Hen with severe open fracture

[Lifetime chicken lover]

Hi everyone!
This is my first post on this forum, though I have owned chickens most of my life.
We bought a small flock of chickens (10) at easter time. And about a month ago started letting them be free-range during the day.
Then the raccoons came...we thought the coop was pretty intruder-proof, but we were wrong. In two nights 6 chickens were lost to raccoons. And one was left with a broken leg. (and to add insult to injury the dog next door killed our last remaining rooster 2 days later)

That's why I'm writing. This happened about a week ago. She has an open fracture. We splinted the leg with a taken apart clothespin, and bandaged it. After a few days she started getting blisters between her toes, which popped on their own- we cleaned them with witch hazel. She isn't using her leg at all, it just hangs there, but otherwise seems ok- she eats and drinks and will even hop around on occasion. But since yesterday the wound has started getting really smelly. my guess would be an infection. We didn't use anything but some witch hazel to clean the wound before bandaging. Is there anything we can do now? Is it too early to remove the bandage and clean the wound again Would this necessitate a vet visit?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[horsejody]

I think I would take her to a vet.

 

[PunkinPeep]

If you have the ability to take her to the vet, that's what i would do.

I'm sure she needs antibiotics, and if she's starting to smell, she needs really big action very quickly if her life can be saved at this point.

I'm so sorry for all of your loss. I recently lost half of my flock to raccoons.

It's hard to say not knowing your specific injury, but in general, based on my own limited experience, those open wounds should be cleaned an inspected daily. With feathers and raccoon germs and all, it's just too hard to be sure that it doesn't get contaminated day by day.

Best wishes.

 

[bantamsrus]

If it's starting to get smelly she needs to get on systemic antibiotics!!! The infection could kill her or at the very least delay the healing of the fracture.

 

[allison finch]

The blisters were probably a sign of very poor circulation to the leg and necrosis. I am sure the leg may be lost by now. Gangrene is the smell, no doubt. If you are willing to have a "hoppy" you need to take her to the vet for a likely amputation. Otherwise.......

Bird leg bone fractures are very difficult.

 

[Lifetime chicken lover]

Thanks everyone for the advice. We unwrapped the bandage, and found that she also had a dislocated hip... We had to put her down. We're very sad about it....

 

[ZZsBabiez]

I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you did the right thing and let her rest. Sometimes we hang on way too long thinking we can fix things.. knowing when to let go is a noble thing.

 

[faithweaver]

I have a hen who is limping very badly and I am wondering if she could have a dislocated hip. How did you figure this out?

Also, does this always mean putting her down?

 

[Country4ever]

Oh gee, I'm so sorry! What bad luck you've had.
I lost 2 sweet hens to a coon 2 weeks ago. I too thought I had the Fort Knox of coops/runs, but those danged coons are tough.
For me, its really hard to know when to stop trying to keep a chicken alive.......or how much money to spend on it. Its a really tough decision and its extremely hard for some of us to let them go.
Well, get right back up in that saddle again. Fortify your coop/run and get some more chickens! (((((((hugs))))))))

 

[horsejody]

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