Serious hen injury!!!!!!!!!!!

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middleschoolbac

middleschoolbac

Hatching
9 Years
Mar 10, 2010
7
0
7
I noticed one of my hens missing alot of feathers on one side of her neck. When I picked her up to look I noticed a big gaping hole. You could see the inside of her neck and her chest. She's still eating and drinking and acting fine. I noticed once when she shook her head little bits and pieces flew out. I've isolated her from the rest of the chickens but still not sure if she'll live. If she's in pain I'd rather put her down if need be. We can't find our heating lamp and its going to be 45 tonight. We think we'll put some hay out for her? Will this keep her warm? Is there any chance she could live from this? What should we do???
 
In order to have a chance to live the wound will need to be cleaned well with an antisceptic. If food things are coming out when she shakes her head then that is a complication and the crop likely needs surgical repair. Hay likely won't keep her warm under shock which she is likely in, inside would be better. She will need to be away from other chickens that will peck her. Antibiotics would greatly help her chances too.

Protecting her from further injury, dealing with shock and preventing infection will be the immediate chalanges.

I pic would help, but it does sound like a fairly significant injury such that a vet would be a help, if not it is going to take some emergency care.
 
There is every chance she could live through this. Chickens are amazingly resilient. When you say you can see into her neck and chest, how literal are you being? Can you actually see organ tissue hanging out? I am a person that thinks if you can actually see organs in the open, then that is a catastrophic injury that there is little chance of coping with. If organs are visible then culling is probably the best option for all involved. The chances of infection settling in, the length of convalescence, the pain and suffering, the isolation of a flock animal... better to cull than to put everyone through this.

If you really want to save her then I can offer some advice on wound healing. First, she needs to come inside out of the cold. Hay is not going to cut it when you have a bird as wounded as this. Bring her inside and clean the wound with either peroxide or betadine tea (one part betadine to 10 parts water). Really clean it well. I like to use a turkey baster to really get into the wound. Next cover it in some sort of wound dressing. Any one of the following will work- Neosporin, Bag Balm, Blukote. Then settle in for a long convalescence. The wound will need to be cleaned with weak salt water and dressed each day and as needed. Don't even bother trying to cover the wound- bandages will not stay and will likely be picked at by her. Watch for signs of infection- angry redness, sudden increase in oozing, hot heat radiating from the wound, nasty odor. Feed her lots of protein rich foods to help aid in healing. Once she starts healing maybe bring in a friend from her flock to keep her company. Flock animals heal faster when they have a friend close by. Keep her isolated until she is nearly healed. And then begin re-introduction(s).

I hope she's OK. Good luck.
 
We really really want to save her. We don't have anything to clean her with tonight or really any way to bring her inside tonight. When I say I can see inside her neck I mean like slimy and oozy neck stuff. I can't even describe it and I've tried taking pics but I'm afraid of hurting her! I've heard peroxide burns???? Not sure. I've cried all day wanting her to be ok.
 
try to get pics of her injury and post them here, then we would be able to see how serious it is and then recomend something for her.
the only thing i can say is just clean her wound, and keep her inside in a dog crate or something where she wont be able to hurt herself
 
Peroxide does burn. This is why you only use it once during the first cleanse. It also will kill any germs that may be festering on the surface. You can't be afraid of hurting her. First aid hurts. You must accept this. To save her, you may have to hurt her a little bit in the process. If she lives through this, she will not hold it against you, I promise. Her wound needs to be tended.
 
Ok she's inside in our dog crate. We'll get her back out to do the peroxide. Do we just completely saturate the area? I'm so sick to my stomach over this!
 
You can do this. Saturate the area. If you have a turkey baster or a syringe of some sort, a little pressure behind the stream of peroxide will penetrate further and remove the debris from the wound.
 
You may find wraping her in a towel will help keep wings plus feet contained and her calm. This will allow you to work faster and do a better job cleaning. Look for major dammage to importaint parts while cleaning the wound. There is quit a bit going on in a chickens neck, crop is in there, wind pipe and food tube aw well as are a number of air sacks used for breathing. Don't be affraid to clip away some feathers if you need to in order to clean up the edges of the wound so you can see and to help keep it clean.
 
I noticed this morning when she drinks it runs out of the would down her neck. She layed an egg this morning and she's still trying to eat and drink. What now?
 

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