Cat got chicks wing

[ginasgardens]

I have 1 week old chicks in my bathroom inside of a tote with chicken wire top. We have them in the bathroom to keep away from the cats but someone left the door open

I heard the chick being very loud and ran in and the cat had its arm in through the chicken wire and I saw some feathers. Once I got the cat out of there i checked out the chick

The chick has a little bleeding on its wing and a tiny scratch on its head. I initially left it in there for about half an hour and when I came back to check i noticed the chicks are pecking the crap out of the wing wound so I removed it and made a separate cage.

I used some warm water to clean it with chlorhexidine spray I had on hand. Now I’m sitting her with it wrapped in a towel to keep it warm.

Chick seems fine and alert. Now sleeping.

Questions:
1. Care suggestions for the wound. What kind of timeline for healing am I looking at?
2. Will I be able to reintroduce for the chicks? I just had a box for a temporary house but if this is long term I should probably buy another small tote?
3. Any other tips and tricks for keeping this chick alive

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your chick.

Cleaning with Chlorhexidine is very good. I'd spray it with the chlorhexidine daily. You can apply a little triple antibiotic ointment to the tiny head scratch after you swab the wound clean with the Chlorhexidine.

Chickens heal fairly well if the wound is tended to.

I would try to keep her near the others and in their sight, but separated since they were pecking at her wounds. Is your brooder large enough to section off an area for her with some hardware cloth, so she's still in the same space with her own food/water?

 

[ginasgardens]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your chick.

Cleaning with Chlorhexidine is very good. I'd spray it with the chlorhexidine daily. You can apply a little triple antibiotic ointment to the tiny head scratch after you swab the wound clean with the Chlorhexidine.

Chickens heal fairly well if the wound is tended to.

I would try to keep her near the others and in their sight, but separated since they were pecking at her wounds. Is your brooder large enough to section off an area for her with some hardware cloth, so she's still in the same space with her own food/water?

Yes it’s only 10 chicks in the tote.Right now she is in a box next to them on the side they prefer and I turned up the heat in the bathroom because I don’t have a second light. She’s snuggling in a warm towel. My husband can probably whip something up tonight.

Are the chickens attracted to the blood or just any wound. Like how will I know it’s safe to put back in there? It’s got to be completely healed?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Chickens are attracted to blood.

I'd take care that they don't overheat in the tote along with adding extra heat in the bathroom. Totes are notorious for holding a lot of heat in and chicks don't tolerate that very well.

 

[ginasgardens]

Thank you. That’s why I’m just using a white light bulb. The red heat lamps was way overkill

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sometimes with white light you may see more picking, so watch for that. You may have to find a red incandescent bulb but wait and see how it goes.