Help! My hens have open infected wounds from aggressive mounting

[elisa]

I have 5 hens, 2 buff orpingtons and 3 barred rocks all 1 year old.
They have all lost some feathers due to molting and overly aggressive mating from a rooster that I have since removed from the hens. I picked up both the buffs this morning to look their bare backs over and discovered that they both have pretty nasty silver dollar size open wounds under their wings that are thickly crusted over, dirty and quite infected and swollen. I didn't realize this before because you have to hold up their wings to see it. I looks like right where the rooster mounts his talons on them. Please tell me how to deal with this, it looks bad. I have a bunch of basic first aid on hand. If this were on a human it looks bad enough that one might need to lance it.
Any advice please? I'm worried.
Thanks

 

[chickensioux]

You can clean the wounds with povidone iodone and use neosporin (without pain killer) on the wounds. Keep the hens away from the roo until they have healed. Also watch for infection (oozing, pus, smell) and use antibiotics if nec. Alot of people use saddles on their hens if they are especially harassed my the roo. Good luck.

 

[elisa]

Should I cover the wounds after I clean them?
I could wrap gauze all the way around their middle.
Will they tolerate this and is it necessary?
When you say antibiotics may be needed is that something
I can acquire over the counter, will medicated mash help at all?
I know its alot of questions but I'm only a year into being a chicken
owner.
Should we stop eating our eggs till these infections clear up?
Thanks.
elisa.

 

[lalaland]

this will be time consuming, but you need to get those wounds cleaned. This means bathing/soaking in warm water.

Hens will be scared at first, but usually settled down and relax in the water. You will want a tub deep enough to get to where the wounds are - maybe your kitchen sink (you can disinfect the sink after this), or a tub. Get towels ready, and a hair dryer.

One at a time, obviously. Soak, soak, soak - gently try to remove some of the yucky stuff - you will be able to get a better look at the wounds after they are cleaned up. You might try hydrogen peroxide on the wounds to help clean out....if puss, try to drain.....bacitracin or something for the wound.

If you think they are badly infected, you probably need antibiotics. Sorry, I don't know what kind would be best for them -

Hair dryer is to dry them so they don't get chilled.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[chickensioux]

Hey again, you can get a broad spectrum antibiotic at most feed stores. Terramycin comes in a powder form. Mix 2 Tbls per gallon of water for 10 days. Only use oral antibiotics if you suspect an infection tho'. Usually, keeping the wounds clean and dry (after soaking if you do this) and putting antibiotic cream on them should do very well.

 

[onecent]

hi, one of my hens was cut very badly under her wing by the roo, i caught her at night, i used dilluted betadine and cleaned the wound up real good, i didnt cover it, and it healed up very nice & fast.

 

[SpringChickens]

I would absolutely use a saddle on them. I made some for some of my hens. All I did was cut up a pair of old jeans. made a square which covered the hens back fairly well, then cut out two ovals for the wings.

Here's a link to the member's page where I got the pattern. It's almost all the way at the bottom.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=167

Good luck

 

[elisa]

Thanks for all your advice!
I cleaned their wounds last night, not much luck getting all the gunk
out, much to crusty. We have a large kitchen sink i will try soaking
them in some warm water then try again. In the midst of all this
happening a fox got a hold of one of my uninjured hens right in front
of me in broad daylight (my dogs were away)I scared it off but now have more wounds to clean(this one not so bad though, clean cuts)
I'll probably call my feed store and see what antibiotics they have available, they're definitely infected and smelly.
Too much chicken drama!
Thanks again,
Elisa.

 

[LynneP]

elisa- long term, you need more hens or less rooster...and be careful with that fox, I had one come up to me while chasing a cat and jump near my face while the cat screamed on my head (and ripped my scalp to pieces). They hunt during the day when they have young and it will come back.