2mth old Chick w/ LARGE HOLE in Chest! PLEASE READ?

[Judy]

If she's eating and pooping, then the gut is intact enough that she should heal. What may be going on is that there is some leakage from the gut/crop onto the wound, which is going to slow down healing. Also, since the wound was not closed (and I'm not at all trying to imply it should have been,) then it must heal by granulating in, or forming scar tissue. Granular tissue is bright red and looks a little moist. It is best kept moist, as with something like Neosporin. It takes a lot longer for a wound to heal by granulation, but they do.

The Neosporin will prevent dressings from sticking to the wound. Telfa, or nonstick pads, will help this, too.

Stina is correct that dead (necrotic) tissue interferes with healing, but it does not sound like you are able to identify what is dead and what is not. Years ago, we could not get the doctors to debride the necrotic tissue from bedsores, but we often eventually healed them anyway. It just took a lot longer.

I gather vet care is not an option, so don't much know what you could do about it. You don't have a friend who is a nurse, do you?

I really wouldn't risk putting her with the others. It's great that she is feeling good enough to want more activity, but if just one of them gets hold of any of that tissue, it could easily be the end of her. I wouldn't be afraid to take her outside for short periods by herself, though, if you can get a good intact dressing over the wound.

 

[innof8happinesses]

Thank you for both of those last replies!

Ducklove334: You touched my heart when I needed it... thank you.


ddawn: The area is moist... but all the tissues appear to be grays and yellowish... there is no red tissue at all. My M-I-L- looked at it to try to stitch in the early days, but there wasn't enough tissue. She is a nurse. We both know about debriding... never done that on a chicken and the area seems delicate and thought we would cause more damage to do it. But this is all very educational and that is a good thing. We will take everyone's input in and go from there. Thankful to this list for sure. I'll be sure to update!

 

[Stina]

I know it was rude....that's why I said I hate to be rude.....but its true... leaving an animal with an open gaping wound with lilttle in the way of antibiotics is asking for it to get a massive infection....it doesn't matter if she's acting normally now, she won't for long if you don't change what you are doing. Current condition in no way implies future condition. As others have said, you NEED to at least keep the wound moist and filled with antibiotics....even if you do that she very well may still end up with an infection if the wound is not debrided because it will take much much longer to heal, if it does at all (which it may not). Good intentions are great, but they don't fix anything...I never said good intentions weren't there.... I also didn't say it should outright be killed....trust me I am not one to kill an animal at the first sign of weakness or injury....this isn't a mild injury...this is a big gaping hole into the birds body cavity....its not a broken leg or a splinter....its a life threatening systemic infection waiting to happen.

 

[Judy]

OK, with that new info, this is what I would try. I would make up a dilute Betadine solution in a squirt bottle and squirt it off once or twice a day -- but only for a few days, maybe a week at most. Betadine kills new cells but also debrides necrotic tissue, is my reasoning. There is presumably some granular tissue under the yellows and grays.

It took us a year, but we healed up one pitiful patient who came in with awful bedsores -- this was before anyone knew Betadine injures new tissue -- and we used nothing but Betadine, because that is all the doctor would order. Looking back, I'm not even sure how we did it. I think the lady felt loved, for a change. She could not talk. A little like your chick, there....

 

[innof8happinesses]

It could be the broad spectrum antibiotics & medical grade colloidial silver in the water combined with clean conditions and the every other day or so neopsporin applications that are keeping the infection at bay? If so, and the wound doesn't heal, you think it is still a matter of time before it sets in then? How long?

Note: we have also added additional protein and vitamins as suggested. And she gets very excited of cilantro snacks.

Betadine: OK. Do this until I can see red tissue?

 

[chickNjake]

I'm thinking it may be a good idea to take about 10 pictures of the wound from every possible angle even if they don't look like anything, there will most likely be people who can get a better understanding this way.

