Injured Hen

[Boom Boom Chick]

Hi Everyone,

I need some help with my first chicken injury. My Sadie is a orpington bantam and she is 24 weeks this week. She got caught in a fence due to something that scared her and she rubbed her head and neck back and forth until she rubbed all ther feathers off to raw skin on the back of her neck. She also has brusing around her right eye and swelling on the left one (I'm thinking from the force of rubbing the sides of her head on the fence). Her beak is cut slightly across the bottom of her nostrils when I found her Sunday morning. I immediately cleaned her neck with betadine and neosporin. Her eyes were closed and I wiped them with warm water and some gauze. I cleaned her beak and assessed her all over and thankfully didn't find anything else. I crated her in my house with some food and water blankets and a heat lamp in a low lit place to prevent her from going into shock. All day I dropper feed her some water every hour or two and cleaned her wound.

Yesterday (Monday) she drank some Gatorade I bought from the store and she perked up and associated my voice by tilting her head toward me. She still doesn't open both eyes. Just the right one. I took her outside to the coop to socialize a bit with her flock and she tried to scratch the ground but she was to cold and weak. However she did get a bit of energy and she scratched the bottom of the crate looking for food with her right opening just a bit. I had to help put the feed dish up to her mouth because she isn't using both eyes. She ate enough to lay an egg in the crate which surprised me. I was so happy to see her improvement.

Today (Tuesday) My Sadie was showing signs of less energy. She still won't try to eat on her own even though I help her. I've tried to dropper feed her crumble mixed with sugar water to a soupy paste and feed her and even tried hard boiled egg yoke with a little water mixed to dropper feed her. Nothing. Her right eye is tearing now. So I wiped it softly with warrm water and gauze. Sadie is responsive and I know is still weak, very sore, scared, and tired and I pray for her eveyday hoping each day will get better.

I don't know what to do about her not showing signs of wanting to eat or drink. I've tried everything by tapping touching the feeders to her beak to show her its there but still nothing. She will only take the dropper. Please help!

 

[GretaGarboFirst]

Hi There,
Sorry to hear about your Sadie. I learned today that there is a product called VETERICYN EYE GEL or TERRAMYCIN eye ointment. You can purchase at a farm store or online. I had a blind chick who was able to find her water and feed and did not hesitate to eat. She was born blind. I guess I mention that just in case it is NOT an eye issue that keeps Sadie from eating. I hope you can get additional help on this site. There are lots of pros on board. Keep us posted.

 

[Boom Boom Chick]

Thank GretaGarboFirst for your warm thoughts. I'll look into the eye drops. I'm think Sadie isn't eating and drinking because she doesn't feel good and she can't see well to find her food and water. She is 24 weeks and I'm not sure if she knows how to spoon feed since she isn't grabbing on to it. I'll keep fighting for her and hope for the best.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would offer her some scrambled egg finely chopped. Another tempting food is a small amount of buttermilk combined with raw egg, and mixed with bread crumbs or chick feed. The eye may be tearing because of the swelling, but you can use some saline or the ointment or gel that GGF recommended twice a day to treat it. Tube feeding is possible if you are will to try it. A length of aquarium air tubing, rounded off on one end with a lighter to soften sharp edges, along with a 35 to 60 cc syringe will make a good tube feeding device. KayTee baby bird feed is commonly used to go through a small tube. It is important to give fluids first, then food after she is re-hydrated. Here is a good link with videos on crop and tube feeding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

 

[BMD17553]

can you post a picture would really help?

 

[Boom Boom Chick]

Here are the pictures of my Sadie's eyes.

 

[Eggcessive]

The second picture looks like she has an injury below her beak. Perhaps that is why she is not eating? I wonder if it is a soft tissue injury, or something involving the bone? You could give her a low dose baby aspirin 81mg dose twice a day for pain and inflammation givenby mouth.

 

[Boom Boom Chick]

Thanks Eggcessive for the info. The other hen and rooster are in a coop and everyday I take Sadie out to mingle with them outside of the run for her safety because I heard that she can get depressed if away for so long. What do you think? Also should I put a light in the coop for my others because here in Virginia the weather is going down into the teens for the next three days? I was told not to because my breed are cold weather birds. They are only 24 weeks. Any thoughts on that too?

 

[Eggcessive]

My bantams and standard chickens tolerate the teens okay, but I have 35 in my main coop, and they generate some heat. We are getting down to zero here tomorrow night, and I will try to not be tempted to use a light. Most of the time, chickens do well in cold weather down to 20 below zero, but bantams area bit more delicate. Just make sure that there are no drafts on the chickens, but you might bring your injured girl inside at night.

 

[Boom Boom Chick]

Eggcessive I have my Sadie in the house since her accident. No returnimg to the coop until she is 100% healed. I have a 75 watt bulb right now in the coop with a timer on it for 3 hours for the middle of the night. My only problem is that my boy Phil crows during those hours because the light is on. I haven't figured out yet how to get him to stop. I live on 10 acres in the country but its so quiet at night I'm afraid my neighbors will still hear him.