Chicken procedure tips/Handling chicken during first aid.

[ChickenLadyInTheCoop]

One of my Rhode Island Reds, Viola, has a pretty nasty wound on her back, just before where the tail feathers start. The wound is now roughly 3-4 days old (we work 12 hour shifts and don’t get home until after dark so we just noticed the wound the other day. I am finally off to tend to it properly).

Anyways... her wound is now black, with some green swelling at the tip of the tail. Today, I washed her with water and some apple cider vinegar just to clean her up some. There were
bubbles coming from the edges of the wound after I cleaned it. Tomorrow I want to treat her wound.

I need tips on
•how to handle her while trying to debride the necrosis to prevent pain or injury to her.
• debridement process - What do you use, will it hurt her, how to keep her still and calm if it does hurt.
•Should I even debride or is it just a big scab? **Still want the info, either way, for any God-forbidden future wounds.

Unsure if the green swelling is an abscess or bruising. I will take pictures tomorrow and give it a little sniffy-sniff to see if it stinks. Thanks in advance

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Were you able to get some photos?

Do you know how she was injured?

General wound care would be to flush well with hibiclens, betadine or even warm soapy water (rinse the soap well). If on the head/around the eyes use Saline or Vetericyn.

Apply triple antibiotic ointment or vetericyn to the wound. Green is generally bruising.

Not sure about bubbles on the edge of the wound - could it have been the ACV?
Hard to know if it needs debridement - what does it look like, how does it smell, how is the hen?

If she's hard to handle, you can always wrap her in a towel to capture the wings, care not too tight and monitor her for stress.