Injured chicken found days after fox attack

[ewerbos]

We typically allow our chickens to free range, though they have a secure coop and run. About four days ago, we had a fox attack in the middle of the day. My husband found one corpse, with two other chickens missing (large #s of feathers for two chickens). We began closing up all the chickens in our coop and run, and assumed the fox got the rest.

This morning (about four days after the attack), one of our missing chickens wandered up to our back door. She (~3 yo Buff Orpington) has a huge gash on her back (~6" long), which has closed and is not actively bleeding, though it looks pretty nasty. She was eating and walking around (not drinking yet when I left for work... we gave her water with electrolytes). We plan to keep her separated from the other chickens inside. Should we try to clean the wound or treat it somehow? I am worried about reopening it, so many days after the attack.

 

[BugStalker]

You could try rinsing it with some saline then posting a picture. Antibiotics of some kind may be helpful. (Ointment or otherwise) It sounds like she is dealing with it on her own pretty well, if she isn't acting sick.

 

[BugStalker]

Spending some time with/near the others would probably encourage her, if they don't pick on her.

Water is important for her to deal with something like this, but eating is a good sign. Maybe she had water outside, and isn't thirsty yet.

 

[ewerbos]

 

[BugStalker]

Poor girl. I would probably rinse it with saline or Epsom salt water once or twice a day, look for infection/fly strike, then generously apply triple-action ointment (like Neosporin original)

If she doesn't steadily improve, antibiotics may help.

 

[BugStalker]

If consulting a vet is an option, they should know more about treating wounds like this.

 

[starri33]

I would gently wash the wound, perhaps use hydrogen peroxide and then rinse that. Apply the antibiotic ointment, watching daily for infection. I got a roo back from a friend who'd had him attacked by her flock, he was a bloody little mess. I used the hibacleanse to wash him, used the peroxide then rinsed, after that I used the ointment. Kept him in the house for a while till I was sure that it was safe and no dirt could get into the wound. Then moved him to a grow out pen in with my flock. Once his tail feathers and back feathers started growing in again, he was added to mine.

 

[starri33]

If you have one, I'd put one of those chicken saddles on her that offer the total back protection, if not at least use the blu cote when you add her back to the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have any Betadine (povidone iodine?) Cholrhexidene or Vetericyn or a similar wound disinfectant would be good to clean the wound since it is deep. Then put plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment on the wound twice a day. Keep her away from flies, since they may lay maggot larvae in the wound casuing fly stike. The other chickens may peck at her with the wound so obvious, so separating in a wire dog crate in the coop would be good until it is less visible. See if she will eat her usual chicken feed, and sometimes making it watery will get them to eat better. Scrambled chopped egg and tuna would be good choices to tempt eating. Sorry about losing chickens.

 

[ewerbos]

It's safe to wash? Right now, she is in our living room. No flies, no other chickens. We're going to set her up with a pen in the house.

We tried Vertericyn and Bluekote yeserday, but I think my husband just sprayed it on. We haven't been brave enough to try cleaning it yet, as I said, worried about reopening it after so long (My husband thinks it was earlier in the week, so more like a week since she was injured). Maybe we'll try gently rinsing it...

She is able to stand and walk around, but seems to be in pain and certainly not enthusiastic to move a great deal.