Chicken bald back

[daphne_and_polly]

we have a hen with bite marks in her neck. she seems able to move, and will take water from us, but is generally just sitting there with her head hung down. We've put iodine on the bites and theres no obvious sign of infection there.

Has she just got a sore neck, or is there something else going on?

[miller30]

Hi I had a couple of fox attacks about 3 weeks ago my 6 year old buff orp Grandma was left for dead my brahma wasn't so lucky I didn't bother with the vets as I have antibiotics here and I treat my birds myself I think your girl could do with some antibiotics really my girl just sat in a box for a week with chickcrumb and her medicine and just some tlc as where she had bites couldn't walk but she has made a full recovery now so if your unsure maybe a quick trip to the vets but don't forget she will be very stressed and frightened too leanne

[daphne_and_polly]

Thanks, thats encouraging. Will try antibiotics, although she wont get much as she's drinking very little. Wont even eat mealworms..

[Beantree]

We had one in a similar condition D&P after a fox strike, puncture marks through the skin. We had to feed and water her for weeks. Her neck went black with bruising and it turned out vertebrae had been badly damaged. A section of her neck locked up in a twisted shape and she then struggled to walk straight, preen and feed. But in the end she was happy enough, perching and began laying after about 6 months. Unfortunately the stress of it all had taken a heavy toll and she fell off the perch during the night, 6 months later, after what was probably a heart attack.

 

Thing is when a fox kills it grabs the neck and shakes the bird hard. The damage caused isn't immediately evident. If I had realised how much pain and the resulting handicap she was to suffer I would have PTS immediately. Perhaps worth taking a good look at the extent of bruising.

[daphne_and_polly]

thanks, I hadnt thought of the shaking. The fox didnt have her long, as I was only metres away when he got her.

how long did the bruising take to develop? I dont think there was any there this morning.

What did you feed her?

[Egluntyne]

Many swear by arnica pillules dissolved in the hens drinking water for bruising. Might be worth a try.

[Beantree]

Took about 2 days for the bruising to show D&P. We treated the area with arnica gel. We fed her small balls made of rearer pellets crushed and dampened. Just opened her beak and dropped them in with a squirt of water to wash them down. Just made sure there was always some food in her crop.

[chickenNutter]

My little Partridge Wyandotte, Dottie was the only survivor of a fox attack 3 weeks ago and sounds in exactly the same state as your girl. She had deep puncture wounds to her neck, and extensive bruising and was clearly traumatised sitting with her head down and not pecking or behaving like a normal chicken.

 

We took her to the vet immediately for antibiotic shot and a course of baytril, but as she was still immobile after 2 days I took her back and the vet gave her pain killing shots and a course of Metacam but suggested she needed another chicken for company. I got a young Pekin, popped it into the eglu after dark an the two hit it off straight away and are now inseperable. Dottie immediately perked up and the very next day started ranging and scratching and chattering away to her new chum. Three weeks after the event she is looking great!

[daphne_and_polly]

thanks!

a week on, she is looking a lot happier and is beginning to hold her head up more, and can shake it from side to side. There never was much bruising. She's drinking but will only eat a couple of sultanas or meal worms if held in front of her. She has been out in the eglu run but tends to stay inside - I think Im going to get a bit more active about putting her in the far end of the run, near the food and water.

We had one other survivor, who was doing a great job of being protective (so much so it was hard to get at the poorly hen!) and companiable. However, she's now gone broody, so we have 2 hens stuck inside...

[Beantree]

Pleased to hear she is doing so well D&P. If she can shake her head like that I would say it will be OK. Our hen was far worse and couldn't lift her head for two weeks.

[daphne_and_polly]

A few weeks later, she is almost completely back to normal, and is eating pellets again. Shes quite quiet, which means that we have left her in with broody hen and her chicks which have now hatched - she isnt showing any signs of aggression towards them, and seems to be helping look after them Thanks everyone for your advice!

[Mrs_B]

Just read this and very glad to read a happy ending!

 

Think it's so sweet that she's sitting in with a broody hen and her chicks!

 

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