Dog got hen

[dozen chickens]

Hi! My red star, Tigger, got into the neighbors yard yesterday and attacked by his dog. He isn't too awful bad, but the dog was able to take a chunk of skin off of Tigger's back. Tigger got away and I picked her she didnt look too bad. I put some neosporin in and on the wound, and put her in the coop to see what she did next. She stayed in there for maybe 15 minutes, and then jumped into a box and laid an egg. She then got something to eat and drink like normal, and went outside with the rest of the flock. Well, I think my mistake was letting her be with the flock because one of the roosters mated and ended up tearing her wound open much larger. It was about an inch long, and at the widest part it gapped about 1/4 inch wide. It is now about 2 inches long and the widest part is about 3/8 inch wide. I put her in the other coop (seperated by fencing with a broody hen on the other side) and she is eatting and drinking normally. I put some wound cream on but I have read that Blu-Cote works wonders. I am wondering if she stands any chance or if I should cull her before she suffers? Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

 

[bockbock2008]

The neosporin is good but make sure you don't use the kind with pain releif in it. Just plain neosporin. And yes, you will probably need blue kot or some kind of no pick remedy for a while until she starts feathering out again. I use a combo of pine tar with neosporin mixed in with it and that works well. You can get pine tar at any farm supply store and its pretty cheap. I think around 5 or 6 dollars for a pint can which will last forever.

 

[dozen chickens]

Thanks so much! So do you think she does stand a chance, this is our first wound... I am thinking I will also put some antibiotic and electrolytes in her water. Yikes, the neosporin is pain relief. I only used it yesterday, today I put on wound cream, I cant think of what it is called but it isnt pain relief. What is wrong with the pain relief kind, out of curiosity?

 

[SpottedCrow]

Oh Heck yes...they can have injuries that would know that YOU would lay down and die from and they can just shake it off...
Tigger should be fine.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
This thread explains:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=133860

 

[dozen chickens]

I feel SOOO much better! I was going back and forth wondering if we should put her down while she still is feeling okay, but it sounds like we should be fine! YEAH- she is one of our sweetest hens!

Also, thanks for explaining about the pain relief... YIKES, glad she is okay! I wont do that again!

 

[dozen chickens]

I just realized I might not have explained the wound very well. I can see the meat below her skin... Her skin is gaping, at the most about 3/8 inch, but it is about 2 inches long... Just wanted to be sure I didnt give a false sense of what the wound is like...

 

[CMV]

She should be fine if she doesn't get an infection in the wound. Chickens are incredibly resilient. Blukote works wonders on even the worst wounds. I found it to be much better than using Neosporin because it helps to dry out the wound and the chicken is not going to pick at it as much. Antibiotics in her water might also be a good idea. Good luck!