HELP! Hen has injury under belly

[froghollow8]

One of our 5 mo old Aussie chicks got spooked into a wire fence today. She got herself wedged and the hubby & son pulled her out. When I checked the chicks tonight, she's bleeding from a gash on her underbelly just behind the ribcage. She has some small bleeders, probably broken feathers, but one looks deeper than the others and is bleeding. I've separated her, brought her in to keep her warm (she is not shaking yet but prob reopened the cut and will go shocky). She is standing on her own with equal weight on both feet but has 1 foot at an odd angle.

Ideas? What can I do? Best way to apply pressure/get her clotting?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have betadine or iodine or another antiseptic wash, clean it with that and warm water, then put pressure with a clean pad to get the bleeding to clot for 2-3 minutes. An antibiotic ointment to cover it, then isolate her in a small pen with food and water. She may be shocky. Later, if she will eat any tempting foods such as chopped egg or raw egg, yogurt with crumbles, and make sure she is drinking. Watch for infection as she may need some penicillin or other antibiotic.

 

[froghollow8]

thanks - she's not shocky, and she is isolated already with moistened food granules and leftover corn from our dinner plus water. I've applied pressure and it's still oozing a spot of watery-blood. Right now I have a gauze pad applied to it to see if it stops. She wants to sleep and seems calm, not shaking or cold as I would assume she'd be if in shock.

Am I reading the signs right & doing the right things? Had chickens growing up, but Dad did all the first aid.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sounds like you are doing fine. Chickens are very tough. When the wound heals a bit, if you use some BluKote spray on it she shouldn't be pecked by the other chickens when she goes back with them. Watch out for flies though as they can lay eggs and maggot are bad for wounds. I would keep her in a crate near the others so she doesn't loose her spot in the pecking order.