Burnt Belly!

[ethuerauf]

Hi Everyone! we had to make an impromptu incubator. The lamp fell on a chick and burnt its belly somehow. It's pretty raw. I'm not sure what to do. I've had chickens for a while now but never had this happen before. Please help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chick. Can you call your regular vet and ask for some silvadene cream? That is the cream they use in burn units for twice a day treatments. It is very good to help prevent infection and promote healing. It is a prescription only product, available at most pharmacies and online. I hope the chick makes it. Heat lamps are not made very well, and I always like to secure them overhead by wrapping the electric cord around a board to help support them.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hydrogel pads, available in pharmacies in the first aid isle, can be applied to cover burns and act as a dressing. Those are not changed evey day, but follow directions. Gauze dressing can be used after cleaning with diluted chlorhexidene and applying polysporin ointment if the silvadene cream is not available. The burn looks like a full thickness burn, and the chick could well die from losing bodily fluids and shock. Make sure the chick is taking water, and electrolytes would be best. Poultry NutriDrench available in most feed stores has electrolytes and vitamins, and chicks can have 2 drops daily in the beak. Let us know how it gets along. If it seems to be suffering, I would put it down.

 

[Shezadandy]

Hi Everyone! we had to make an impromptu incubator. The lamp fell on a chick and burnt its belly somehow. It's pretty raw. I'm not sure what to do. I've had chickens for a while now but never had this happen before. Please help!

It also seems to have possible burns down that right leg. I'm not just referring to the red area which could just be blood from the body wound, there's skin sloughing off by the toes in the picture below where the red is along the leg. Just saying- be sure to treat all affected areas. Poor little chick chick!

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Eggcessive gave you some great advice. Just wanted to add that this chick may need antibiotics. Keep a very close eye on the overall burn. Burns have a much higher chance of getting infected then wounds or cuts.

You'll also likely have to remove necrotic tissue in future cleanings.

 

[ethuerauf]

Sorry about your chick. Can you call your regular vet and ask for some silvadene cream? That is the cream they use in burn units for twice a day treatments. It is very good to help prevent infection and promote healing. It is a prescription only product, available at most pharmacies and online. I hope the chick makes it. Heat lamps are not made very well, and I always like to secure them overhead by wrapping the electric cord around a board to help support them.

When I had an extra hand we got her clean with a wash cloth and put some salve on her for now. I will definetly do that thank you!

 

[topochico225]

Good heavens. I can see blood vessels. I'd put it out of its misery, IMO.