Help - hen barely walking and found hole in her side

[Lyndssxo08]

Okay so I have a hen that usually is pretty crazy and one of the few that kinda stay away from me - I noticed she was walking weird yesterday and she let me pick her up which is SUPER unusual and I picked her up today cuz she didn’t seem to want to walk much at all and she was hiding in a corner. I brought her inside and inspected her and I literally found a hole (looks like an older injury and dry) on her left side under her wing. Please see pics below. She pooped once and it’s yellow and pretty bright green. I attached a pic of that as well. She’s not wanting to eat or drink anything. Please help!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you take her to a vet? What are you seeing inside the wound? Is that intestines? It looks like she may have either been lacerated by a rooster’s spur, or she was attacked by a predator. I suppose she could have ripped her skin on a sharp object such as a nail or fencing. The yellow and grren poop are abnormal. The green is probably from not eating, while the yellow could be yellow urates from a liver problem, egg material, or bacterial infection in the intestines.

What do you have for disinfecting wounds? It would be good to get a look into the wound and use some betadine, chlorhexidene, or Vetericyn Wound Spray. I am not sure that you can save this chicken without some quick vet care.

Do you think that she is too skittish or too tired to eat or drink? Can you try some cooked egg and wet chicken feed with warm water? Do you have any Poultry NutriDrench? @casportpony can you have a look?

 

[Lyndssxo08]

Can you take her to a vet? What are you seeing inside the wound? Is that intestines? It looks like she may have either been lacerated by a rooster’s spur, or she was attacked by a predator. I suppose she could have ripped her skin on a sharp object such as a nail or fencing. The yellow and grren poop are abnormal. The green is probably from not eating, while the yellow could be yellow urates from a liver problem, egg material, or bacterial infection in the intestines.

What do you have for disinfecting wounds? It would be good to get a look into the wound and use some betadine, chlorhexidene, or Vetericyn Wound Spray. I am not sure that you can save this chicken without some quick vet care.

Do you think that she is too skittish or too tired to eat or drink? Can you try some cooked egg and wet chicken feed with warm water? Do you have any Poultry NutriDrench? @casportpony can you have a look?

I just cooked up some egg and gave her that which she inhaled it so quick so she must be pretty hungry! I have Neosporin, hydrogen peroxide, and vetericyn plus. My vet around here just doesn’t seem to have much experience in poultry so I don’t really have much confidence in him whatsoever.

 

[Eggcessive]

Use the Vetericyn Plus on the wound several time a day. No peroxide. If you can get more pictures that would be good. I suppose the Neosporin should be used as well after the Vetericyn dries. I am just a bit nervous about how the insides are showing, but it looks dried up. Hopefully others will chime in with advice.

That is great that she is hungry. Most chickens love a good cooked egg. Hopefully she will drink some.

 

[Lyndssxo08]

Use the Vetericyn Plus on the wound several time a day. No peroxide. If you can get more pictures that would be good. I suppose the Neosporin should be used as well after the Vetericyn dries. I am just a bit nervous about how the insides are showing, but it looks dried up. Hopefully others will chime in with advice.

That is great that she is hungry. Most chickens love a good cooked egg. Hopefully she will drink some.

Okay! Yeah it’s pretty dried up - here’s an updated picture with better lighting

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks. You can see where the wound bleed or drained on her lower feathers. Do you think it might have been a predator or hawk? Do you have a rooster? If so, check his spurs and dull them with clippers or a large file. That is a spot where spur injuries can occur.

Her poop is worrisome to me. Usually, it isn’t bright yellow like that. Can you keep her inside in a dog crate where you can watch her and she is safe from pecking?

I would mix some watery feed very wet, and top it off with some treat she likes.

 

[Eggcessive]

I forgot to say to trim any dirty feathers away from the wound.

 

[Lyndssxo08]

Thanks. You can see where the wound bleed or drained on her lower feathers. Do you think it might have been a predator or hawk? Do you have a rooster? If so, check his spurs and dull them with clippers or a large file. That is a spot where spur injuries can occur.

Her poop is worrisome to me. Usually, it isn’t bright yellow like that. Can you keep her inside in a dog crate where you can watch her and she is safe from pecking?

I would mix some watery feed very wet, and top it off with some treat she likes.

Yes I have her in the house now and I’m sure I’ll keep her in here until it’s healed if it can heal. I got some pedialtye and water in her and 2 cooked pheasant eggs. Not much but it’s some.

 

[Lyndssxo08]

I forgot to say to trim any dirty feathers away from the wound.

The would definitely have a pretty bad stench to it as well

 

[chickenMamee]

The would definitely have a pretty bad stench to it as well

If it stinks it needs a good flushing out. It’s got to be full of bacteria and it looks like it’s been there a few days by the pictures. I’d pack it with neosporin after flushing it out. Warm salt water would help to wash it if you don’t have anything else. I’d also start her on some antibiotics ASAP. It’s a good thing it’s winter or it might have gotten worse pretty fast.