Treating Shock In Chickens | What To Do

I like to let my backyard flock free-range in our yard, this has benefits and dangers. This winter my husband heard our rooster and several of my hens making a big fuss. They were being louder than normal much louder, he immediately knew a hawk was nearby.

He ran out of the house and the second he got off the deck a gray hawk flew out from the side. The hawk then landed in a nearby tree. 

He immediately saw one of our smaller hens called “Sweet Sweet” was in shock. Feathers were everywhere at the bottom of the deck stairs and there was blood on her neck feathers indicating a possible puncture wound.

If he had been there 5 seconds later she would have been gone due to a hawk attack.

He quickly gathered all of our chickens and put them back in the coop. I was informed at this point, and we took our chicken in shock and separated her from the flock.

If you have a chicken that is bleeding your other chickens will peck her. They will peck the bloody area on their body causing more and more damage.

How should you treat shock in backyard chickens? Remove the chicken in shock from the flock and wrap them in a towel to keep them warm. Then placed the shocked chicken in a warm quiet area separate from any other chickens. For more severe cases of shock, you can place them in a warm brooder with some water overnight.

Your chicken may need a couple of days to recover from the shock completely.

What Is Shock?

Shock is a critical condition caused by an unexpected drop in blood flow throughout the body. 

What Can Cause Shock In Backyard Chickens?

They are many causes of shock in backyard chickens. Possible causes of shock include an attack by a predator, severe illness, excessive bleeding, medication reaction, being egg bound, a sudden change in temperature, and other types of trauma.

Signs of Shock in Chickens?

Signs of shock in chickens include pale wattles and comb, listlessness, rapid heartbeat, a stunned appearance, weak pulse, lethargy, unresponsiveness, or body collapse.

How To Treat A Shocked Chicken?

What do you do for a chicken in shock exhibiting traumatized chicken behavior? Act quickly when dealing with a shocked chicken and do the following.

• Separate the chicken from the flock
• Wrap the chicken in a towel 
• Put them in a warm place
• Make sure the area is quiet 
• Give the chicken electrolytes in their water 
• Don’t feed the chicken food right away just give them water at first.
• Once they are recovered and moving normally, you can feed them.
• Significant blood loss may require veterinarian care.

What Do You Feed a Chicken in Shock?

When your chicken is experiencing shock do not feed them. Electrolytes and vitamins can help when your chicken is under stress. Wait until your chicken has recovered and is behaving normally before feeding them.

How to Treat an Injured Chicken?

If your chicken has been received a minor injury from a predator and has an open wound you should treat the wound.

You can treat the wound with Vetericyn Plus Poultry Care spray. This is a non-toxic, antibiotic-free treatment that you can easily spray between feathers to flush out and clean the wound. This will help keep any bacteria from entering the wound and causing an infection

It works for both adult chickens and hatchlings. You may need to apply it over a period of several days until the wound completely heals. After the scab has healed you can return her to the flock.

Make sure to check for puncture wounds and signs of internal injury.

If you don’t have any Vetericyn on hand you can clean the wound with water and hydrogen peroxide.

If you are looking for a more natural approach you could use organic raw honey. Raw honey organic honey has antibacterial properties and is also sometimes use as a anti-inflammatory. You can put the raw honey on a minor wound after cleaning it.

You should take your laying hen to a chicken vet if you are not sure of the exact extent of the injury. 

How Do Chickens Regulate Body Temperature?

Chickens are homeothermic and use their feathers to regulate their body temperature. 

How long Should You Isolate a Chicken After An Attack?

This will depend on how responsive your chicken is after the attack. Our hen was kept in a warm quiet place overnight for observation. The next day she was fine the next day and was happy to be back with her flock.

Use your best judgment on isolation time.

If signs of shock are still present you may need to wait a few days before reintroducing a chicken to the flock.

Also, if your chicken is bleeding you should not reintroduce them to the flock until the healing process is well underway. Your other chickens will keep pecking at the bloody area of the body and will make the wound worse.

Why Do Chickens Peck at Blood?

Blood attracts chickens. Chickens will peck bleeding or injured birds due to their social pecking order and natural curiosity. Cannibalism of other chickens even occurs in some cases.

This is why you should keep a chicken isolated from the rest of its flock until the chicken’s wound forms a scab.

Do Chickens feel Pain?

Yes, chickens can feel pain. Chickens have a brain, central nervous system, and pain receptors. So be gentle when treating a shocked or injured bird.

Final Thoughts

It’s always scary when one of your chickens or pets gets hurt. Check for any wound after the attack. Being a chicken keeper means making sure you have a first aid kit for your flock. Just in case you have to tend to them quickly because of an attack or injury.

Having a chicken in shock is a stressful situation remember to take quick and decisive action. The first few minutes are crucial and could make a difference in the survival of your chicken. When in doubt take your chicken to a veterinarian if you have one that treats poultry.