DEEP WOUND!!!

[Anne4596]

Well today I came home and one of my pullets had escaped from her integration pen. My older hens had eaten away her skin down to the muscle, and she lost a lot of blood. Her oil gland is toast. We bandaged her with gauze and medical tape and brought her inside. This is my first time dealing with a big injury like this. What else should I do? Please help me!!

 

[Anne4596]

Please respond!!!!

 

[azygous]

First you need to get some electrolytes into her and keep her drinking.

Clean the wound well with soap and water if you haven't yet. You will need to clean the wounds twice a day.

Get some Vetericyn wound spray. It's worth the price. Spray the cleaned wounds with it and then smooth on triple antibiotic ointment.

If she's segregated, no need to try to bandage the wounds. But line her crate with clean towels instead of straw or shavings.

Clean wounds twice every single day. Keep ointment on the wounds and do not allow the wounds to dry out.

Do this and she will heal.

 

[Anne4596]

First you need to get some electrolytes into her and keep her drinking.

Clean the wound well with soap and water if you haven't yet. You will need to clean the wounds twice a day.

Get some Vetericyn wound spray. It's worth the price. Spray the cleaned wounds with it and then smooth on triple antibiotic ointment.

If she's segregated, no need to try to bandage the wounds. But line her crate with clean towels instead of straw or shavings.

Clean wounds twice every single day. Keep ointment on the wounds and do not allow the wounds to dry out.

Do this and she will heal.

Thank you so much!!!! This is great information. I was wondering if it would help if I flushed the wound with a saline wash. Would this help at all?

 

[azygous]

Saline is a good wash for wounds. Do it every day.

If you care for the wounds religiously, your pullet will heal. It will amaze you. But don't stop when they scab over. Keep cleaning them and keep them moist until new skin grows over the wounds. They will heal from the outside toward the center, creating ridges, but pay that no mind as it will flatten out eventually.

 

[Anne4596]

I noticed that her oil gland is completely gone. Will it grow back? If not, is there any substitute for the oil they put on their feathers? Also, would putting Aquaphor in the wound help? Thanks again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed that her oil gland is completely gone. Will it grow back? If not, is there any substitute for the oil they put on their feathers? Also, would putting Aquaphor in the wound help? Thanks again.

Personally I would not put Aquaphor on deep cut/wounds. @azygous has given you good advice, flushing with saline and apply Vetericyn or triple antibiotic ointment (something like Neosporin) would be best. While Aquaphor is not a "bad" product, it would be more suitable to use on minor scrapes or chapped/dry skin - I don't see where it contains any antiseptic ingredients that would be in order for deep wounds.

Just my thoughts.

Posting some photos of her wounds and of the preen gland would be helpful as well.

 

[azygous]

Follow the directions as provided. Don't substitute.

Your hen will do just fine without a preening gland. It's not a life and death matter. All it means is her feathers will lack water repellency and they may break more easily and the fluffy butt feathers may lose their fluff sooner before being replaced by molting. As long as she has access to a place to dirt bathe, she will be able to take adequate care of her feathers.

You may also need to be extra vigilant for lice since she could be slightly more vulnerable to them without preening oil, but that's a debatable issue.

 

[Anne4596]

Never mind on the preening gland, I got a better look at it and they just barely missed the oil gland. Here is a pic of the wound if that helps:

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[Wyorp Rock]

Never mind on the preening gland, I got a better look at it and they just barely missed the oil gland. Here is a pic of the wound if that helps:

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Glad to hear the preening gland is intact

The wound looks pretty good - you are taking care of it. Continue to keep it clean and apply your antibiotic ointment/Vetericyn. Watch for any signs of infection - pus, oozing and odors.

Keep us posted.