Favorite EE had wing ripped off by predator. Recommendations to prevent infection?

[m1chelle1]

I am so sorry for you and your poor bird!
It sounds like you are taking good care of her wounds. I just wanted to warn you to watch out for a fly-strike in the wound. (Flies will lay eggs in an open wound, and then, once they hatch, it is not fun to be picking maggots out of the wound - personal experience from other pets). Do your best to keep it covered so nothing can get in it. If you notice her getting hot and sweaty around the covering while she is outdoors, it may be best to take her inside for a while (or in an enclosed area). Flies are attracted to the hot, sweaty areas and could lay eggs in this moist environment.
I don't want to scare you, I just want you to be aware of this because it could be devastating to the bird's health if it is accidentally overlooked.

I hope your little girl feels better soon!

Thank you. Yes, I have it 100% covered and keep and eye on her when she is out to make sure she’s not being overly swarmed. Seems like the wound must be doing ok because I haven’t seen a single fly take interest, thankfully. But I don’t think they can get to it at all. Trust me they are a big concern for me too!

 

[ninja333pirate]

I suggest packing any open wounds with either sugar or honey then wrap the wound up well. It is called a sugar wrap, and what sugar/honey does is draws the moisture out of bacteria which inhibits its ability to reproduce. There is a channel on Youtube called Vetranch and what they do is take in dogs from shelters that have really bad wounds and fix them up and adopt them out. on their channel was a dog with a rather large wound on its neck just gapping open and the vet took sugar and packed the wound full and then wrapped the wound up and over time the wound closed without sutures. The video that shows it is titled "how is this dog still alive" if you want to see the process yourself.

Also these threads might be of some help to you
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-off-by-bobcat-help-graphic-pictures.1421731/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...had-wing-ripped-off-graphic-pictures.1429383/

First is someone asking the same question as you and the second is the update to the roosters situation. it was a rooster who had his wing ripped off by a bobcat. it might have some useful info for you.

 

[Naomi142]

Hi All,
Been having a predator problem. Had my favorite EE who we are now calling “One Wing” get her wing ripped off a few days ago. I’ve just been super busy with everything I haven’t had time to ask for advice! She seems to be eating and drinking well now. What I’ve done so far is:

day 1- found her, bleeding had all but stopped. Chicken was in shock. Washed the wound, sanitized my hands, and then her wound with hydrogen peroxide. Wrapped her wing nub in gauze and a wrap. Went to TSC to get supplies for the wound.
Later: unwrapped and applied Vectricyn RX spray to wing nub (wound). Let dry a bit, then applied hen healer ointment to nub so gauze doesn’t stick. I do this TWICE a day, minimum. And since yesterday (day 2) I’ve been fully covering the nub with a cut short sleeve she can’t get off and been letting her run around with her sisters, because she wants to be a real chicken.
Overnight she stays in her kennel with vitamin water and her food pellets. Very little eating or drinking till today.

I’ve been syringe feeding her water with vitamins (duravet) and also giving her nutri-drench twice a day via syringe feeding since day one.

This is all I’ve done except for isolating her inside in the cool air in her kennel (safe and clean) away from flies mosquitoes, other birds etc.

Any recommendations for what else I should do? She is actually doing really well but I’m worried about possible infection at this point. I haven’t don’t antibiotic, an no, I cannot afford an avian vet (thank you).
Was thinking possible antibiotics but idk what kind at all!

thanks y’all.
I’ll post pics of her and the nub and stuff over here.
Warning- graphic

Cheers
M

Looks good but you will need a vet for the antibiotics because you need the right medicine and treatment. good luck to your girl.

 

[ninja333pirate]

Here is another thread I had seen a while back (I had even posted the sugar wrap video on it if you want to watch it there)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-wing-torn-off-pic.1206985/

and in that thread is a link to another thread of a rooster who had his wing ripped off and that one has a lot of replies so may be a good one to check out as well.

 

[m1chelle1]

I suggest packing any open wounds with either sugar or honey then wrap the wound up well. It is called a sugar wrap, and what sugar/honey does is draws the moisture out of bacteria which inhibits its ability to reproduce. There is a channel on Youtube called Vetranch and what they do is take in dogs from shelters that have really bad wounds and fix them up and adopt them out. on their channel was a dog with a rather large wound on its neck just gapping open and the vet took sugar and packed the wound full and then wrapped the wound up and over time the wound closed without sutures. The video that shows it is titled "how is this dog still alive" if you want to see the process yourself.

Also these threads might be of some help to you
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-off-by-bobcat-help-graphic-pictures.1421731/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...had-wing-ripped-off-graphic-pictures.1429383/

First is someone asking the same question as you and the second is the update to the roosters situation. it was a rooster who had his wing ripped off by a bobcat. it might have some useful info for you.

Thank you!!! Very helpful. I’m going to have to try the amoxicillin regimen too

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

The skin won't grow back over that bone so the bone will have to be removed. I read another thread not long ago where exposed wing bone was clipped to just below the joint and within a week the joint had turned black and the remaining bit of bone just fell off and the bird healed up just fine. I cannot advise on how to do this but that bone can't stay. If you wait it out to see if it falls off on its own, the thread I read was flushing it twice a day with saline followed by cleaning with iodine and applying antibiotic ointment. Without the skin providing blood supply, that bone is likely already dead now so i don't believe she would feel it if you did amputate.

 

[ninja333pirate]

The skin won't grow back over that bone so the bone will have to be removed. I read another thread not long ago where exposed wing bone was clipped to just below the joint and within a week the joint had turned black and the remaining bit of bone just fell off and the bird healed up just fine. I cannot advise on how to do this but that bone can't stay. If you wait it out to see if it falls off on its own, the thread I read was flushing it twice a day with saline followed by cleaning with iodine and applying antibiotic ointment. Without the skin providing blood supply, that bone is likely already dead now so i don't believe she would feel it if you did amputate.

one of the other threads I saw where there was still bone they realized it had to come off and they used bolt cutters to remove the bone from what it sounds like. and I agree its not likely for the skin to grow over the bone.

 

[m1chelle1]

The skin won't grow back over that bone so the bone will have to be removed. I read another thread not long ago where exposed wing bone was clipped to just below the joint and within a week the joint had turned black and the remaining bit of bone just fell off and the bird healed up just fine. I cannot advise on how to do this but that bone can't stay. If you wait it out to see if it falls off on its own, the thread I read was flushing it twice a day with saline followed by cleaning with iodine and applying antibiotic ointment. Without the skin providing blood supply, that bone is likely already dead now so i don't believe she would feel it if you did amputate.

Ok. My worry is I don’t have any pain meds and I am worried I’ll send her back into shock, due to trauma. She had bad shock poor thing. I’ll have to investigate how to do this the right way. Thank you

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

one of the other threads I saw where there was still bone they realized it had to come off and they used bolt cutters to remove the bone from what it sounds like. and I agree its not likely for the skin to grow over the bone.

The one I read used dog nail clippers and dipped the clippers in rubbing alcohol to sanitize then a metal nail file on any sharp bits in case the skin grew over it but it ended up falling off.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

Ok. My worry is I don’t have any pain meds and I am worried I’ll send her back into shock, due to trauma. She had bad shock poor thing. I’ll have to investigate how to do this the right way. Thank you

Generally, chickens can't have pain meds because it's too toxic and would kill them.