Small open & draining wound on inside of hock - bone showing

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gypsytumbleweed

gypsytumbleweed

In the Brooder
Jul 4, 2015
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I'm a newbie and have a 4mos old hen that has an open wound to her hock area - on the inside side of the leg. It looks like it may be an abscess that opened. I soaked and cleaned the area, but after clipping feathers back can see into the wound down to the bone. Open area is 1/2" or less. I left the wound undressed so it can continue to drain & will resoak tonight and am thinking I should put light dressing on after antibiotic ointment. Chicken is eating and I've made her as comfortable as I can for time being.. Should I euthanize or is this something that can be treated (cleaning wound & antibiotics). Thanks in advance!
 
I'm sorry your hen is injured.
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It sounds like you've done a great job cleaning it up. Is the hen where the wound will stay clean? Is the wound where another bird might peck it? You might want to flush it with diluted betadine and spray it with Blu-Kote. It's antibacterial and is useful for drying up pussy wounds such as abscesses. A picture might help others offer better advice.
 
Thanks for the reply mutt farm,
yes, she is inside currently resting on a "nest" of towels with a hot water bottle underneath her (it's chilly today in OH).i will attempt to get a picture when i soak it again in a bit. she's resting now and i hate to disturb her while she's temporarily "comfortable". I did apply some betadine and a gob of antibiotic ointment in the wound..
 
This is the wound as best as I could get a picture of it (very close up). Have soaked it a second time w/diluted Betadine.
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After she was dry, I sprayed w/ vetricyn & filled w/ triple antibiotic ointment. Lightly secured gauze & vet wrap.

Any thoughts on antibiotics? (I have pen g & Tylan). She is extremely skinny & I can't find a meaty spot on her. So oral would be easier...

That being said, I'd like to do what's best for her.. I don't know if euthanasia would be best or if this can be treated successfully.

Thanks again.
 
IMO, it looks very clean and not that serious. I can't give advice on which antibiotics or dosages, that's guesswork without a culture. I love vetricyn. If it was a pus filled wound, I like blu-kote better. Did she leave a flock? I ask because if she's gone for a bit, the rest will treat her as an intruder when she'd ready to be re-introduced. Still hoping someone else jumps in.
 
She has been removed from her flock for sometime as she had bumblefoot, which was treated successfully, but I was having trouble getting weight back on her.
 
I was just reading your thread about her bumblefoot 2 months ago. Is this the same leg as the bumblefoot? I would wonder if this is related, especially since it wasn't the typical bumblefoot with a scab. Has she ever had any respiratory symptoms or has she layed down a lot instead of roosting? Could you take her to a vet possibly to get her tested for possible mycoplasma synovitis or staphylococcal infection? The penicillin might help if it was staph, but a vet could prescribe something stronger and do a culture and sensitivity for the right antibiotic. Mycoplasma is treated with Tylan and other antibiotics, so knowing exactly what type of infection it is, is key. A common abscess probably would respond to the penicillin.
 
It is the opposite leg. But that's an interesting idea. I've been looking for a vet that sees chickens, but so far no luck.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but at the very top of the wound, bone is showing. In your experience, is this a treatable problem?

Thanks so much
 
Chickens recover from wounds where bones are showing, from injuries and attacks. But not really knowing the cause, you can just use first aid treatment and try to get it healed. The skin will eventually cover the bone as it heals. Has the chicken always walked normally?
 
That's good to hear & phew! She's become a pet vs "a regular old chicken". She walked normally until the bumblefoot. Since, she has had some off & on issues - periods of minor balance problems, sometimes lying on her side & eating lightly.
 

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