Chick has open head wound. Can see skull. Help!!

[Henrybelle]

They can be resilient but just because they aren’t acting like they are in pain doesn’t mean they aren’t. Check with vet but they might suggest putting it down too so just prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[Jayecookie]

I take back what i said... cull her

 

[micstrachan]

Poor thing. How is she doing? I would bring her inside and offer supportive care like a warm, dark, quiet place to rest. I would flush it with room temperature sterile salinez. If she hangs in there, I would apply antibiotic ointment without pain killer very carefully to keep it moist. Watch for infection, as she may need an antibiotic. She definitely needs to stay hydrated, so keep water within her reach. A pain killer may help, too. Just make sure you get the right dosing. Please let us know how shs’s doing.

 

[SirGirls]

That is an awful sight, but I will say that chickens are a resilient animal. I had a Rhode Island Red that was caught by a fox. The fox carried her several yards until my son yelled at the fox and she let our chicken go. Our chicken did not go unscathed. She had bite wounds on her body. One gash on her back was very large, a good 2", and you could actually see into the cavity of the birds body. We did our best to disinfect the wound and a poor attempt to bandage the wound. The bandages fell off rather quickly and the wound was exposed. We kept an eye on her and repeatedly dressed the wound as best we could. In no time the wound completely healed and she lived the rest of her days happy and healthy. So long story short, perhaps allow nature to do its job and let her heal on her own, and hopefully she will pull through and this will be a distant bad memory in the near future.

 

[eviatammy59aol]

Hey, I'm a Registered Nurse. 30 years trauma and wound experience. I would NOT kill that poor baby. I would treat wound just like a person. Get gause and wet with Normal Saline. Cover wound with wet cause. Apply dry cause over that. Trying to think of way to rig dressing to stay. If you can't get dressing to stay on, Warm Normal Saline Use medicine dropper or very tiny syringe and put on wound twice a day. Keep chick alone and warm. Heat lamp is good. Hope it lives. A hen did that to a newborn of mine last week and it died before I could help it.

 

[eviatammy59aol]

can't stitching be an option? I mean if this was a human you wouldn't just kill them. If it was mine i would probably ball my eyes out. I'm not their and I don't know how the bird is feeling. I had one of my friends have a chicken that she thought was dead when she went out and found it because of the globs of skin and feather she found on the ground after her donkey kicked her hen. she said her hen had a big hole where her hens back used to be. Her chicken went from just laying all day and not moving to a full recovery. Just shows you how resilient chickens can be with their injures and healing.

My pot belly pig bit my chicken on the leg and broke her leg. People said put her down but I got a nail Emory board, Attached it to her leg and secured with cause.

 

[eviatammy59aol]

I had a hen that got her leg broke. I treated her like a person/patient. Put a nail emory board on her leg and wrapped with gause. She healed and runs and keeps up with everybody now.

 

[Trace Dunaway]

View attachment 1374428 View attachment 1374428 Maybe she can't afford a vet? YES STITCHING IS POSSIBLE BUT BETTER TO SHAVE AND PUT THE WHITE BUTTERFLY BANDAGES THAT HUMANS USE TO SEAL THE WOUND. OOps sorry cap lock works, .. cleaning that would be paramount. If you dont have any antibiotics google and see if you can use that fish mox stuff you get at a feed store.. it's actually moxicillian but has to be sol that way as its illegal to sell antibiotics here with out a script.. there's a similar type and its pennicillian. Poor dear lil bird. BRAVE.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

She can be helped! Looks like there is enough tissue to stitch back together. The wound needs to be irrigated with saline and the vet can suggest ointment and dressings. Please get her to a vet ASAP! No need to kill her without trying to treat! People around here seem too quick to post "cull it" IMHO. Please get the bird seen ASAP though, they absolutely do feel pain and she could go into shock.

 

[Trace Dunaway]

Be sure to keep hydrated and warm.. got a heating pad?