HELP!! Chicken Attacked Under-belly ripped open, what can I do?

[scratch'n'peck]

I know it is it is hard taking care of a chicken with a wound. You are doing what you can. Trimming the feathers like you did is fine. It is normal for her not to be interested in food at first - the digestive system slows down after such a trauma. Considering the location of the wound, keeping it wrapped is probably a good idea.

I found a good link that explains how to care for a wound and give a Pen injection:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352701/how-do-i-administer-a-penicillin-shot-to-a-chicken

Our hen was quite cooperative when we gave her an injection. It did not seem to hurt her much.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I just reread your last post and wanted to add:

If she does not drink any water with encouragement by dipping her beak, then you will want to start dripping water down the side of her beak with a dropper, syringe or even a straw.

 

[melsherm3]

If you can keep it clean (try saline and iodine/betadine mixed) and uninfected for the first few days, she could heal up great and be fine. (Stop with the iodine after a few days. It hinders healing) Put neosporin on the wound (not the kind with pain killer) for a while. Also, try feeding her yogurt with probiotics and putting a little bit of gatorade in her water. And keep her in a warm place. I had a similar problem last month and blogged about it. This might make you feel better. I have a lot of photos of her progress. It was a very large wound - somewhat similar to yours:

http://www.richiecunningham.net/2012/04/chicken-wound-healing-process.html

Melissa

 

[melsherm3]

Not sure of the right answer to this, but you don't want to trap infection inside the bandages. I'd make sure there is at least an opening in the bandages to let the wound seep. Since it's near the vent though, I guess you don't want poop getting in the wound. Otherwise, I'd say forget the bandages all together.

 

[lilyb]

So just an update:
The chicken is still alive (yay) but she is very thin and sleeps a lot. She doesn't really drink and I havent seen her eat anything. This morning she tried to eat but she misses the food when she pecks at it. She did get injured on her ear and its blocked and scabbed over... I don't know if there is something wrong internally with her ear that is causing her to act this way. I haven't given her the penicillin yet because I thought she was feeling better but now I think I might have to.
The wound on her belly is looking much better and it hasnt gotten infected. I clean her box about twice a day to make sure shes not resting in any poop and I try to keep the wound as clean as possible. Now I'm not as worried about her belly but I'm so worried that she hasnt been eating and acts all confused... how can I make her eat? What can I do? I don't want her to starve to death. How long can a chicken live on just water?

 

[lilyb]

I read your blog Melissa (very helpful) and I see that you let the chicken out with the other hens. I haven't done that, because I'm really concerned not to let the wound get any worse. But maybe I'll try that to encourage her to eat? Mayeb if she sees the other hens eating she'll eat to? Its been almost a week and all she has had is a little water and orange juice.

 

[jjthink]

I am sorry not to have seen this sooner. You will lose her without adequate hydration
and ultimately without adequate food. She may well need the antibiotic injection as there may be internal injuries. They can be amazingly resilient and get through a lot of trauma but she needs more intervention now - she should be rallying. Something is very wrong that she's still not eating or drinking - it means she feels like total crud. Do not delay. (I did have a roo that did not eat or drink till day 6 after trauma and he fully recovered but he may be the exception in terms of how long they can go - and the difference with him is that he got stronger, not weaker with time).. Call 4-H groups if any in the area and see who their go to person is for injured/ailing chickens. JJ

 

[melsherm3]

It worked for me to get them to eat, but if they try to peck the wound and she lets them, then you'll have to isolate her again. You could also try putting a fence between them that they can stick their head through and putting food where they can both reach.

Also, try dripping water on her beak (not in, she'll choke) with an eye dropper or something. Also, maybe try just wiping yogurt on her beak. I find mine are more likely to eat if it's hanging on their mouth.

I hope everything works out!

 

[lilyb]

She's definitely more active, I brought her outside with the other chickens and she pecked around and walked. Although she's still not interested in food/water, even when the other hens where going crazy for it. I did see her try and peck at the ground but it was whimpy at best. She has definitely lost some weight but she seems more active than she did 5 days ago. Her ear drum is completely scabbed over- I'm not sure if her inability to peck or eat is due to vertigo or something. The penicillin I have is 300,000 units per ml...

 

[samouw]

I am a newbie to chickens (just over a year) and I have no experience with a wound like that on a chicken (dogs and horses, yes), but I will share my experience with one of the my barred rocks that hurt her leg. She had apparently landed wrong when she flew off the PVC "tree" we have in the chicken yard and was lying on the ground when I went out for evening feed. Instead of coming to see what treats I had, she just lay on the ground and I knew something was wrong. I picked her up and fixed a dog crate for her in an isolated area inside - away from us and the dogs in the house, as I thought she would rest better if she was kept quiet and without distraction.

By the third day, I knew she was not going to make it if I didn't do something. She wouldn't eat and was only drinking a little. She was sitting in the very back of her crate with her head tucked under her wing and the light had gone out of her eyes. So I moved her and the dog crate into the den with us and with the dogs. I don't know why I thought she was just lonely, but apparently that is exactly what it was. Within a day she had perked up noticeably and within two days, she was eating and drinking nicely.

I know infection is a big concern for you right now - which wasn't an issue for Curly Sue - but you might want to think about bringing her out of isolation into an area of the house where there is more going on. I've read that chickens who are "abandoned" will become very depressed and die just from the loneliness.

I don't know if this will help - it just my (very limited) experience.

Good luck with your hen.

Susan