Bird has a black bottom and protrusion below the vent. I can’t tell if it a scab or dried poop. Can anyone advise?

[Shezadandy]

Also - you can try adding some sugar - just plain table sugar- to the syringe. I start with a short water glass, put a little sugar in with some hot water so it dissolves, then I suck it up into the syringe.

Sometimes the sweet taste is the deal-maker. I get a drop going at the tip of the syringe, and then I just touch it to the crack of the beak, like you're greasing a hinge - making no effort to open the beak. Many times once they figure out it tastes really good they'll start pecking the syringe looking for more. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down ... and can give them the little bump of energy they need to seek out more.

Maybe start with just the sugar/water to see if you can get her a little interested in the contents, then add the other stuff from there. If I'm wrong, we're just out a teaspoon of sugar ...

 

[Chicalina]

Also - you can try adding some sugar - just plain table sugar- to the syringe. I start with a short water glass, put a little sugar in with some hot water so it dissolves, then I suck it up into the syringe.

Sometimes the sweet taste is the deal-maker. I get a drop going at the tip of the syringe, and then I just touch it to the crack of the beak, like you're greasing a hinge - making no effort to open the beak. Many times once they figure out it tastes really good they'll start pecking the syringe looking for more. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down ... and can give them the little bump of energy they need to seek out more.

Maybe start with just the sugar/water to see if you can get her a little interested in the contents, then add the other stuff from there. If I'm wrong, we're just out a teaspoon of sugar ...

greasing a hinge is a very good analogy!

 

[Chicalina]

BTW OP, she does have a bad case of bumblefoot on both feet. You'll need to tell her owner when he returns so he can take care of that.

 

[Chicalina]

How are the bum soaks and debriding the black stuff going?

 

[Mumgold]

How are the bum soaks and debriding the black stuff going?

I am about to do soak 3. The debriding hasn’t been going so well with using a rag to gently rub it off. I wonder if I should place a bandage over the ointment to help soften the black stuff? Or will that be bad in case there are left over maggot eggs in the black stuff? Is that even possible? Should I gently force it off? I have read so many different things. I have been obsessed with bird advice. The guy at Tractor Supply said to use Blu-kot on the wound? I don’t know about that. The owner comes back late tonight. Maybe I should take her home til she is better. Lol

 

[Mumgold]

Ok. Help! I tried debriding and I uncovered something I am worried about. A deep gash to her insides. Should I buy liquid bandaid? Or gauze and tape it back up? I don’t know if you can see it? But you might get the gist.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is probably a deeper wound and what I was afraid of. I would not dig any deeper, but just continue to do the soaks and mild cleaning of the area on the surface. The bumblefoot scabs on the feet should be addressed when the owner gets time. Those can cause infection and limping. Here are some good links to pass along about treating bumblefoot:

https://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/non-surgical-bumblefoot-treatment-html/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/

 

[Mumgold]

After the bath I poured some very diluted p-iodine over the area. I stopped looking -debriding (am I spelling that right?) here -{see attached photo}-and put on a bunch of triple antibiotic ointment after a little blow dry to the area to get the feathers out of the way. Crossing my fingers. I couldn’t get gauze and bandage tape to stick. Do you think I should use the Blu-Kot? I found a tube of silver something (I don’t have tube here to write name) that I think we put on my dad’s wounds 5 years ago when he was still alive. Back then the hospital used maggot on purpose to assist in healing a wound he had. But maybe we just squirted saline solution and then dressed the wound. My memory is blurry, but I found all sorts of bandages and creams in my mother’s linen closet.

I had to leave to drive my elderly mother to doctor. I left Goldie chicken with a bit of fried/scrambled egg which she ate in a small quantity!! I also placed a mirror with her in the mud room based on someone else’s post or was it a blog? Crossing my fingers about the wound. I hope those nodule things in attached photo aren’t hatching maggots.

I told the owner about the bumble foot. I read a blog where the owner removed the growths herself. Maybe it doesn’t cost too much to have the vet perform the extraction? I have cats so the vet is $$$ (starts at $500) if something is wrong. Not sure if vet prices are the same for chickens?

Excuse the ramble. I thinks you all so much for your time, knowledge, and chicken experience. I am so glad this blog exists and people who have gone through these experiences actually write and answer questions. THANK YOU

 

[Chicalina]

oh bless you for caring for this chicken that isn't even yours!

Bumblefoot can wait. She appears to have a deep life threatening wound that is far far more serious. It needs daily flushing out with sterile saline, keeping moist and dressing if possible. A bandage around her whole body will keep a non adherent dressing in place. She also needs systemic antibiotics as well as topical. Please pass all the info you have learned to her owner.

Have you got any idea how she got injured? She could have snagged her skin on something sharp, or a hawk or other predator could have got to her. Either way, that wound goes right inside and needs urgent dealing with.

 

[Mumgold]

oh bless you for caring for this chicken that isn't even yours!

Bumblefoot can wait. She appears to have a deep life threatening wound that is far far more serious. It needs daily flushing out with sterile saline, keeping moist and dressing if possible. A bandage around her whole body will keep a non adherent dressing in place. She also needs systemic antibiotics as well as topical. Please pass all the info you have learned to her owner.

Have you got any idea how she got injured? She could have snagged her skin on something sharp, or a hawk or other predator could have got to her. Either way, that wound goes right inside and needs urgent dealing with.

I am so bummed. I had hope. Another person from the state poultry vet extension said she needs surgery to remove the necrotic tissue around the vent. I called a bunch of vets and no one has an emergency open and a vet that actually got on the phone told me I was wasting my time on a dying 4 year old chicken who is equivalent to 70 and may have only 3 months to live if surgery takes place. My heart has sunk. I need a dunk in some cold water.

Is it worth $500 ER visit for a four year old bird? I am so sad to even say that.

I’ll go buy some saline solution and wrap-able bandages. How do you wrap bandages with her wings?

I have no idea how the injury happened. Maybe one of the younger birds pecked her to go up in rank? Or possibly a wire?