I know this is a strange question but how much is she eating then pooping as in, ex 1/2 cup of chick starter/ 1 tablespoon of poop. lol I know this sounds stupid, but if she has a hole in her crop her food would not be digested the same and these numbers may be useful

and lets try not to be confrontational because if this thread gets closed the chick will suffer from it.

I wish you the BEST of luck for your chick

 

[threehorses]

I don't think that Stina meant her post as harshly as people are taking it. Note, she did still offer some very good (and true) advice on debriding (removing) necrotic tissue to allow for healing.

I think the reality of the matter is this: Is there actually a hole in the crop, and if so - I'm curious - how are the crop contents staying in enough to nourish the bird.

The other reality of the matter is this: a bird with a hole in the crop that never closes will not be thrifty and healthy. That's why I'm wondering about the hole. How big was it again? Is there any way to stitch it? Butterfly suture bandages? In other words, I guess what I'm trying to get it, is can you see now that for sure it's a hole in the crop - does food come out, liquid come out ever, and how far apart are the edges?

Back to focusing on the situation at hand and we'll try to make the best of the situation.

 

[luvarabhorses]

I also think Stina was just offering accurate information about necrotic tissue and healing. I've had many horse wounds and you are looking for aesthetic appeal as well as keeping infection at bay.

Years ago I had a pekin duck that had been grabbed by a fox, escaped and took me several days to catch in our pond. His neck was ripped open so far he actually sank as he swam. I was finally able to grab him, haul him in the bathroom, clean him up. I was crying while my ex held him down. It looked hopeless. The skin actually looked green. I asked him if he would chop "Walter"'s head off. He would not. I decided to trim away the dead skin, use a tube of neosporin in the wound and stitch him up. Can you believe he lived??? He lived for many more years and he was easily spotted on the pond by a big puff of feathers that protruded around his neck. It had healed, not pretty, but watertight.

 

[innof8happinesses]

I think the reality of the matter is this: Is there actually a hole in the crop, and if so - I'm curious - how are the crop contents staying in enough to nourish the bird.

The other reality of the matter is this: a bird with a hole in the crop that never closes will not be thrifty and healthy. That's why I'm wondering about the hole. How big was it again? Is there any way to stitch it? Butterfly suture bandages? In other words, I guess what I'm trying to get it, is can you see now that for sure it's a hole in the crop - does food come out, liquid come out ever, and how far apart are the edges?

OK: Initially the 1st day - when cleaning the wound not knowing anything... greyish material did come out. The next day only some liquid. It LOOKS like she has a hole in the skin and the crop is exposed... But it does not look like an obvious hole in visible in the crop. (My amateur guess). I have tried so hard to take pics and my cam isn't picking up the details. Maybe I can try again... We didn't think she would live past that first day, which is why it took us at least a day to get on BYC to find out what to do for her. The edges of the wound are at least 1 1/2 " apart (on a small 2 month old). One day the wound was dry (day 3?) and this is when we started the neosporin. After that it has kept moist by either the ointment and/or the chick producing moisture that has been seeping out occassionally. I have put dye in the water... did not see any blue in the wound are. Good sign?

Poops: there is good looking poops in there. But, I would think there should be more. I will have to start a log I guess (LOL). In past hour, there are two 2tsp size piles.​

 

[Stina]

It could be the broad spectrum antibiotics & medical grade colloidial silver in the water combined with clean conditions and the every other day or so neopsporin applications that are keeping the infection at bay? If so, and the wound doesn't heal, you think it is still a matter of time before it sets in then? How long?

I was not aware that you were using antibiotics in the water, and that is good...but you really need to apply neosporin or another antiobiotic directly to the wound more often than every other day. Even with antibiotics an open wound is still an opening for an infection...antiobiotics are not 100% effective....so long as the wound is open it really is just a matter of time before something gets in that isn't covered by the specific antibiotics, or that's resistant. How much time is impossible to know....keeping things as clean as possible will help.

It is definitely good that you didn't see the blue seeping out...not sure what the grey material could have been though....​