Chicken pecked badly, need advice!

[KRack]

Hello!

I took in a chicken from a friend of mine, who is really badly injured. She looks scalped, and looks to have lost one or both eyes. I started feeding her sugar water because she was clearly in shock, then fed her egg (not cooked) in a syringe, and regular water. She made it through the night!

She’s very, very thin. Basically just bones. I started treating her for worms because that was my initial thought. I also sprayed her with elector PSP just to cover that base.

I notice that she stands, instead of laying, with her head slouched down and forward. Like she’s trying to rest but doesn’t feel safe enough to lay down yet. She swallows a lot when she lifts her head, like she was drooling or something and has spit to swallow. I’ve never dealt with sour crop, so I didn’t know if this could be a symptom of that? I don’t feel a squishy crop or smell anything, but I haven’t really stuck my face in her beak.

She’s so sweet. Her bleeding has stopped and she’s talking, but can’t really see and is obviously in pain and discomfort. I put antibiotic ointment on the wound, but it was dried by the time I got her and didn’t want to pick too much at this time.

Any advice is welcome!!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I'm so sorry about your new addition!

Clean her wound with saline, trim the feathers away from her wound and slather her wound with Neosporin or any triple antibiotic ointment, repeat twice a day.

Could you wrap her up in a towel and hold her to see if she'll relax?

Keep offering sweetened water and the raw yolk, it's excellent nutrition.

Tagging @MysteryChicken for more tips.

 

[LizGio]

"For any facial tissue, I prefer using Saline, Vetericyn or Banixx - something that can be used around and in the eyes.
Saline for cleansing wounds can be made at home with 2tsp salt to 1quart of water. To make it sterile, simmer on the stove for 15minutes.

Triple antibiotic ointment to the wounds, this can be put on the face and in the eye if necessary. Just warm it a bit between your fingers to make it easier to apply to delicate facial tissue.

If she has other wounds on her body, then trim the feathers away from the wounds so you can see them better and it's less messy."

 

[KRack]

Thank you, both!! I did have her in a towel and she did relax, but I can’t hold her all day so I was hoping time would help her feel more safe and comfortable here?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Thank you, both!! I did have her in a towel and she did relax, but I can’t hold her all day so I was hoping time would help her feel more safe and comfortable here?

Keep holding her when you can. Otherwise keep her in a dim warm room.

 

[LizGio]

My injured baby stood for the longest time. I don't know why. Push fluids with vitamins and electrolytes and give her a quiet, dim, and warm place to rest. Don't worry about her eating right away.

 

[KRack]

My injured baby stood for the longest time. I don't know why. Push fluids with vitamins and electrolytes and give her a quiet, dim, and warm place to rest. Don't worry about her eating right away.

This is reassuring, thank you! Ok, I’ll do that!! I have some hydrohen here that I can give her.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hello!

I took in a chicken from a friend of mine, who is really badly injured. She looks scalped, and looks to have lost one or both eyes. I started feeding her sugar water because she was clearly in shock, then fed her egg (not cooked) in a syringe, and regular water. She made it through the night!

She’s very, very thin. Basically just bones. I started treating her for worms because that was my initial thought. I also sprayed her with elector PSP just to cover that base.

I notice that she stands, instead of laying, with her head slouched down and forward. Like she’s trying to rest but doesn’t feel safe enough to lay down yet. She swallows a lot when she lifts her head, like she was drooling or something and has spit to swallow. I’ve never dealt with sour crop, so I didn’t know if this could be a symptom of that? I don’t feel a squishy crop or smell anything, but I haven’t really stuck my face in her beak.

She’s so sweet. Her bleeding has stopped and she’s talking, but can’t really see and is obviously in pain and discomfort. I put antibiotic ointment on the wound, but it was dried by the time I got her and didn’t want to pick too much at this time.

Any advice is welcome!!

I'd offer her some warm electrolytes, & vitamin water. Like from the Sav A Chick electrolytes packs. Get her energy level back up.

For the wound itself, keep it clean, & apply Triple Antibiotic ointment(non Pain Relieving)to the wound to keep it moist for proper healing. One important thing is to make sure the wound has a good amount of dry out time before each application of ointment.

 

[Eggcessive]

Were the chickens overcrowded or have roosters where she came from? It looks like she was attacked by a rooster or older hens. It will take most of a week for the swelling around her eyes to go down, in order to check her eyes. Keep applying the plain Neosporin to the wounds and eyes, and use saline if she is having eye drainage or gunk. Terramycin eye ointment is sometimes available in feed stores, but I have used plain Neosporin in a pinch. Keep her separated with food and water, and dog crates are excellent for that to keep them safe. You can moisten some chicken feed with a lot of water, and scrambled egg or tuna make good treats in moderation.

 

[KRack]

Were the chickens overcrowded or have roosters where she came from? It looks like she was attacked by a rooster or older hens. It will take most of a week for the swelling around her eyes to go down, in order to check her eyes. Keep applying the plain Neosporin to the wounds and eyes, and use saline if she is having eye drainage or gunk. Terramycin eye ointment is sometimes available in feed stores, but I have used plain Neosporin in a pinch. Keep her separated with food and water, and dog crates are excellent for that to keep them safe. You can moisten some chicken feed with a lot of water, and scrambled egg or tuna make good treats in moderation.

I don’t believe she was overcrowded, but I do believe the older hens attacked her. They used to free range on 5 acres, so I’ll see if that’s changed. Because she’s so so thin I thought maybe she just slowed down and seemed sick and they attacked her?

I’ll run out and grab neosporin after church. I’m using triple antibiotic + pain relief right now, but I didn’t realize I shouldn’t be using the pain relief kind, so I won’t do that again.