Black Australorp with broken neck skin

[thefuzz4]

Howdy everyone,

We just started with our first flock this year since they are now legal in our city. I wish I was introducing myself under a better circumstance. I have one black australorp that I found this afternoon being cleaned by one of our dogs. She's acting fine and all except for the cleaning part by the dog. Our dogs have never hurt the chickens they typically just leave them be but this was odd.

A friend who grew up on a chicken farm said this looks like another chicken hit her. She's still acting fine but I just don't know what to do. There is an obvious break here but no blood or anything. Will this just heal back up on its own?

We did have a coon in the area the other night but the dogs did a good job keeping it out of the yard. Should I move her inside for now?

 

[QueenMisha]

Looks like a minor tear. I'd recommend cleaning it, applying some Neosporin, and checking it daily to be sure the flies don't get to it. It should heal just fine.

 

[MrsBrooke]

If you rinse it out with chlorhexidine (you can get it at Walgreens by the hydro perox), that will disinfect it and you can skip the Neosporin... flies LOVE warm, gooey places.

Either way works fine. Just check her regularly.

MrsB

 

[MrsBrooke]

AND!!!!

MrsB

 

[thefuzz4]

Thank you both so much for your advice. We're going to go get some of the chlorhexidine for her and we'll just apply that daily. How long do you think it'll take to heal? Oh and @MrsBrooke thank you for the warm welcome. This just scared the heck out of me because this particular bird is so sweet.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Chickens are surprisingly resilient and heal very well on their own.

We had a hen sliced almost to the bone from an over-zealous rooster. I did the chlorhexidine rinse every day for a week with high-protein foods (boiled eggs!), and she was back out in the yard after two weeks. Other than a scar, she's right as rain and still laying!

MrsB