Chicken cut/rubbed terribly! PLEASE HELP!

[Theofire88]

Hello!

My friend and I had started raising chickens and because they were having an off-schedule moult, we decided to make them chicken sweaters, however our Gold Laced Wyandotte somehow picked the buttons off or something and ended up twisting the whole thing around her! She was found half strangled to death, in extreme distress and with a massive gash/rub on her back! I am so panicked and feel terrible! We penned her off and gently dabbed the wound with gentle iodine and warm water. The wound, which occurred in the late night/morning (leaning towards morning s she was going to bed when we said goodnight), while we were in class, had still been bleeding, as the lady who helped her had left her out, she won't eat and won't drink, she won't even take scratch from us! In one area, close to the right wing, it appears she has been rubbed down to the fat, as there is an odd looking area that looks like it is a fatty pocket, the wound is a little ways under her wing on the right side and stretches just to close to under the left wing. She will move around and flap her wings if provoked, but stands there with her eyes closed, occasionally opening them for the most part. Maybe she is tired? (The damage was thought to have been done sometime in the night/early morning) She has ample access to food and water, I hung up a carrot (all I had on hand) and tossed some scratch around her little area, she has a cat-bed as a nesting box and a little (veeeryy small) amount of scratch in with her food to encourage her to eat.

Please, any help is so greatly appreciated, I will try to upload my one photo later and get some more detailed shots tomorrow, while she is hopefully feeling better! I am so worried and just feel AWEFUL!

 

[justplainbatty]

Hello!

My friend and I had started raising chickens and because they were having an off-schedule moult, we decided to make them chicken sweaters, however our Gold Laced Wyandotte somehow picked the buttons off or something and ended up twisting the whole thing around her! She was found half strangled to death, in extreme distress and with a massive gash/rub on her back! I am so panicked and feel terrible! We penned her off and gently dabbed the wound with gentle iodine and warm water. The wound, which occurred in the late night/morning (leaning towards morning s she was going to bed when we said goodnight), while we were in class, had still been bleeding, as the lady who helped her had left her out, she won't eat and won't drink, she won't even take scratch from us! In one area, close to the right wing, it appears she has been rubbed down to the fat, as there is an odd looking area that looks like it is a fatty pocket, the wound is a little ways under her wing on the right side and stretches just to close to under the left wing. She will move around and flap her wings if provoked, but stands there with her eyes closed, occasionally opening them for the most part. Maybe she is tired? (The damage was thought to have been done sometime in the night/early morning) She has ample access to food and water, I hung up a carrot (all I had on hand) and tossed some scratch around her little area, she has a cat-bed as a nesting box and a little (veeeryy small) amount of scratch in with her food to encourage her to eat.

Please, any help is so greatly appreciated, I will try to upload my one photo later and get some more detailed shots tomorrow, while she is hopefully feeling better! I am so worried and just feel AWEFUL!

Welcome to our flock although I wish it were under better circumstances.

Pictures of the wound would be very helpful. Washing the wound as you did is good. Right after you take good pics, pack the wounds with triple antibiotic. We'll see what we can help you figure out.

 

[Theofire88]

Thanks so much! Here's the one picture I have from today:

I wish I had better ones but only had time to snap a quick one in the chaos, I am going to properly wash here wounds with a gentle water/hydrogen peroxide mix and a 50/50 iodine mix with water. We don't have a ton of antibiotics on hand but will get some soon, I have heard newsprint can be used, your views on all of this? I really hoping I am doing the right thing. I removed all the other sweaters from the other birds, as an aside, it's getting warm outside anyways.

Thanks so much for all your help! And for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it!

 

[Theofire88]

We also placed her in a super clean area, as our outdoor run was overloaded with snow, so we used hay so the chickens could get out (the little diva's ;p) we are currently cleaning it out, but I figure a cleaner area is far, far better in this scenario.

 

[Theofire88]

Also, the area is now far cleaner and less bloody, it also stopped bleeding, I think the other chickens were pecking her.

