Hen Blind and Not Eating On Own After Coyote Attack--Advice?

[Gezellige_Poes]

One last pic for today. Lady Marmalade came in and snuggled down right next to Silver's crate. Pretty sweet.

Love it and the name, Lady Marmalade! Sweet dreams to everyone!

 

[alinas2010]

One last pic for today. Lady Marmalade came in and snuggled down right next to Silver's crate. Pretty sweet.

That is so sweet. I’m glad she is showing signs of improvement. Hopefully she is turning a corner. I think it’s been mentioned already, but you might try some Terramycin ointment specifically for eyes at some point and see if there is any improvement since her eyes seem so badly affected

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

How is Silver doing?

 

[chickensinthewoods]

How is Silver doing?

Hi! Thank you for checking in! Was just about to make a post.

Silver is not worse and maybe a bit better depending on how you're measuring.

She's not eating on her own yet, our biggest worry obviously, but she's scratching a little here and there. She sleeps a lot, but when she is awake she's standing and preening. She responds to sound and makes little boop sounds. If she gets annoyed she clucks.

The biggest difference I can see in the last two days is how strong she is in fighting being fed. We are as gentle as possible opening her little beak and tucking food in but when she's done, she's really done. She puts up with fruit and greens the most, even enjoying them if I'm interpreting her little smacks correctly, but anything with protein or starch she doesn't like as well after a few bites.

There's still no signs of infection in the eyes and the remaining wounds are almost completely healed on the outside. Her eyes are closed most of the time but when she's sick of being fed and watered she opens them the longest, maybe about a third of the way up as if to identify the villain. When you wave your hand close though she doesn't seem to see anything. Still responds to light though.

Send her all your best thoughts. Really want her to pull through!!!

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

Thank you so much for the update, I've been thinking about Silver a lot. Maybe some types of food hurt her throat going down. Who knows what internal bruising she has from her attack. Thank you for fighting the good fight with this determined girl!

 

[chickensinthewoods]

Thank you so much for the update, I've been thinking about Silver a lot. Maybe some types of food hurt her throat going down. Who knows what internal bruising she has from her attack. Thank you for fighting the good fight with this determined girl!

I wondered about that only the protein rich foods are really slippery and soft (eggs, cooked beans, wet dog food, baby food, wet cat food) versus the leafy greens which seem much rougher and she doesn't fight on those nearly as much. Maybe the fruit and veg are counterintuitively easier to swallow because they aren't pasty and don't gum up the works? It's all a mystery with her really.

She's got a team rooting for her for sure.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

I wondered about that only the protein rich foods are really slippery and soft (eggs, cooked beans, wet dog food, baby food, wet cat food) versus the leafy greens which seem much rougher and she doesn't fight on those nearly as much. Maybe the fruit and veg are counterintuitively easier to swallow because they aren't pasty and don't gum up the works? It's all a mystery with her really.

She's got a team rooting for her for sure.

I see what you mean, and pretty much all you can do is the very best you can, which you are! Will she eat a slurpee of feed with warm water and softened eggs mixed in, mashed peas, ...? (Edit: What about mashed potatoes...?)

 

[chickensinthewoods]

I see what you mean, and pretty much all you can do is the very best you can, which you are! Will she eat a slurpee of feed with warm water and softened eggs mixed in, mashed peas, ...? (Edit: What about mashed potatoes...?)

To our confoundment, she does not want anything blended, mashed, or baby food consistency. She likes split berries, lettuce, greens, tomatoes, mango, chunks of scrambled egg, and as of today--vegetarian sausage. I think the bigger pieces are easier for her to swallow which seems so weird, but she's very clear what she wants and doesn't. Mashed potatoes with peas sounds so lovely though!

 

[chickensinthewoods]

In a happy update, Silver was up and awake the longest of any day. I think this is Day 15? She stood for nearly an hour on and off this morning waiting for breakfast. Then she slept outside for a few hours, had another breakfast, then slept until late afternoon at which point she wandered around her coop area eyes part way open and had a few scratching and pecking sessions. It definitely looked like she was eating some dirt/gravel. Then she made her way to the water dish and drank all on her own. Then she bumped into the wall. So, don't think vision is there (still doesn't respond to a hand in her face and doesn't track) but the pecking is a HUGE new deal. After that she went to sleep in her food dish which we still haven't seen her eat from, but fingers crossed we're headed that way.

My neighbor rigged up the most clever swaddling setup so she can feed her by herself as I'm out of the country for two weeks as of Saturday and she'll be feeding her own her own. Basically she wraps Silver up in a beach towel like a burrito with just her head and top neck out, then she puts a pillowcase over that which has a hole cut in the end, and then she holds her or sits her in a dish bin. See attached pics. Could be useful for someone else in a similar situation where they might not always have a helper. Silver was remarkably calm and struggled less when Laurel opened her beak to feed her.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement. You all really gave us strength.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

How uplifting! Go Silver! So happy to read this update and what a fabulous pic! Her face has improved 1,000,000%! I see an Orpington in the background, so she is near other chickens, I'm sure that comforts her.