Hen with bite? Graphic

[ShinShien]

Can anyone identify what may have caused this and what I can do to treat it

 

[Eggcessive]

It may have been a hawk, a dog, raccoon, or other predator. What have you used so far, to clean the wound? Has the bleeding stopped with some pressure on the wound with a cloth? I would apply some warm saline compresses or spray her gently with a kitchen sprayer and soapy water, to really cleanse the wound and remove blood to get a good look at it to see how deep it is. Vetericyn or plain neosporin triple antibiotic ointment can be applied to the wound to help prevent infection once or twice a day. Most wounds like this have a good chance to close gradually from the inside out. Look for signs of infection, such as foul odor, pus, redness and swelling. Separate her inside to keep her from being pecked, and to check her often. Is she alert and eating and drinking? Can she stand and walk around?

 

[ShinShien]

It may have been a hawk, a dog, raccoon, or other predator. What have you used so far, to clean the wound? Has the bleeding stopped with some pressure on the wound with a cloth? I would apply some warm saline compresses or spray her gently with a kitchen sprayer and soapy water, to really cleanse the wound and remove blood to get a good look at it to see how deep it is. Vetericyn or plain neosporin triple antibiotic ointment can be applied to the wound to help prevent infection once or twice a day. Most wounds like this have a good chance to close gradually from the inside out. Look for signs of infection, such as foul odor, pus, redness and swelling. Separate her inside to keep her from being pecked, and to check her often. Is she alert and eating and drinking? Can she stand and walk around?

I gave her a warm bath with a little tea tree oil soap. She kept picking at it, so I applied a bit of pick no more. She's in a coop by herself with food and water available, but she isn't interested. I don't think she can walk well. There's no smell or pus, but it has what might be a thick scab. Washed clotted blood off her belly earlier, but there was no wound down there. Think it ran down her shank.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you get some plain neosporin or bacitracin ointment to apply twice a day? I would try to apply some warm saline soaks to the scab today to try and soften the scab, then apply the ointment twice daily. The wound should become smaller, eventually closing up, coming together most likely with feathers growing back in time. It may help to take pictures to document the wound closure. If you see green skin around the wound, it may be bruising.

 

[ShinShien]

Elle didn't make it. I'm not sure why. She'd been improving, even had feathers regrowing over the healed wound. I found her dead under the roost this morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh, I am sorry that she died. She was a pretty hen.