Chicken got attacked by raccoon, has a hole under her wing

[SmiYa0126]

Ok that's good! X2 as eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Saline is what is used to irrigate wounds and exposed organs in surgery, so it is the best and mildest thing to use. You can make some at home by boiling a quart of water and 2 tsp of table salt, then cooling it and placing it in a clean jar. A smaller amount is 1 tsp per 16 ounces of water, or 1/2 tsp per 8 ounce cup.

Amoxicillin or Aqua Mox is not available due to a shortage. Other antibiotics may be available online or from your vet.

Hibiclens chlorhexidene is available in WalMart in the first aid aisle. They also sell Equate First Aid Antiseptic, a brand of Betadine povidone iodine in the same aisle. Get some help to clean her wound until it becomes easier.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Tagging @MysteryChicken, I had a similar thing happen with my hen after a rooster mated her and tore her side. Is the scab lifting around the edges at all?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Ok. She is by herself in her coop. So I just use the saline daily? How many times a day should I use it? How do I do the warm saline compress? I never done it before.

Here's the recipe for saline that egg essive posted "

Saline is what is used to irrigate wounds and exposed organs in surgery, so it is the best and mildest thing to use. You can make some at home by boiling a quart of water and 2 tsp of table salt, then cooling it and placing it in a clean jar. A smaller amount is 1 tsp per 16 ounces of water, or 1/2 tsp per 8 ounce cup."

Soak a clean cloth, something that doesn't produce lint. Squeeze the excess moisture out so it's not dripping, then place on the wound. It should feel pleasantly warm against the inside of your wrist. After the compress slather with Neosporin or coconut oil.

Oh one more thing, a bit counter intuitive but having access to a dust bath will also help.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/amoxicillin-scam-site.1612885/
Oh, and @Eggcessive, don't recommend these guys because they are scammers. Just thought I would tell you and give you a heads up.

 

[Eggcessive]

The B complex is given 1/4 to 1/2 tablet into the beak or in food daily. It is for the feet. Okay, almost every website is out of stock. My mistake.

 

[azygous]

If you or relatives and friends have any leftover people prescriptions, those work for chickens. Just find them and tell us what they are and what strength and we can help figure out the dosage.

 

[azygous]

I did some online crawling and found that no fish antibiotics are available, and Midland the main supplier is no longer producing them. It appears that after threatening to curtail these over-the-counter meds for two decades, the US government is finally cracking down on outlets selling them, as of January 2024. The US has joined Europe and Canada and Australia is curbing the procurement of these meds except through a licensed vet.

I suggest cultivating your local vet to assist you in acquiring amoxicillin to keep on hand for your chickens, and also enlist all family and friends to save leftover antibiotics for you.

 

[azygous]

Most of us here are going to need to resort to other means of healing than antibiotics, it appears. After all, it's really the immune system that is responsible for most of the healing. The antibiotic is only to target the bacterium and take shots at it, reducing the numbers so the immune system can kick the rest out.

We'll need to read up on homeopathic/herbal substances such as St John's Wort, which you might consider giving to your patient as it can help with lameness. Others such as Echinacea and turmeric can help with infection. Research the internet for more. But before you give anything to your chickens, search to see if it is a toxin to poultry or you could end up with a poisoned chicken.

 

[azygous]

It's possible that your hen is dying from infection. Puncture wounds almost immediately start to grow bacteria as it's impossible to wash a deep wound. Raccoons have bacteria laden mouths and they almost always bite deeply. Such a wound has to be treated immediately with an oral antibiotic or the infection will spread to all the rest of the body. Probably what is happening to your hen is her organs are shutting down due to infection overwhelming the body. Her legs and feet won't work because she's getting weaker.

Now that the US government has cracked down on sales of all antibiotics, including the fish meds we all have been relying on to treat infection in our chickens, the first thing we must do is to befriend a vet closest to us. Start by asking a close friend with a dog or cat which vet they use and if they like the vet. Ask around until you find a good recommendation.

Next step is to go into that office and have a friendly chat. Explain you have chickens and will require their services occasionally to procure an antibiotic for you so that you can treat your chicken. You also will need a simple fecal float test occasionally when you suspect parasites, but that you will assume all responsibility for treatment.

This is necessary to assure the vet, because most do not treat poultry, that they need not concern themselves with treatment. This is what I did early on many years ago when I began my flock. I had a vet who treated my cat, and he would occasionally sell me an antibiotic for a sick chicken, and also has done fecal tests for me.

I suggest you do this immediately. It may be too late to save this chicken, but you will have established a relationship with a vet for next time you need antibiotics. As I said, we all must do this now that we can no longer order these meds online. Herbal remedies will only do so much. I doubt they could help in this late stage with your hen. But next time, you will have a source to obtain an antibiotic quickly and will not have to watch your sick chicken die. Because unless we all have a vet in our pocket, that's exactly what we will be doing.