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

[innof8happinesses]

*Update* Pics, and bad news...

After doing more cleaning this afternoon as suggested of the area.... she began to leak the blue fluid

So, I think there was just material blocking it from leaking before.... but that must mean the crop has a hole. So the blue/green you see, is food dye not infection. The blackish looking is above the wound where some scabs have formed... but doesn't look nearly as black in person as in photos... I tried to get ones to show you. Doesn't look good for Skittles.... Spunky as ever though.

 

[Judy]

I'm wondering if the grey is from the colloidal silver, maybe getting dribbled on the wound. It could be necrotic tissue, but that would be unusual. One thing about silver, nothing gets resistant to it.

 

[threehorses]

It looks pretty good actually. How about how big the opening is? I can't really tell from the pictures.

You know, if there's a smallish hole in the crop it's not the same as if it's a piece missing that's let's say 2 inches across. If there were a big hole, food and water would be coming out - and she'd be weak by now.

I think I'd just keep doing what you're doing til we can figure out the size of the possible hole.

 

[innof8happinesses]

The area of the wound is like 1 1/2" by 2"h... the possible hole in the crop without pushing my finger in to check looks to be the size of a 1/8" diameter... Just a guess.

 

[chickNjake]

Aw, it doesn't necessarily "good" but it does look better than I expected, if you decide that it's at the point to where you don't think it will make it in it's current condition, which is not necessarily now, You may want to attempt to wash out the wound and see if there is a hole you can sew up.
Best of luck to Skittles, and despite her fate, I'm sure you have learned a lot about injuries and doctoring from this experience, and I know I and many others have

 

[Judy]

It could still granulate across and close, but it will certainly take a while. Evidently some or most of what she eats and drinks is getting through.

I know this is very difficult for you. Certainly whatever choice you make would be very reasonable and understandable. You are there, you are the one she is bonded with. No reasonable person could blame you for persisting, or for choosing not to. I don't really even know what I would do; I certainly don't have an opinion on what you should do.

I do have one more suggestion, though. If those feather tips are touching the wound, and it looks like at least a few are from the staining on them, I would trim them back some.

I wonder what the chances are that a single suture across the hole in the crop would hold. It would take a circular needle, no doubt.

 

[threehorses]

I'm with ddawn on the last post. I think 1/8th inch is reasonable to stitch with one stitch. You can get combined suture material and a suturing needle at many feedstores. You'd be surprised. Or a circular needle. That's what's really pretty needed, versus straight. It does make life easier.

The big hole - the fleshless area - that's less of a concern to me than the crop hole. The crop hole could theoretically granulate across, I agree. I'm just curious if she'd do better with it being stitched - hedge your bets perhaps?

I doubly agree with trimming back feathers. I always do that to the point where the birds look funky for a while - but hey, they're alive and the wounds keep cleaner. I literally clean a good 1/2 inch away from the wound - down and all, and trim back all other feathers that might 'dip' into the wound. It'll make your life easier.

I just wish I could see her in person. It's be a lot easier for us all to see her right in front of us, wouldn't it? /sigh Ah well - bless the internet for this kind of help at least.

 

[princess araucana]

If you and your nurse friend could trim and clean up the wound, remember the crop must first be closed, then after that the outside skin is closed. If you can avoid the crop suture area being right next to the skin suture area it will help promote better healing and less scar tissue adhesion.
CHickens are amazing tough creatures! Good Luck! She seems very strong so would be a good candidate for all your efforts?!

 

[innof8happinesses]

bless the internet for this kind of help at least.

Amen

I would love to have y'all in front of her to stitch this small hole up for her! I'm so stinkin' mad at the little dog who did this!

And you are right, if it weren't for her persistent stamina to keep going I would have probably given up days ago. She's a keeper if she makes it.

I don't know why I didn't think to trim back those feathers. She pulled so many out on her own that I kind of left that part to her. I guess I really need to do that. My M-I-L comes tomorrow. Hopefully she can help me do that and even put the stitch in. This isn't her field of expertise... but she has her master's in nursing.... gotta be worth something?​

 

[Judy]

Quote:
You betcha.

You don't want to try to suture the wound closed; she will know this, I am sure. The crop is another story. If you even could suture the whole wound at this point, you would simply be sewing in infection. Keep it clean and hope for granulation. If she can pull off a suture in the crop, things will be looking up, I feel sure. It would be tricky, for sure, though.