Big sore on chicken thigh/flank (pictured)

[Jess19]

Hello all!

The past few weeks I've noticed one of our girls sitting down a lot. Aside from this behaviour she wasn't showing any other symptoms of something being wrong so I thought she was just sitting down a lot because she wanted to.

Last night when when putting everyone in bed I found a VERY large and scabby looking sore on her flank that made me gasp! It was mostly covered by her feathers at the front of the leg and not noticeable from a distance when she's out and about, but up close it's quite the sight.

Does anyone know what might have caused this and the best way to treat this home-remedy style? I applied liberal amounts of warm salty water and will continue to do so each night (I can't catch her when she's awake, she's too fast!), but I think that will only go so far at this point.

Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I feel terrible for not having caught this earlier when it would have been more treatable and would like to prevent it happening again.

Many thanks!

 

[sourland]

Do you have a rooster in your flock ? That looks like mating damage caused by a rooster's spurs or toenails. See the puffy pink tissue around the outside of the wound? That is healing tissue. Such wounds heal from the outside inwards. Apply antibiotic ointment, keep her away from roosters and make sure that flies don't lay eggs in the wound. Generally such wounds heal quite well, but it does take time.

 

[Jess19]

Thank you, that is good to hear it might be healing!

Though no, we don't have roosters. She is one of 6. They mostly live in harmony but they do have a small go at one another now and then. Could another girl have pecked her too hard? Or could she have gotten a scratch from wire in the coop?

Many thanks for the advice!

 

[sourland]

Any possibility she was attacked by a hawk or other predator ?

 

[Jess19]

I"m in Australia, we don't have hawks. We did lose a girl to a fox a few weeks ago but I doubt it could be that. We do get cats wondering into our area now and then but I'm still doubtful.