Henpecked hen has HOLE in her back-Update

[Biddieacres]

Quote:
I did put it on her neck where they pecked her beard off. Well, I just went down and they are standing on the roost walking around, not relaxed as they should be BUT they are alive. The other ate some of it.

 

[Biddieacres]

There is so much I can't possible get it all off! It is smeared all over her feathers, back and neck now. Oh this really stinks! The whole coop smells like the stuff.

 

[speckledhen]

You may have to give her a bath with some mild soap to cut the greasy base of it.

 

[Biddieacres]

OK, I will do that. Cynthia, what about the ointment which was ingested? Will it kill them since they ate some?

 

[hinkjc]

Try not to panic and do the best you can to get her clean of it. You can't worry about what has already gotten into her, but hopefully prevent any more absorption thru the skin. Hoping for the best for your girl.

 

[Biddieacres]

Thanks, I do feel as though I have done the best I can do and I will let nature takes its course. I will check on them first thing in the morning and hope I find them alive. Thanks all for your support. You will never know how much it means to me.

I will post a pic tomorrow and wondering if I need to stitch this up. I read another thread where they got prethreaded needle from the vet and stitched it up nicely.

 

[speckledhen]

Honestly, I'm not sure about the ingestion of it. I had one hen peck a bit at Hawkeye's wattle when it was on him and she shook her head and left him alone. She suffered no effects, thank goodness. All you can do is try to get it off of her as best you can and keep her separate till she heals.

 

[walkswithdog]

I used betadine and saline to wash the dog injured turkey's wounds. And my Co-Op didn't have blue kote but a spray - blue lotion, that also is an anti-infective and wound coat - but not goopy.

She was Majorly wounded, I had to staple it shut to get an open wound that was about the width of a tennis ball. I had to flush and debried it fairly often. She had some muscle damage and tissue death and necrosis but we got past it with cleaning. But she is actually making it. Gonna be an ugly scar and I wouldn't call that leg terrific but the limp is gone, her feathers growing back (he half plucked her as well - in the middle of this winter - brr).

She should be well enough to turn out with the others by March. I've kept her separate, first in the house, then a south facing kennel and fed her HEAVILY. With all that tissue and feather to grow she's had access to all the high protein layer and scratch she chooses to eat. She should be out in time to start the laying season with her sister and their guy Jake who is finally figuring out he's an adult male turkey now.

A lot of stuff for livestock isn't labeled for birds for a reason. And often without a warning label either. Reading the reference sites here has saved my birds from several errors I might have otherwise made.

Thank you all and hugs, and best wishes for the chicken gal.

 

[hinkjc]

Biddie - how is your hen doing?

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, please let us know. Hopefully, for whatever reason, the ointment didn't hurt her. And even if it did, please dont blame yourself. You were only trying to help, just like we were with our rooster last year.

It's not always readily available information for us.