Barred rock attacked

[MI-Homesteader]

I have never dealt with an injury this large. Is something that I should just put her down for? She is my favorite bird and is acting herself. Not lethargic or anything and still eating/drinking. Any insight as to what I should do to treat this would be appreciated!!!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hi! So sorry this happened to your hen. From the picture it looks like you should be able to treat. If she was mine I would try to treat her.

Is there any lacerations in the muscle of the leg. It's hard to see if it's the skin or damaged muscle closer to her butt?

 

[MI-Homesteader]

To me it looks like just her skin was ripped off, maybe a little muscle damage but she still is moving around well. I'm going to try treating...this bird is actually my mom and dads, they have Guineas and ducks and they found the wound because they were attacking her. I have 17 birds at my house and am going to bring her there and try and treat her. I'm thinking I'll put her in a dog kennel in the garage until she is better, should I put her into a smaller tote so she can't move much? Is the garage ok or would she do better in the house?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

If it's mainly the skin ripped off, she should be able to heal. Chances if the muscle is not ripped badly, it will have bled and helped clean out the wound lessening the chance of infection.

The two biggest things is keeping other chickens from picking on her, in which you've already mentioned you're isolating her AND keeping the flies off the wound. To me flies would be the biggest worry. I would keep her any place where she won't be exposed to any flies. I just had a hatching chick picked at and I used a new to me item which is a tube of disinfectant cream, which appeared to work really well. I have the chick in the house. Normally I'd use a diluted hydrogen peroxide spritz to spray the wound after irrigating the wound with lukewarm water to clean it up.

My horse once ripped the skin off it's front chest, and it healed perfectly using the diluted peroxide in a spray bottle. No infections or scar left.

For our large animals I do have a disinfectant/insecticide spray, but I'm not sure there's anything like that anymore. I bought out the store's stock when we heard it was discontinued.

When the hen is healed, she'll have bare skin exposed. Blu cote is very affective in covering up and preventing picking by other chickens.
It's what I just started using and it seems to work really well.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hopefully if someone has better suggestions than I've given, they'll weigh in on your situation.

 

[MI-Homesteader]

After cleaning the wound it looks worse...it's not just skin there is a deeper wound I can feel bone. She is still acting fine and even let me clean the wound with only a little screaming. I'm gonna make an attempt at this. She will be kept inside and isolated, should I cover the wound with anything? She has 2 flaps of skin just hanging what should I do about that? Once sterilized can I coat it with petroleum jelly? Any other ointment?

 

[wc2187]

I suggest keeping your hen inside. Wash the wound with soap first, applied saline solution and anti-biotic oilmement...do this every day until the wound is heal. Hope this helps

 

[Wickedchicken6]

That is pretty graphic. I wouldn't put petroleum jelly on it. I would only spritz with a mild disinfectant. I don't think I'd cover it.

As far as the skin...gee, I'm not certain. Chances are a portion of the skin may die and eventually slough off. I think if it was me I'd try laying the skin against the body if it would stay there. If it wouldn't...depending on how it was acting...I would maybe take my scalpel and cut some off if was hindering healing. (I castrate with a scalpel)
But that's getting pretty nasty so let's not go there yet. (Ick)

Maybe some other can give a better assessment because they have had more experience..

@casportpony @junebuggena

 

[MI-Homesteader]

This just happened to a second bird! A black Austrolorp this time....they have 2 ducks that we caught attacking the black Austrolorp, exact same wound location but a smaller wound much more manageable. The 2 ducks just got culled....

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Ducks? Wow...evil things.

I can't think off hand of who else to ask...lol. There are many others with more experience than I.