Help with Mom's Hurt Silkie - *Warning - Graphic PIC on pg 2*

[needmorechickens!]

Yesterday his wound was dried out really bad and we put neosporin on him. He seems like it is irritating him greatly. He picks at it a lot. Any other suggestions?
~Rebecca

 

[needmorechickens!]

Here is today's pic...

He is eating and drinking, I have electrolytes in the water, he is separated from any others, and he has a heat lamp. We washed it with saline solution today too.

There is some drainage and slight bleeding.

I don't know what else to do.

~Rebecca

 

[NotTheMomma]

I really dont' like the looks of that. Wait, silkies have dark skin, correct? If so, then ok, keep doing what you're doing. Otherwise, if they have pink/yellow skin, then I really don't like the look of it.

Do you have access to any antibiotics"? If even the injectible kind, I would apply a few drops ON the wound. Even if you have powder antibiotics meant for the water, again, I'd make a paste with vegetable shortening, or vaseline, and the powdered antibiotic and put that on it. It appears infected from here, but of course I'm not seeing it in person like you are.

Is there any odor? Draining yellow, green?

Can you remove the heat lamp? OR does the chick appear cold when it's not on?

 

[speckledhen]

I have had to deal with several deep gouges from rooster spurs lately. Not sure the baby needs an actual heat lamp this time of year, but just make sure he is not too hot. Give supportive therapy, ACV in the water, extra protein (scrambled eggs are good) and yogurt in addition to the feed. If the wound is dry, that's good. Doesn't appear to have terrible scabbing in there. What I did was remove a big thick, black scab from one hen. The skin under it was healing and drained some clear fluid when removed that, but we sprayed it with Blue Kote and it is healing really fast. Time will fix that, if it was caused by picking. Just make sure you don't put him back till it's completely healed up.
We did do 3 days of penicillin injections for the hens to help them heal up without complicating infections. Blue Kote, though messy, will do heal him up well, most likely Neosporin is good, but tends to keep the wound quite moist.

 

[dlhunicorn]

having them all together in a cage (too little room) > especially two roos is probably the underlying reason the roo was attacked... with a wound like that having him in with other chickens (bluecote or not) will only lead to more pecking, so separate this roo from the rest immediately.
Any wound should be flushed copiously with sterile saline (you can make this yourself by boiling a quarter teaspoon of salt in a quart of water for five minutes) however since it is now dry I suggest you first do as a member suggested earlier and "soak" it in epsom salt (will dissolved the crust)... then flush with sterile saline (use some type of squeegy bottle to squirt it on the wound).
Do not use bluecoat again... drying out the wound is not what you want to happen... soak some cotton wool in the steril saline after flushing and remove any dissolved gunk. let air dry then apply a triple antibiotic over all. The next day repeat the saline flush and triple antibiotic. The next day after that apply honey and a dry dressing on top and then repeat that a few days daily > this will encourage granulation.
For antibiotic use amoxcillin as advised here:
http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2003/august/Cousquer/Avian-Wound-Assessment.html
excerpt summary on TREATMENT measures:
First aid
...Analgesia and antibiotics - broad spectrum antibiotics can be provided in the first instance: clavulanic acid potentiated amoxycillin (150mg/kg orally or subcutaneously) will provide cover against most aerobes and anaerobes. Analgesia can be provided with NSAIDs (e.g. carprofen (Rimadyl)) 5mg/kg subcutaneously or intravenously. Local anaesthetics should not be used in birds due to the suggested sensitivity of birds to drugs of the procaine group "."


Here is my collected articles on avian wound management:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=practical&action=display&num=1158141893

 

[speckledhen]

I forgot to say that the local feedstore often has started birds in cages. I see those bad picking wounds all the time there. The best thing to prevent picking is to prevent overcrowding and be sure the protein levels are appropriate (not too many treats, just good food).

 

[lovelychicken]

You really need something to assist with pulling the puss/yucky stuff out...You said something about the saline solution, do you mean epsom salt? If not, please give that a try for a couple days. If you can somehow soak it in a tub of water with that in it, if not for five minutes or longer run the epsom salt/water over it. Don't use table salt, only epsom salt. It will dry it out some and it will be irritating cause its healing, put the neosporin on it afterwords. You can use the betadine but I don't think it works as well with pulling out the crude. It does help though. If he/she is eating and drinking thats a good sign. Antibiotics at this point would be good also with some yogurt. No chicken expert like some here but definately have experience with trauma type issues.

 

[lovelychicken]

Sorry, but looked again at pictures and am wondering if the infection has gotten into where the feathers go into the skin, underneath. Like I said it needs lots of help to pull that crude out, use the epsom salt (made differently than table salt.) If you have a baster (cooking chicken baster) then use that as it kind of adds a little push to get it better under where the infection is. It is infected by the way, definately get antibiotics.
1. epsom salt/water, 2X/day
2. neosporin (also used bag balm successfully), 2X/day
3. antibiotics
4. yogurt
5. (if others think advisable) vitamins

but definately 1-4, try for two days, it will dry out a little, that is ok. dont like the puss, thats why the antibiotics. keep in clean/sanitized environment, not back in coop- for now. betadine if epsom isnt working but it should.

 

[LilbitChicken]

Quote:
OH! That is terrible! I am so sorry for your loss

I can't imagine what you are going through. I hope your husband catches the murderer!

 

[mema2003]

thanks to all of you for your info and for trying too help me. We did separate this roo and he is in his on little secure coop. We have all since gotten out there and secured the coops even more. I have always heard no matter what you do too secure your chickens or ducks or whatever you have, if a cayote, fox or any predator wants them, they will get them. I have had my fantails for over a year and so far nothing like this has happened too them. Any more suggestions will be welcome. I am pretty sure none of our vets around here wants too or does treat chickens and to me that is a bad thing.