Broken Wing

[skyjams]

Yesterday I was by the pond & I heard a snap sound like a stick breaking, then my Sebastopol goose started screeching. It looks like her wing broke, it's dragging on the ground. She was by herself so I dont know what caused it to break, poor baby. Today she is dragging the wing. Does anyone know what I should do to help her?
Thanks

 

[cracking up]

I've never had it happen but I would try to position it and wrap it like for angel wing. Take some of the pressure off and keep it from moving. Maybe separate her and see about pain killers.

 

[hossfeathers]

In the event of something like this, where you think your bird has injured herself, she needs her keeper to take care of her. In the wild, such an injuired bird probably would not make it.

Broken bones can be bandaged up and splinted to keep them still so they can heal. (She probably won't fly, but that's not such an issue in a domestic bird.) You will probably need help - see if you can get a more experienced bird person to help, but just about anyone can hold her while you look her over. Gather up material to clean the wound (iodine) and to splint the wing before catching the bird.

Catch her up gently and quietly as soon as possible. If she will stay quiet in a dog carrier, that's best. Check the wing out for breaks (you will feel the bones grate against each other) and places where the skin has broken and bled. Broken bones are sharp. Broken skin or exposed bones are not good - the bones need the skin around them to keep out infection and keep the bone from drying out.

If the skin is broken, I recommend taking her to a vet. She will need antibiotics.

If the skin is not broken, you can try to gently straighten the broken bone, firmly splint the bone, and bind up the wing (as if for angel wing) to her body in a more or less natural position.

Keep her quiet and dry. Keep her penned up so the other birds don't bother her. It might work well to have her gander with her so she won't fret. It will take several weeks for the bone to heal.

If the skin is broken and it gets infected, you may need to have a vet take the wing off. This will likely upset you far more than it does her.

You can also try this form here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=10 or use the search function for 'broken wing'

Hope this helps!

 

[pete55]

Fully agree with response above and some sound good advice there.

Pete