, they can be hard to find under all those feathers.

edited for spelling

 

[chicknmania]

Thanks, Meghan:/

 

[chicknmania]

OK, so how DO you get her to drink? I mean, we know how to open the beak, but I would be afraid of it going down the wrong pipe...if you just dribble it on their tongue, does that work? We're not going to do anything yet, but just asking, for future reference...hopefully we won't need to do this at all....we had to force feed our Whitey roo a long time ago with meds, when we took him to the vet once...gawd, it was a nghtmare...but he was a lot bigger and stronger then her...I don't remember how we did it, though.

 

[Freebie]

I have never had to force fluids on any of my chickens. the wounded one I have now, has been drinking just fine. I guess, I would first try just sticking her beak in the water, if that did not work, I would try dribbling it on her beak. If that did not work, I am not sure if I would try a scringe with no needle or not. I have given one of my chicken oral antibiotics once after watching the vet do it. But I was terrified the entire time. It all worked out ok. So I guess I would try it again if it were necessary.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

Same thing just happened here at our house two days ago.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19054

Tiffany gave me some great advice in my post for help!!

Good Luck!!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

just dip the birds beak into the waterer or dribble it along side their beak... if you open the beak then just a wee bet under the tongue at a time with the dropper... the gatorad can be given slightly diluted up to one third. Just be sure it is not cold (room temp)

 

[Iluvmychickens]

yOU CAN GIVE HER WATER USING A SRYINGE WITH OUT THE NEEDLE. JUST PUT IT NEXT TO HER BEAK AND SHE SHOULD DRING IF YOU LET A SMALL AMOUT OF WATER OUT AT A TIME. I DID THIS WHEN MY HEN REFUSED TO EAT OR DRINKWHEN SHE WAS SETTING ON EGGS