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

[Stina]

If there isi "stuff" coming out of the hole...it could be food from her crop...you really need to clean everything out and reassess. What color is the "stuff?" Just b/c she is acting ok, doesn't mean she is, or that she isn't in pain....birds are very good at hiding illness and pain. Even with antibiotics, if it is a crop injury then anything that is injested is leaking into her body cavity and she will end up with a systemic infection VERY quickly, if she doesn't have one already. At any rate....I hope that you can get her to recover....and good luck!

 

[innof8happinesses]

OK - we are going to take off the vet wrap in an hour and see what we have. Is it possible the skin tore open and the tissue coming out was not actually ripped open making it possible for her crop area to be healed if left alone? We have not seen food coming out of the area... But yes, it appears to be on the right side.

When the accident first happened and I cleaned it out... grayish material starting coming out of the hole. Later, the NEXT day had the clear fluid coming out. I will try the dye very soon. Great thinking!

We really don't see how we can gather enough good skin to re-close the wound at this point. It would take a miracle to close it. But we will check again.

 

[innof8happinesses]

Also - I have food grade hydrogen peroxide. If that would help... it is better than regular store brand HP and much more $. But it is safer.

 

[BarkerChickens]

How's you girl doing now? Is she getting better?

 

[innof8happinesses]

I just don't know if she is getting better. She behaves normally as she has all along.... The wound is several days old now and I just am not able to tell what is healing and what is not... I do believe many are right it was the crop area that was exposed. Though there is no evidence that the crop itself was torn open. However the skin around there is missing and not enough to pull it closed. Should we consider making a gauze covering with super glue? Just not sure if this hole is actually going to seal up! We have cleaned it... though we don't use neosporin too much b/c we don't want things to stick to her... and we don't want to close it up with wrap again. We've used saline a little. Mostly we just take care of her and keep her separate. She is getting really bored and I know wants out with her buddies. She picks at the area now... Maybe I should get blu-cote OR something to put on it so she can go out and be a chicken again?

Thanks for checking in - wish I had a better update!

 

[Stina]

The only way for the hole to heal would be to debride any dead tissues around it, then slather the area with antibiotics and keep it wrapped and moist and cleaning and changing the wrap daily and repeatedly removing any dead tissue found. As long as there is dead tissue at the edges of the hole, nothing can grow to cover the hole........you need to either figure out how to do all this yourself, find a vet, or euthanize her....if you don't do I hate to be rude...but the path you are now is just going to lead to her suffering and dieing.

 

[innof8happinesses]

"I hate to be rude...but the path you are now is just going to lead to her suffering and dieing." by Stina


Well, I think it is rude. People come on this list for information, encouragment etc... You can find a way to say what you want without criticism. In any case, if she does appear to be suffering in any way (as we have experienced chicken injuries before and know what to watch for), then we will make the decision to euthanize her. Right now she is strong, feisty, eating drinking, wanting to fly around.... It has been 6 days. Poops are looking good.

 

[BarkerChickens]

I think that the best option for you is to clean it well, put neosporin all over it and cover it with quaze (and a wrap...I'd recommend not using super glue since you need to be able to add neosporin regularly). If it does not stay moist, it will not heal over. Don't put her back outside with the others. Even if they do leave her wound alone, she will expose the wound to all sorts of bacteria. I am glad to hear that she is acting normal!

 

[innof8happinesses]

Barker Chickens: Thank you, that is helpful

 

[Ducklove334]

I hate to be rude...but the path you are now is just going to lead to her suffering and dieing.

it is obvious that the little chick ISN'T suffering, she eats,drinks and does normal "chickeninatengallonaquarium" things.
culling a bird just because a little rat-dog tryed to do open crop surgery isn't the answer to everything, what would happen if everytime someone broke a bone, or got a splinter, we killed them?


most people wouldn't even bother with what innof8happinesses, is doing. she is very kind for that, most would just kill the bird and leave it at that, or throw it back in the coop and leave it for dead.

No, what innof8happinesses is doing shows she really cares for her little chick, and for that you've just gained a notch of respect from me.

people who go out of the way to help, no matter what species, thats what we need more of in this world.​