Scared Rooster and Ok Flock

[CraziChknLady]

My chickens were attacked by my mom's dogs. 3 hens, we're alive but we're injured so badly we had to send them over the rainbow bridge. Another hen, whom just has a few missing feathers initially seemed nervous but has bounced back and is with the main flock. I had another hen, in with the banty flock, that didn't make it. I didn't see any injuries or marks, and she was walking just fine...although I suspected either a lash egg, egg bound or infection. She hadn't laid for about a week. Didn't know who wasn't the one laying until I found her. All other flock members seem ok, no injuries. Just unsure. Which is totally understandable. Dogs had gotten in the chicken pen. I had a rooster that seems ok. Other than missing half his feathers and a depleted ego, he seems fine, except just so scared and nervous. I have separated him in a separate cage with food and water. I put a heat plate in the one corner of the cage, it was 45 degrees this morning, but feels like 30s due to wind chill. We've just had 4-5 days of straight rain and wind, so everything is just a muddy, soaked mess. I have put vitamins in his water as well. What else can I do for him?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Keeping him separated may be stressing him out more. I'd probably leave him be. It can take a long while for them to gain confidence again after such a traumatic event.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens hate change, I would put him back in with his flock and leave him be. Being in a cage is just going to be strange to him, that will cause him stress. If he is over 3 weeks old he does not need heat. The vitamins would not hurt, and you could give a dose to everyone but I really don’t think they will need it for a physical attack.

The real issue is the dog, and I am assuming that is taken care of.

However you are there and I am not, is he going into shock, lethargic, ignoring the world? Or is he a bit too skittish, a little too active, spooking unnecessarily? If so, a few days back in his domain and he should be fine.

Separating birds from a flock tends to cause more problems than it fixes.

Mrs k

 

[CraziChknLady]

Chickens hate change, I would put him back in with his flock and leave him be. Being in a cage is just going to be strange to him, that will cause him stress. If he is over 3 weeks old he does not need heat. The vitamins would not hurt, and you could give a dose to everyone but I really don’t think they will need it for a physical attack.

The real issue is the dog, and I am assuming that is taken care of.

However you are there and I am not, is he going into shock, lethargic, ignoring the world? Or is he a bit too skittish, a little too active, spooking unnecessarily? If so, a few days back in his domain and he should be fine.

Separating birds from a flock tends to cause more problems than it fixes.

Mrs k

I did originally put him back with the flock the first morning, but when I went to check at egg collecting time that afternoon, he was no where. Found him in his old coop. I kept the run open as I have a tarp over for shade, but pinned the door mostly shut ( wood has swollen and I am unable to fully close it). He must've squeezed through the door. So I put him back in cage. I left it open this morning so he could come back out and the main roo flogged him. So he ran back in. He seemed to have some rales to his breathing so I gave him the vitamins in water. Kept him separated as he still seemed terrified. I checked this afternoon and he was practically sleeping standing up. I did full body check, sprayed him with some antimicrobial spray as he has some abrasions, that were not there from the roo or dog attack. Possibly bruising from feathers being pulled out? I changed his water, added vitamins as well as vet rx. I also turned on the heat pad as it originally wasn't turned on today. When I did final check at night, he was next to heat pad....snoring/ rale like breathing... but only seemed to do that when sleeping...as he didn't do that when I did bodycheck/ spray. I added more bedding around him. Temps are dropping and it'll be 30's in the morning. He has room to move to other side of cage if he gets too hot....which I find unlikely, as he only is half feathered.Maybe he has internal bruising or something internal going on. He's 8 months.

Unfortunately no, the dogs weren't taken care of....there's 3 of them...wish they would be....

 

[CraziChknLady]

Keeping him separated may be stressing him out more. I'd probably leave him be. It can take a long while for them to gain confidence again after such a traumatic event.

Ok thank you. I will see how he is in the morning. He seemed very tired .. exhausted..and now has started rale like breathing....so I'm hoping he's not getting worse. ....Maybe why main roo flogged him.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok thank you. I will see how he is in the morning. He seemed very tired .. exhausted..and now has started rale like breathing....so I'm hoping he's not getting worse. ....Maybe why main roo flogged him.

If there are other roosters than they will take advantage and attack another rooster acting like this. In this circumstance it might be better to keep him separately for a while.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yep, you are there, keep doing your best, could very well be internal injuries.

 

[CraziChknLady]

If there are other roosters than they will take advantage and attack another rooster acting like this. In this circumstance it might be better to keep him separately for a while.

Thanks, yes that might be for the best.

 

[CraziChknLady]

Yep, you are there, keep doing your best, could very well be internal injuries.

Yes, probably. He seemed more alert and awake this morning, but his breathing is worse. Now it's the rales all the time. And I have noticed that he's been drinking water but not eating. Maybe he was thrown or tackled...hard to tell.... I will see how he is tonight, but might have to make the decision...sad as he's one of my favorites.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is always your favorites. I swear it is. Tough decisions. Ugh! But important to make.