Help Wingless Baby Roo

[rekabnivek]

Hi, We have a baby roo (5 week) that was attack by a racoon earlier this week. Both wings were chewed off almost to the shoulder. We have him in a clothes basket with food and water. We have been treating the wounds with antibiotic ointment and creative wrapping. He is doing very well and is very responsive. There is bone showing on both sides which we are trying to keep covered. He keeps picking at the wrapping and causing the scabs to break back open. We do not have an avian vet anywhere near us and not sure if the regular vet could do anything. I think he deserves a chance since he was the only one out of the six that were attacked that survived. Any help or advice would be appreciated

Thanks!

 

[magicpigeon]

it's good you're giving him a chance. Since you've been treating the wounds with antiseptic I don't think there should be much problem with infection. I'm no expert however so I think I'll wait for someone with more experience to post!

PS a pic would help

 

[rekabnivek]

I took this one. We just changed his bandages last night. Didn't want to unwrap him again.

 

[StrayMagnet]

oh that poor dear!. Well Im thinking if he is alive and healthy. and you can keep him safe? he should be ok. I dont know if they need their wings to mate. but you may just have yourself a rooster who is a companion and not one who helps produce chicks or can protect the girls.

im new to chickens so I have no clue on this. but I'm glad you were able to help him. and im sure he will love you more for it. and undersands your helping him

 

[Judy]

Retired nurse here. You will have to ensure that skin or scar tissue grows over the bones. He cannot heal with bone sticking out of the wound. A suture after a few hours is not really a good idea but it may be what you have to do. You could try super glue or skin glue from the drug store, too, or even tape or SteriStrips (wound closure tape strips.)

I wish you luck.

 

[rekabnivek]

He doesn't have any skin left to pull over the bones. I didn't know if our vet could cut the bones back? I don't think my husband would be willing to do it himself. The skin at the base of the putruding bone seems to be healing well if he would leave the bandages alone. I thought about a mini elizabethan collar, but not sure if he could still peck at his food. I'm concerned if we mess with it too much we could spawn an infection or severe irritation.

 

[yinepu]

a vet will do one of two things.. amputate at the shoulder or euthanize
the problem is going to be having a non avian vet administer anesthesia.. most don't like doing surgery on birds if they didn't specialize in them for that reason
here's a thought though... they MIGHT be able to use a band (like a band castrator) and band him at the shoulder joint so the bone and tissue below it drops off on it's own. So it's really going to depend on the vet and his skill with birds.. and if they think the band will be able to do the job.. but it would be the least invasive
either way there isn't a very good outlook for the bird if you don't get a vet to properly amputate those stubs.. you MAY get lucky .. but I kind of doubt it

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

MY hen lost a toe a couple of months ago and the bone was sticking out about 1/4 inch. The skin look good and eventually covered the bone. I had her out in the run after her foot started healing and just took the chance the the skin would grow out and it did.

Good luck.