I rescued a hen beginning of August with a horrific, moldy, gangrenous wound...*Graphic photos! and

[Poultry Couture]

Such a great recovery!

 

[cowcreekgeek]

This bird was isolated inside my home for 2 months and the wound fully closed before she went outside into the yard. The birds was treated with antibiotics, and topical SSD cream (you can certainly google it's healing and antimicrobial properties). All of this was done after consulting a veterinarian. The bird was always handled with gloves while the wound was in active infection. And being that this bird was rescued in JULY. and it is now December, there is very little chance of infection. This bird has also been in the yard for 2 months, giving her ample time to spread her infection, and there has been no ill effects. I monitored and cleaned that wound daily while it was healing. I WATCHED it close up with granulation tissue from the inside out... I rest assured every night that her wound is fully closed, and infection free.

I appreciate your concerns though.

Of course -- the dates, yet again -- keep forgettin' to check that ~'-)

My concerns stem from my own 'don't try this at home' experiences, including the infection I'm still fightin' off many months after treating a dog's necrotic copperhead wound ... so, please excuse my paranoia, but I couldn't help cringing when seein' it wanderin' about and the child playin' w/ it, when I was thinking it was all happenin' most recently.

Now, for your next trick? You've gotta magically make others understand how to, and that they can, treat even severe wounds to their own ~'-)

 

[kwinnypoo]

Ah, yes, I knew that the wound was so deep, and so cavernous that I firmly believed that had I sealed the external part, the inside would have filled with infection and muck...

Many people were very worried I was treating it, I know it was bad, and I took as many precautions as I could. It was scary at first, wondering if she would survive, how good of a life she would have, would she have lingering pain?

But after watching her grow, and heal, and change from nearly comatose to her perky self, I knew that she wanted to live and survive, and be a silly ole hen again!

 

[Poultry Couture]

Well, u did a great job!

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Proof that God's an amazing designer is found in the simplest things ... where chickens are normally intended for predation, they haven't such tender feeling as our own are. You can do just about anything they need done, and w/o causing the slightest pain, immediately after they've almost become good nutrition, due to the onset of shock.

There's a really good online presentation of interactive slides on the anatomy of the chicken that you oughta study up on, as you've clearly become (at the very minimum) a resource for those that find themselves in similar situations. We could all use more avian vets, should you decide to take it further ~'-)

Oh ... makin' sure that the skin never become directly attached to the muscles beneath is the best way to make sure they'll have fewer chances for trouble later on, but I still suspect the bird prefers a much longer lifetime of mild discomfort over the alternatives ... no matter how kind a quick 'n clean end to life may be, the second chance you've given is by far the greater gift.

 

[kwinnypoo]

Well, so far she shows no signs of pain (she rarely did)... And her comatose behavior I suspect was due to lack of food, and being in the elements for 3 weeks before I found her as opposed to shock. See... she was noticed behind someone's house July 21st, ish... Limping and hopping... She only had one good usable leg, because the round upper portion of her leg (think drumstick, obviously) was not attached to her body, so had she placed weight on it, it probably would have ripped off... So she wasn't able to scratch, or run for prey, she probably lived off of leaves and grass. I discovered her, around August 8th (or was contacted and offered to go get her)... She wasn't able to use her leg for several weeks, I actually took a video of her using her leg for the first time ever, and you can tell she was just learning to walk again, as the tendons and muscles grew back into place. Pretty moving, actually...

 

[ljblue]

Wow that great recovery story

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Well, so far she shows no signs of pain (she rarely did)... And her comatose behavior I suspect was due to lack of food, and being in the elements for 3 weeks before I found her as opposed to shock. See... she was noticed behind someone's house July 21st, ish... Limping and hopping... She only had one good usable leg, because the round upper portion of her leg (think drumstick, obviously) was not attached to her body, so had she placed weight on it, it probably would have ripped off... So she wasn't able to scratch, or run for prey, she probably lived off of leaves and grass. I discovered her, around August 8th (or was contacted and offered to go get her)... She wasn't able to use her leg for several weeks, I actually took a video of her using her leg for the first time ever, and you can tell she was just learning to walk again, as the tendons and muscles grew back into place. Pretty moving, actually...

Enough to tear my own eyes up ... can't imagine just passively watchin' somethin' like that unfold through my window, w/o takin' some sort of action ... had it been me? It would most probably have never known it's end had come, 'cause I wouldn't have risked havin' it escape. One mighty lucky chicken ~'-)

 

[Nutcase]

What an amazing story - I want to cry now seeing how she had that will to live

Any guesses as to what caused the wound?

 

[kwinnypoo]

What an amazing story - I want to cry now seeing how she had that will to live

Any guesses as to what caused the wound?

Yes. Another individual in the neighborhood was fostering a dog for the local Humane Society who had recently been rescued from a neglect situation. She is a hunting breed, and had an uncontrollable urge to chase and attack the birds. She killed several chickens during am instance, and we believe this happened to be one of them that escaped... The individuals looked and looked all through the brush for her, but I imagine she found somewhere to hide and went into shock and did not move for probably several days. I can only imagine the bleeding, and suffering she went through. Somehow she managed to find the strength to begin moving around, and she wandered in someone's backyard (which was very Alaskan wilderness, tress, berry bushses, tall grass, etc.). It was by happen chance I saw the facebook post, and offered to take her until we could find her owners. But, it wasn't until I picked her up and began to inspect her that I realized just how wounded she was, and the odor coming off of her was necrosing and infection. I began to treat the next day, starting with just cleaning the wound with warm salt water, until I could rally up more proper supplies. And the rest is history.