Healing Chicken Wounds!

[casportpony]

Maybe she is just sore, but not eating or not drink does worry me.

 

[mamachula]

Exactly, I know it's the big red flag - when a chicken won't eat. So we're trying to find ways to inspire her to start eating and regaining the appetite. I'm sure her leg hurts like hell, so that I get... Thanks for your advice and help!

Maybe she is just sore, but not eating or not drink does worry me.

 

[Grace11]

FWIW, if she were mine, id suspect an internal infection from the wound. clean deeper, and start internal antibiotics asap. If you search for ''fish meds" one gets dozens of choices to order. that way u can keep them in the fridge for whenever this comes up again. also look at aquarium stores, they may may keep a small amount in stock.

i always keep several assorted varieties around. I think I get a magazine from REVIVAL, i ordered penicillin from them and still occasionally order something from them for the other animals and here is a link;
https://www.revivalanimal.com/?a=br...MIuvix1fu74AIVEcZkCh3NVQccEAAYAiAAEgKoJPD_BwE

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is one place that sells cephalexin for fish:
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...0IYl8M_7aVJeBrfmo_4r-sWUM1NQDmmBoCqwkQAvD_BwE

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Poor baby!!!!! I hope she pulls through for you!!!!
Best of luck and keep us posted on her progress.....

 

[Al Capon]

We're in rural CA, and my understanding is that you can't get antibiotics without a vet's prescription. No vets nearby here! I'm not sure how to get any internal antibiotic with the new federal laws... advice?

You can buy just about anything you need, you just need to know where to look.

Fish Mox 250mg, once or twice a day..

 

[casportpony]

Fish Mox 250mg, once or twice a day..

The dose most vet books say to use is ~57 mg per pound of body weight twice a day. If mine, I would give a five pound hen no less than 250 mg twice a day.

Cephalexin dose is the same.

 

[mamachula]

Thank you! We will order some asap and hopefully that cleans her up...

 

[Banditschickens]

watching

 

[mamachula]

So... we ended up taking the muchacha to the vet as she was not really moving or eating. Definitely appears to have gotten some kind of internal infection (vet fears possible septic, but we got her on meds now), not sure how. It was a significant wound though, so it would have been easy for some bug to get in. Then the reason she couldn't walk was that her leg had started to scab to her chest as she was just sitting all day. Vet had to sort of pull it apart so she can actually heal, and said we need to move her leg around everyday so it comes apart fully and can heal properly. One also has to work extra hard to keep them clean in this state, because just sitting and being ill they basically diarrhea all over themselves and it can become pretty messy. Be warned! haha We learned a lot just by talking to the vets. They did some things there to help her and gave us the meds. At some point one has to force feed a real sick chick or it's one less chicken real soon - seems they can fade rapidly once they start to fade. I think we certainly can just try things out and most chickens will probably be ok, plus I'm sure some folks are not gona spend a bunch of dollars on chicken healthcare! But it's good to learn. The vets advised (expectedly) against just ordering anit-biotics and even didn't verify stuff like vetericyn. But after 1 full day of meds and more eating she definitely appears better, and significantly more animated.

It's been good to learn some chicken maintenance!
Will update after another couple of days on the mend...