Coyote grabbed a Chicken

[Jblaz8]

HI, A coyote grabbed one of my chickens, let it go immediately, but she has a chunk missing out of her back. What is the best way to care for the wound?

 

[picklestheduck]

Please post pictures. How long ago did it happen? How old is your hen?

 

[Jblaz8]

Please post pictures. How long ago did it happen? How old is your hen?

my hen is about 4. its right in the middle of her back. ill try to post later. she is in her house with a heat lamp and water. she flew up on her own to roost, so her wings seem intact.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! Offer her sweetened water and keep her in a warm semi-dark place for 24 hours. Trim feathers around wound, clean with saline or warm soapy water and then slather with antibiotic ointment.

Repeat the wound care twice daily until you see good progress on healing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she in shock? I would bring her in to a basket or crate inna quiet room and get her warm. Offer water with a spoonful of sugar innit, or electrolytes, gatorade etc. some organs (lungs, other) are located under the skin on the back. Is she having problems breathing? How deep are the wounds? Pictures are very helpful. Wounds are beat cleaned with saline, chlorhexidene, Betadine, Vetericyn or similar. Then apply plain Neosporin/triple antibiotic ointment twice a day. Leave it open, A clean towel for bedding is good.

 

[Jblaz8]

Thank you all for the answers. I put her in a box with some gatorade water. Her injuries are now 1 week old and she seems to be ok. The big one on her back is so deep. She spent many days in her nesting box with her own food and water. I keep her away from the flock bc the rooster keeps trying to get on her and I dont want him to hurt her back. We spray her back with wound cleaner each day. She is walking with a limp, but I hope that gets better too. We had a big meat chicken break her leg and over time it healed on its own. I am hoping for the same.

 

[SmiYa0126]

@MysteryChicken @azygous how does this look to you?

 

[MysteryChicken]

@MysteryChicken @azygous how does this look to you?

Needs more moisture, it's too dry to heal properly.

 

[azygous]

You should be washing the wound daily to remove accumulated bacteria. Then you must keep the wound moist at all times with a triple antibiotic oinment, not just a wound spray. It will take forever to heal unless you keep the wound washed daily and moist in between.

 

[Jblaz8]

I had been doing the ointment but not as consistently as the spray. I will get back to doing the ointment more often then. Thank you