injured chicken- feathers plucked and skin is raw- advice please

[stinav15]

This morning I went to check on the chickens and found one of them (named Lucky) all bloody. She has a 2" x 2" area just above the tail feathers that has been plucked clean and the whole area is raw.

I removed her from the flock. She is moving around fine and is happy to eat and drink. I'm just wondering what I need to do immediately to keep her safe from infection.

Then, how do i reintroduce her to the flock? I have 2 adult chickens (Road Island Reds) and 8 2-month-olds; 2 Reds, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks and 2 Buff Plymouth Rocks (including Lucky). No Roos. The adult hens bully the chicks anytime they can, but they are still in separate runs, so I know they aren't responsible.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Dora'smom]

If you have betadine, (iodine solution) you can add enough to a fresh bottle of bottled water, to make it look like tea, and rinse the wound with it, as an antiseptic. Use neosporin (or polysporin, etc.) antibiotic ointment without the pain reliever in it on the wound after that. Keeping her separated until the wound heals over is good as the other birds will be drawn to peck at a wound. When she goes back with the flock, you could use Blu-Kote on the area, as that neutralizes the appearance to other chickens. (Blu-kote stains anyone and anything, though, so be careful when applying!

Betadine, neosporin and Blu-kote are all good things to have in a little first aid kit when you have chickens.

 

[Dora'smom]

You might want to add some vitamins and electrolytes to her water, or maybe some apple cider vinegar (with the "mother" in it) to keep her strong, and her immune system healthy to heal her.

 

[stinav15]

Thank you so much for your help! Lucky is doing great. You'd never know anything went wrong, to look at her.