Also sorry for so many constant posts, I am just so nervous!

 

[justplainbatty]

Also, the area is now far cleaner and less bloody, it also stopped bleeding, I think the other chickens were pecking her.

Also sorry for so many constant posts, I am just so nervous!

It's ok. only use peroxide once, it can burn new tissue. From the one pic, it looks like her skin has been torn loose, do you see any thing deeper into flesh? If so, use syringe to irrigate deep wounds. One thing that is really important is to try to account for every button that was on those sweaters. If she ate a button, that can kill her. find all the buttons you can and clean out coop to be sure they're all gone. Cut feathers back so they stay out of wounds (not wing feathers though). Pack triple antibiotic on/in wounds. I have never heard of news print, usually that is something to be avoided when wet. If you have no antibiotic tonight, use honey. It has very good antibacterial properties. Keep her separate from other birds. Will look at your next pcs tomorrow and see what else she might need.Keep her in a quite dimly lit room with food and water. It is good that she is in a clean area where dust and germs are not blowing into the wounds. I have a chicken, attacked by a fox who has been in hospital for 14 days. I think in one more week, she will be able to go back to her flock protected by a hen saddle.
I am ready for bed now but there are more details i would like to share. Give an update please! Until tomorrow....

 

[Theofire88]

It's ok. only use peroxide once, it can burn new tissue. From the one pic, it looks like her skin has been torn loose, do you see any thing deeper into flesh? If so, use syringe to irrigate deep wounds. One thing that is really important is to try to account for every button that was on those sweaters. If she ate a button, that can kill her. find all the buttons you can and clean out coop to be sure they're all gone. Cut feathers back so they stay out of wounds (not wing feathers though). Pack triple antibiotic on/in wounds. I have never heard of news print, usually that is something to be avoided when wet. If you have no antibiotic tonight, use honey. It has very good antibacterial properties. Keep her separate from other birds. Will look at your next pcs tomorrow and see what else she might need.Keep her in a quite dimly lit room with food and water. It is good that she is in a clean area where dust and germs are not blowing into the wounds. I have a chicken, attacked by a fox who has been in hospital rot 14 days. I think in one more week, she will be able to go back to her flock protected by a hen saddle.
I am ready for be now but there are more details i would like to share. Give an update please!  Until tomorrow....

Thank you so much! I will do all that! Also, neosporin, not news print *facpalm* I still don't know if I spelled that right... thanks again sooo much!

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you so much! I will do all that! Also, neosporin, not news print *facpalm* I still don't know if I spelled that right... thanks again sooo much!

How is bird? Were you able to find and remove buttons? I take "facepalm" to mean you are hanging your head, or head in hands over this situation? Totally understandable.Is she eating and drinking this morning? Yes neosporin w/o pain killer. You can give her baby aspirin (2x pr day) cut into bite size pieces or dissolved in water if you think she is hurting. Awaiting detailed photos.....

 

[Theofire88]

Ok, we turned to a trusted vet and she is on the mend! She is taking food and eating and drinking, she is way perkier and active, although we have limited her movement. Here are some pictures:

These are from before I cleaned it. Is is actually far less gruesome in reality, no idea why...

 

[justplainbatty]

Ok, we turned to a trusted vet and she is on the mend! She is taking food and eating and drinking, she is way perkier and active, although we have limited her movement. Here are some pictures:


These are from before I cleaned it. Is is actually far less gruesome in reality, no idea why...

Goodness! I'm glad you took her to a vet. It always looks worse with all the blood. My chicken wasn't ripped as bad and still she will spend 21 days away from flock. It's just going to take time. What did the vet tell you to do for her? Just curious to know more, dealt with my hen pretty much on my own. Here is the thread and pics of my chicken first day and last night (post #6).https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/959548/fox-attack-graphic-photos-update-14-days-healing-pics Hopefully the progress of my hen will be a comfort to you.