Neighbors dog skinned chicken

[wat_da_cluck]

Came home to a massacre. My neighbors dog killed 7 of my chickens (and 4/6 of my hens) and severely injured one poor silverudds cockerel. I’m devastated and angry but that’s a post for another day. He’s missing all his back feathers and a few good sized chunks of skin. He’s also covered in dirt. He’s in my bathroom with water and electrolytes sleeping - but not sure what to do with the missing skin.
We are under hurricane warning and the closest vets who see birds are closed until Monday morning. Plus I can’t imagine driving very far in a storm. So I have to do this by myself. Do I “euthanize?” His comb color is good and he seems relatively ok given the missing feathers and skin so I’d rather not. He’s not actively bleeding. But I’m worried about all that dirt. I couldn’t bare to lift up his feather to show you the missing parts - so here is a picture of the not so bad part of his back.

 

[chickentrains]

What do you have on hand? I'd go ahead and start applying some warm soapy water on a rag to his wounds. Don't submerge him, that might scare him and put him in a worse situation. So you have any vasiline? if so cover the wound in that after its clean. I've seen birds recover from crazy things with just TLC

 

[wat_da_cluck]

What do you have on hand? I'd go ahead and start applying some warm soapy water on a rag to his wounds. Don't submerge him, that might scare him and put him in a worse situation. So you have any vasiline? if so cover the wound in that after its clean. I've seen birds recover from crazy things with just TLC

Ok thanks! I have blukot, some antibacterial spray (I think it’s hydrogen peroxide have to check) I might have oral antibiotics, I def have neosporin (without pain relief), Vaseline and aquaphor. He’s not moving much, I’m not sure if chickens go into shock, but he is starting to make protesting sounds when I check on him. I also have some irrigation syringes and vet tape, probably some gauze somewhere.

I found the whole scene after sunset (it’s 2:30am rn - can’t sleep, too devastated) and had to have long conversation with the neighbor and then bury my pets, some of whom were my friends) - which is all to say - chicken washing will have to happen in the AM. Also since he’s Isbar I haven’t held him in probably 10 weeks - they’re so wild - so I’m certainly concerned he’s letting me handle him. So much right now. Honestly the other dead chickens had way less feathers ripped off - so not sure how he is still alive.

 

[Shezadandy]

Came home to a massacre. My neighbors dog killed 7 of my chickens (and 4/6 of my hens) and severely injured one poor silverudds cockerel. I’m devastated and angry but that’s a post for another day. He’s missing all his back feathers and a few good sized chunks of skin. He’s also covered in dirt. He’s in my bathroom with water and electrolytes sleeping - but not sure what to do with the missing skin.
We are under hurricane warning and the closest vets who see birds are closed until Monday morning. Plus I can’t imagine driving very far in a storm. So I have to do this by myself. Do I “euthanize?” His comb color is good and he seems relatively ok given the missing feathers and skin so I’d rather not. He’s not actively bleeding. But I’m worried about all that dirt. I couldn’t bare to lift up his feather to show you the missing parts - so here is a picture of the not so bad part of his back.

If you have a syringe or an eyedropper, I would first mix some sugar in some warm water and squeeze a few drops at the corner of his beak. Usually once they get the taste they'll want more, and this will help ease the shock.

Cleaning is the most important thing you can do for him. Do you have a sink with a removable wand, i.e. so you can move the wand without moving him?

Have a bunch of towels and if you have one, a blow dryer.

Put a towel in the bottom of your sink so he won't slip. If you don't have a wand type sprayer, then get a bucket with some warm water and a plastic cup (so if it gets dropped it won't break and get glass everywhere). In a separate bowl, if you have some betadine (iodine) type soap, use that- or use some dish soap if you don't have anything else, mix it with a little water and use that solution to pour over him after he's been rinsed of the major dirt.

Because this was a dog attack, be VERY VERY diligent about looking over EVERYWHERE for puncture wounds. Where you find a puncture wound, use a syringe or eyedropper to flush it out with hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide only gets used ONCE, for the initial cleanout.

So first rinse off the big dirt. Then use the iodine/soap solution to get him clean.

Trim back ANY FEATHERS that will even TOUCH his wounds. They will only add contamination and irritation as he scabs over and tries to heal. This is best done now.

