Chicken with wound of unknown origin....HELP

[sweetchix]

I went outside this morning to fill my chicken's feeder and let them free range. I noticed Scarlett, our alpha chicken, had feather missing just behind her wing. I picked her up to inspect and found a 2x2 inch "wound." The wound is red but doesn't appear to be actively bleeding. My chickens (6) are red sex-links and are about 5 months old. They appear to be in the early stages of molting as their back feathers are coming out. How do I treat Scarlett and keep the wound from getting worse? Any ideas on the cause?

 

[Eggcessive]

If it isn't deep I would spray it with BluKote an antiseptic that will hide the wound so she doesn't get pecked. If it is deep, I would clean it out with soap, betadine, or hibiclens and water, dry it, and apply neosporin or polysporin ointment. You also could use hydrogen peroxide to clean it only once, then apply the ointment.

 

[sweetchix]

After some research and getting a REALLY good look at the wound, it appears to be the result of pecking. The edges are dark, almost black, and I'm not sure if it is a scab (since the wound has bled) or necrotic tissue. Should the would be debridged and what's the best way?

 

[Eggcessive]

A picture would be helpful Debriding a wound is fairly easy if you are sure it is dead tissue. That is why keeping it moist with neosprin or other ointment is important. For debridement you would just trim off the edges of the wound with scissors until you come to pink viable tissue--if it bleeds it is viable. Apply ointment. Keep her inside in a cage if you need to, since flies will lay eggs causing maggots to infest the wound. BluKote will be necessary when she goes back to the coop to hide it. If you don't have that many flies, keep her in the coop in a cage so she won't lose her place. Just look at the wound often.

 

[sweetchix]

Here is a picture of the wound this afternoon.

 

[Eggcessive]

Try this: put some hydrogen peroxide on it for a few minutes--just drop a little onto make it wet, holding a wash cloth around the edges so it doesn't get all over because it can sting the skin. Then apply warm wet compresses to it for 20 minutes or so--you could hold her and wrap her with a towel on your lap. It should turn lighter and mushy. This should soften the tissue so that you can tell if it is a scab or necrotic tissue. You can debride any necrotic tissue with tweezers a little at a time. If the tissue is dead, it shouldn't hurt so bad. Wish I could help you do this because it will probably be difficult. If there is bleeding, stop, and apply some pressure with a pad. Be sure and coat well with neosporin and re-coat so that it doesn't dry out.

 

[sweetchix]

Followed your advice but the black skin didn't flake off so I assumed it was necrotic. I clipped the necrotic tissue back to the pink skin. Did have sime bleeding but used steptic powder to stop. Wr had to wrap afterward becausr I was afraid she would start bleeding again. We now have het in her own pen on the backporch. The wound has scabbed over and we are keeping it flushed with diluted betadine and neosporin.

 

[sweetchix]

Now that the wound has scabbed over do I need to remove the scab or just let nature takes it course?