Need Help!!

scarycrow · **Joined:** Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:13 pm **Posts:** 4

Hello I need some help with one of my chooks, I saw a fox grab her and run off with her I shot out there and he dropped her and tried to grab her again but I went out holloring like a wild banshee woman he took off closely followed by the dog. I thought she was dead for sure as she was just laying there there was minimal visual damage done but she just didnt move at all, I have her inside with a fan on her as its hot here and I give her an egg mixture and honey an water with a syringe which she readily takes, but she hasnt been opening her eyes till today when she opens them for a few seconds when I talk to her, an gave a little cluck when i came in this morning, what I'm worried about is could she have a broken neck and still be alive? she's not standing up but when i pick her up she moves her legs but her neck isnt very stable she does move it a bit but most of the time its quite floppy, I have her in my clothes basket where she is in a sitting position and she does move about a bit oh and she is doing a poo I don't see any blood in it and it seems quite normal looking any help would be great, my other half thinks I'm looney doing all of this for a chook but I love my chooks they are such happy things , I just hope I havent been keeping her alive for the wrong reasons
Thanx

Ace · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2010 7:47 am

That doesn't sound good she could have spinal injury but not a broken neck as she would be died. If she is no better today I would put her down as she may be suffering.

Fluffy_Feet · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:05 am

Chooks are strange creatures.. they look like they are dieing one minute and up and running the next.. i personaly would see how she goes.. i wouldnt like to be grabed by a fox... just do a body examination check her all over and see is she makes any noised when you touch her...

scarycrow · **Joined:** Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:13 pm **Posts:** 4

I thought if she had a broken neck she would have died.
She is improving she does now have more control over her head, and she seems to be not in any discomfort and she is eating and drinking well and her eyes are bright and right now as I write she is having a bit of a cluck! Thanks for the help
Wish I knew a chook physio... [smilie=a_withstupid.gif]

Fluffy_Feet · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:28 pm

haha glad she picked up.. its always a shame to lose one

Denny · **Joined:** Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:01 pm **Posts:** 18

There is a nerve in their neck that when pinched will paralyze them for a period of time from minutes to hours but they will recover.
Denny

scarycrow · **Joined:** Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:13 pm **Posts:** 4

Just an update on my chook her neck seems to be bent and she almost turns it around on herself and look backwards and will walk backwards an fall over, if that makes sense. she doesn't like to keep it in the normal position

silver duckwing · **Posted:** Sat Jan 30, 2010 5:49 pm

Sounds like she has improved a lot, but if she doesn't seem able to live a normal chooky life soon, you might have to bite the bullet and let her go.
It can be hard to see when a chook is in pain so you need to be seeing continuing improvement to justify keeping her alive, I think.

I rescued my favourite girl from a fox's mouth recently too! The next day she just ran blindly in panicky circles and I thought she was a goner. A day on she was not too bad but clearly blind in one eye. Took a few more days to settle down and now she is her normal very cheeky self and seems to see fine. She never stopped laying at any stage of the trauma.

scarycrow · **Joined:** Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:13 pm **Posts:** 4

I thought I would give an update on my chook well she is doing really well I read that you can give them 1-2mg of celebrex so I gave her that and saw good improvement. I did daily gentle neck movement and stretching, slowly but surely her neck started to straighten and she would stand more, then she started walking but in circles so I would walk her the opposite way, I still had to hand feed her but she was starting to try and eat on her own, I fed her on baby food mixed with an egg and she loved it! Each day I could see improvement in her and now she is walking in a straight line and completely feeding on her own. You can see that she isn,t 100% in her movement yet but shes pretty close. I let the other chooks out for a peck but they now are aggressive toward her so I'm not sure how I'm going to intergate her back into the cook house but I really think she likes being up in the house with the cats and dog! Its been an experience working with my chook but I have enjoyed it they are such happy things
Bye for now

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