Chicken has been attacked on neck - skin taken off

[littlelamb0308]

Hello,

I have a beautiful blue maran who has sadly been grabbed through our fencing by a fox on her neck. The fox has ripped her skin so I can see her exposed neck and the top of her.

we’ve separated her into a corner of the chicken house and she was eating and drinking yesterday.

The only spray I found to use was

Leucillin Antiseptic Skincare​

with Hypochlorous acid as the main ingredient.

Can anyone advise if she’s going to make a recovery and also if that antiseptic is enough for her or if I need something stronger please? The person we bought her from didn’t say to cull her so I really don’t want to do that if I don’t need to.

 

[Reliablesquirrel]

Oh no that’s awful ! Sorry, but I don’t know what you should do.

 

[katelwil]

I'm sorry, that looks pretty bad. I can't say if she will make it or not but another spray you can used to clean the wound is vetirycin, it's an antimicrobial. Salt water is also good to clean wounds.

I'd also use an antibiotic, lots of germs are present in dogs/animals mouths. I used terrimycin on an open wound for my turkey and it seemed to work.

After cleaning out the wound it would be a good idea to use Blu kote spray once dry, this will help prevent others pecking at her/self mutilation. But this does look pretty severe.
Hopefully someone will come along with a better idea of whether or not she will make it.

In the mean time I wish you the best of luck treating your hen, I'd hope she would be able to make a full recovery.

You also may want to add nutridrench to her water.

 

[Eggcessive]

I was not familiar with leucillin until I read about it. You can use that or salt water—1/2 tsp per cup (8 oz water) boiled for a few minutes and cooled. Chlorhexidene and water is also good to use. If an antibiotic ointment or cream is available, that also can help to keep the wound moist and free of bacteria. Recovery depends on if any internal damage was done, any air sac leakage, infection, and how well she eats and drinks. Keep her isolated from pecking and flies. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[littlelamb0308]

I was not familiar with leucillin until I read about it. You can use that or salt water—1/2 tsp per cup (8 oz water) boiled for a few minutes and cooled. Chlorhexidene and water is also good to use. If an antibiotic ointment or cream is available, that also can help to keep the wound moist and free of bacteria. Recovery depends on if any internal damage was done, any air sac leakage, infection, and how well she eats and drinks. Keep her isolated from pecking and flies. Let us know how she gets along.

I’ve just ordered some iodine as I read another post about a chicken with a much worse injury than mine where her owner watered it down and washed it daily and put some ointment on. The chicken breeder said he’s used Savlon ointment as well! So May try that once there’s actually some skin for the ointment to go on.
Going to saline solution wash her each time, clean with watered down iodine and spray the antiseptic spray. She’s away from the other chickens but keeps wanting to get out so that’s good. She’s in a dim-lit area on her own to rest and recover. Going to also put some ACV in her water

 

[littlelamb0308]

Update: it’s been 6 days since her attack. She’s now stopped laying eggs but she’s eating, drinking and wanted to be with the other chickens so we let her out of isolation as they aren’t interested in her wound. Is the egg laying bit something to worry about or will she start again as it heals?

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you for the update, and glad that she is back with her flock. I have only had one hen attacked before, and after her dog attack, my best layer stopped laying, went into a molt, and did not start laying again for about 3 months. Her eggs had been large and hard shelled every day, but her eggs after were either thin-shelled or shell-less from then on. She died later of egg yolk peritonitis. So I do think stopping laying is probably a normal occurrence after severe stress.

 

[littlelamb0308]

Thank you for the update, and glad that she is back with her flock. I have only had one hen attacked before, and after her dog attack, my best layer stopped laying, went into a molt, and did not start laying again for about 3 months. Her eggs had been large and hard shelled every day, but her eggs after were either thin-shelled or shell-less from then on. She died later of egg yolk peritonitis. So I do think stopping laying is probably a normal occurrence after severe stress.

Oh no I’m sorry for your loss. When she stopped laying was she still eating and drinking as normal?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, she was eating and drinking and only a year old when attacked. Mine had scrapes, cuts, some trouble walking, and feather loss. She did live for about 1 1/2 years after the attack. I think her oviduct was damaged where her egg shells were made.

 

[Jenessa_096]

Update: it’s been 6 days since her attack. She’s now stopped laying eggs but she’s eating, drinking and wanted to be with the other chickens so we let her out of isolation as they aren’t interested in her wound. Is the egg laying bit something to worry about or will she start again as it heals?

Aww, thank you for the update. Wishing a full recovery