Just looking for support lol

[Kimmyshappychickens]

My dog just attacked one of my chickens... I've been crying all night lol. I love my animals so much, I know many of you understand this! He's a LG Dog (puppy) just under 5 months old and is 50+lbs so we've been training him and working with him every single day, all day. We just put a bunch of teens in a run we built off the side of the very large new coop we built last year and I noticed he had been paying much more attention to them since they've been stretching their wings and darting back and forth. It seems like it triggered his prey chase desire and the same day I was watching that behavior much more closely and correcting him he still managed to snag one of my 5 free range laying hens... my beautiful, dependable still laying 5 year old Americana named "Snowflake." Literally the only 10 minutes we weren't keeping an eye on him right after my husband got home and was telling me about his workday. He got the "shoulder" part of the top of her wing to the bone. I'm so devastated. My heart and soul hurts for her. She's ok I think... Doesn't seem to be in shock. Made it through the night. She's making her usual gentle noises and pooped this morning (it happened last night right before sundown). Immediately after the injury within 15 minutes, I mixed clean warm water with betadine and used a flushing syringe to clean the wounded area, then I used vetrymicin spray (sp?), then I pat her dry and put a bacitracin ointment on the open areas. Gave her some grapes with 1/4 crushed up baby aspirin in them (she's got to be in pain) and hard boiled some eggs for her to eat as well as her favorite black sunflower seeds and regular crumble. I also put an additive, for chickens of course, in her water that is a probiotic, full of vits and minerals to support immune function, and decreases the acidity of their bodies for stress and healing. Not sure what else I can do other than care for her like that and flush/clean her wound 3x a day at least. She's eating a little bit, must be drinking as well, and is inside our home with us in a very large cardboard box with large pine shavings. Some prayers for my hen would be very much appreciated! Thank you in advance my fellow chicken lovers dog is now on an aerial lead until we can afford to fence off a large portion of our property so they can still be free range and happy.

 

[Galaxy_rules]

I’m so sorry, if you have a heat lamp, use it to keep her warm. Can you send pictures?

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I’m sorry this happened to you. It seems you’re doing all you can and I bet she pulls through. I’m worried about the same thing. My chicks are still in the brooder and my large dogs seem to love them! But what will happen when they’re out and about and all fluttery? We do have 2 enclosed runs for them though and if it’s a problem they just won’t be together. Anyway, sending well wishes for your baby

 

[Kimmyshappychickens]

I’m so sorry, if you have a heat lamp, use it to keep her warm. Can you send pictures?

Thank youuu duh pictures would help ha? It has scabbed over as of this mornings flushing. This for now is the best picture I can get until I have her chicken dad (my husband) home to hold her and splay her wing out for a better look. I do need an extra heat lamp you're right! I have 3 dangit but one is in the hens roosting area of the coop, the other in the teens area at the bottom other side of coop, and the last one on the last 2 baby chick's we have inside in a large cage. Thank you for your prompt response!

 

[my spoiled chickens]

Im so sorry but by that huge chunk of letters you wrote and I just read I think she will be ok

 

[Galaxy_rules]

Thank youuu duh pictures would help ha? It has scabbed over as of this mornings flushing. This for now is the best picture I can get until I have her chicken dad (my husband) home to hold her and splay her wing out for a better look. I do need an extra heat lamp you're right! I have 3 dangit but one is in the hens roosting area of the coop, the other in the teens area at the bottom other side of coop, and the last one on the last 2 baby chick's we have inside in a large cage. Thank you for your prompt response!

No problem! I know that if I was in your situation, I would like a prompt response too! If you have it, use maybe an anti bacterial cream for her wound. And when your husband gets back, if it’s possible ( I know how it’s so hard to get good pics) to maybe get a close up of the black thing (I can’t tell what it is) that would be great!

 

[Kimmyshappychickens]

No problem! I know that if I was in your situation, I would like a prompt response too! If you have it, use maybe a anti bacterial cream for her wound.

Yes! I am using a bacitracin ointment which is very much like neosporin but is antibacterial where neosporin I don't think is. I have been putting it on after I flush her wound out. I wonder how long I should keep flushing it though?

 

[Galaxy_rules]

Yes! I am using a bacitracin ointment which is very much like neosporin but is antibacterial where neosporin I don't think is. I have been putting it on after I flush her wound out. I wonder how long I should keep flushing it though?

Probably until it’s covered with scabbing, basically, until it can’t flush out. I’m confident she’ll make a nice recovery

 

[Kimmyshappychickens]

Im so sorry but by that huge chunk of letters you wrote and I just read I think she will be ok

Lol yeah I write stories when it's something I'm passionate about, sorry if it was too much to read. Our chickens are our babies. I know all of you on this site will get it. They provide us eggs and are just such sweet birds. They know their names, they like pets sometimes, and are just good to us. They're spoiled needless to say. I have read infection is the biggest thing to worry about?

 

[my spoiled chickens]

Lol yeah I write stories when it's something I'm passionate about, sorry if it was too much to read. Our chickens are our babies. I know all of you on this site will get it. They provide us eggs and are just such sweet birds. They know their names, they like pets sometimes, and are just good to us. They're spoiled needless to say. I have read infection is the biggest thing to worry about?

Trust me if my chickens weren't under lock and key and something happened to them I would be doing the same thing and you are looking at the girl who reads 300 page books in 4 hours