Once he's cleaned up and you've looked over everywhere for punctures, then you can go about dressing the wounds. If you have Vetricyn hydrogel, use it- otherwise your neosporin.

 

[Shezadandy]

Ok thanks! I have blukot, some antibacterial spray (I think it’s hydrogen peroxide have to check) I might have oral antibiotics, I def have neosporin (without pain relief), Vaseline and aquaphor. He’s not moving much, I’m not sure if chickens go into shock, but he is starting to make protesting sounds when I check on him. I also have some irrigation syringes and vet tape, probably some gauze somewhere.

I found the whole scene after sunset (it’s 2:30am rn - can’t sleep, too devastated) and had to have long conversation with the neighbor and then bury my pets, some of whom were my friends) - which is all to say - chicken washing will have to happen in the AM. Also since he’s Isbar I haven’t held him in probably 10 weeks - they’re so wild - so I’m certainly concerned he’s letting me handle him. So much right now. Honestly the other dead chickens had way less feathers ripped off - so not sure how he is still alive.

I know it's hard to think about cleaning him up now but that's his best chance, especially since he's zoned out and may let you do what you need to do with minimal resistance.

 

[wat_da_cluck]

If you have a syringe or an eyedropper, I would first mix some sugar in some warm water and squeeze a few drops at the corner of his beak. Usually once they get the taste they'll want more, and this will help ease the shock.

Cleaning is the most important thing you can do for him. Do you have a sink with a removable wand, i.e. so you can move the wand without moving him?

Have a bunch of towels and if you have one, a blow dryer.

Put a towel in the bottom of your sink so he won't slip. If you don't have a wand type sprayer, then get a bucket with some warm water and a plastic cup (so if it gets dropped it won't break and get glass everywhere). In a separate bowl, if you have some betadine (iodine) type soap, use that- or use some dish soap if you don't have anything else, mix it with a little water and use that solution to pour over him after he's been rinsed of the major dirt.

Because this was a dog attack, be VERY VERY diligent about looking over EVERYWHERE for puncture wounds. Where you find a puncture wound, use a syringe or eyedropper to flush it out with hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide only gets used ONCE, for the initial cleanout.

So first rinse off the big dirt. Then use the iodine/soap solution to get him clean.

Trim back ANY FEATHERS that will even TOUCH his wounds. They will only add contamination and irritation as he scabs over and tries to heal. This is best done now.

Once he's cleaned up and you've looked over everywhere for punctures, then you can go about dressing the wounds. If you have Vetricyn hydrogel, use it- otherwise your neosporin.

So helpful! Thank you!!!

 

[Shezadandy]

So helpful! Thank you!!!

I'm so sorry you're in this situation. Chickens, especially young chickens, can do some amazing healing.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Came home to a massacre. My neighbors dog killed 7 of my chickens (and 4/6 of my hens) and severely injured one poor silverudds cockerel. I’m devastated and angry but that’s a post for another day. He’s missing all his back feathers and a few good sized chunks of skin. He’s also covered in dirt. He’s in my bathroom with water and electrolytes sleeping - but not sure what to do with the missing skin.
We are under hurricane warning and the closest vets who see birds are closed until Monday morning. Plus I can’t imagine driving very far in a storm. So I have to do this by myself. Do I “euthanize?” His comb color is good and he seems relatively ok given the missing feathers and skin so I’d rather not. He’s not actively bleeding. But I’m worried about all that dirt. I couldn’t bare to lift up his feather to show you the missing parts - so here is a picture of the not so bad part of his back.

That's awful. I hope your little dude gets better soon. I also think you should talk to your neighbour.
Keep an eye on the wound for infection

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I'm sorry you lost so many

 

[wat_da_cluck]

Ok so 4:04am here (my kids wake up in 3 hours!) and he’s washed, trimmed a bit, and greasy from neosporin. Found a small wound on his breast, but it’s scabbed over and closed so I quick spritzed some betadine and then I gave him a pretty quick wash so would like to get a better lather on him tomorrow to really get more grime out. Then neosporin. He drank a bit more water but was sleeping under the faucet most of the wash. He had an awful smelling white poop, hopefully means things are working.
Question on the wing feathers - they certainly lay on the raw part of his back. Should I trim those too? I feel like parts of his wing will touch no matter what - should I be liberal with ointments or is there a way to wrap his wings or wrap his wounds?