brooder fire -- burnt chick. help!

[zoeabram]

I have one week old K-22s (broilers). They were switched to peat moss bedding and the heat lamp must have been too close (although it was 18 inches ... still trying to figure out how this happened ...) Anyway, somehow we had a brooder fire. It was a pretty big fire but it stayed within the brooder. There was lots of smoke. Three days later, almost all the chicks seem to be doing ok. I'm nervous that they have burns in their respiratory systems and that they might be more susceptible to pnuemonia etc. later. Does anyone have any experience with this??

The URGENT question though -- is one of the chicks was burnt on its leg and along one side of its stomache beneath its leg. It has about a 1/2 inch circular burn on its leg and a lot of missing down under its stomache. We separated it from the flock, cooled it down (and then warmed it back up), used a saline solution and flour to stop the bleeding so it would stop self-pecking (I read to do that online ... ) We also bought an antiseptic spray. Since the antiseptic, he seems to be doing worse. He won't walk at all on that leg -- he tries to literally hop on one leg. He will eat and drink, although sometimes it seems like we have to disturb him enough to remind him to bother to move. We're not sure what to do. Help!
Thanks!

 

[BookWorm243]

First off

Second, I am so sorry you had that happen! That must of been scary, but at least it stayed in the brooder and did not spread. I have never had a chicken with burns. So I can't help you much on that, but I sure someone on here can help you

You seem to be doing a good job of helping him. You where able to get the bleeding to stop which is good. I am sure the antiseptic spray must have burned which may be part of why he is uncomfortable. I am sorry I could not be more help

 

[GAchick]

I don't know. Did the antiseptic spray have painkiller? You aren't supposed to use stuff with painkiller on chickens. I would say keep him quiet, and make sure he's drinking plenty. Hang on, and someone with more experience will be along to offer more words of wisdom than I can...

 

[Atomic Ranch]

Maybe try Vetericyn?

 

[Chicky Monkey]

Lavender (lavendula officianalis) essential oil is what I would put on it, several times daily. Also, a triple antibiotic ointment after the lavender. You sound like a good, caring chickie nurse!

 

[Chicky Monkey]

Also, be careful the other chicks don't peck at the wound, but I'm sure you all ready know that....

 

[CapricornFarm]

See if you can get an rx for silvadene and normal saline to rinse the wounds with. It has the same salinity as blood, so it shouldn't sting. Keep the chick isolated to keep others from pecking at it. Do you have any electrolyte drinks or powder you can mix up, with some vitamins might help. Boil and mash up eggs to give protein to promote healing. Good luck.

 

[Anianna]

I don't suppose you have an aloe plant? Aloe is ideal for burn care and it is not in the list of plants toxic to chickens at Poultry Help. According to PoultryPedia, you can give chicks aspirin for pain:

Give Painkiller

CAUTION: Do NOT give Ibuprofin (Advil, etc.) or Acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) to birds! Those are harmful to them.
Buffered aspirin (such as Bayer, etc.) can be used for a chicken to help reduce:
Stress, listlessness, discomfort, pain
Fever
Swelling / inflammation that is not caused by bleeding (Aspirin thins blod and keeps it from clotting as quickly as normal.)
Birds bruise more easily when on aspirin.
You should wait until internal and external injuries have begun to heal before using aspirin.
Note: A standard baby Aspirin is 80 mg, and a standard adult Aspirin pill is 325 mg.
Dose for chickens: Approx. 25 mg per pound of chicken's body weight each day.
Examples: For a 6-lb. Large Fowl Leghorn rooster, 2 times per day give 1/2 of a regular aspirin ( = ~300 mg total per day).
For a Bantam 1.6-lb. Bantam Leghorn rooster, 2 times per day give 1/2 of a baby aspirin (= ~75 mg total per day).
To administer:
To give immediately or in individual administrations: Crush up and split dose up into 2 or 3 administrations per day. Sprinkle the powder on a small tasty treat such as fruit or yogurt and give to the chicken.
To have the chicken self-administer throughout the day: Crush up the total daily dose and dissolve in the approximate amount of water that the chicken drinks each day. Pour into chicken's drinking container.
Never give a chicken any kind of painkiller with 'caine' in the name. These are EXTREMELY toxic to chickens.
Do NOT use a Triple Antibiotic Ointment with Painkiller because almost all include '-caine' ingredients.
Exception: Neosporin with Painkiller products usually only use Pramoxine HCl as the painkiller ingredient, and that is alright for chickens.

I would highly recommend getting some aloe, ideally directly from an aloe plant, if possible. Aloe is both soothing and healing and will prohibit bacterial growth in the wound.​