Injured chicken - from mating

[momonator]

I found out yesterday that one of my buff orpingtons was badly injured by the roosters during mating. I've made the mistake of keeping two roosters, who are becoming very aggressive with both the hens and the humans. My hen was injured several days ago. They free-range and I kept noticing over the last few days that Blanca - my hen- wasn't hanging around the others. She would come into the nesting box to lay her egg and then she would disappear. Yesterday, I was able to catch her and check her and I was sick because she is all torn up under one wing. The layer of skin is gone and you can see her muscle. And it's forming a crust. so, I cleaned it out with betadine (sp?) and put her in the old brooding cage, away from the roosters. I don't know if I should put her down or wait until she gets worse, or take her to the vet which I can't afford. But for sure, I'm getting rid of one of my roosters. I'm noticing that other hens are also injured, but only slightly. Help. What home remedy can I use on Blanca?

 

[emys]

I agree, if your roosters are getting too rough with the hens at least one needs to go.

However, an injury under a wing doesn't really suggest to me that a rooster did it. Unless the hen got caught on something while running from them. Are you sure it wasn't a cat or something else??

Don't put the hen down unless she is getting lethargic and not eating. Just keep the wound clean, I've seen hens recover from some pretty bad injuries on here.

 

[ChooksChick]

That crust will fill in the skin so she will heal- let it happen. Keep her clean and wrapped up with a single layer of non-stick gauze with antibiotic ointment and vet wrap (that stuff that you find rolls of in the feed store in various colors- it sticks to itself when you wrap with it) all around her body to hold the gauze on. You can wrap her so her whole torso is covered if you need to in order to keep it on, but don't wrap tight. If you use more than one layer, it gets increasingly tight for them.

The roo needs his nails/spurs dulled. You can trim their nails using dog-nail clippers, but be careful not to get too close to the quick. Also, I use the same nail trimmers to lop off the spurs up to about about 1 1/4 inches from the leg, and then cut them back a bit weekly, if I've let them grow long. That keeps the live layer receding, so you can get them fairly short again. I'll file them with an emery board it they are sharp or brittle. Handle the roos a lot to get them more docile.

Keep her well fed, with yogurt, tuna and scrambled eggs for treats, along with greens. Peek at it now and again to make sure she's not developing infection. If she's in pain she can have 1/4 to a whole baby aspirin, the 81 mg ones. I just shove it in 1/4 a grape or a kernel of thawed corn.

Best of luck!

 

[donrae]

I agree, that's a really weird place for a roo to injure a hen. Since they free range, I'd think she had a brush with something that thought of chicken for dinner.

I'd keep her isolated and watch her. She's still laying, right? If she's eating and drinking, and still laying, I'm thinking she has a chance. They can heal back from some pretty dramatic injuries. Keep the area as clean as you can, and keep flies away from it. A lot of people use Swat to keep flies away, it's an ointment from the feed store. Antibiotic ointment should work, as well. Cover the wound with it. The ointment will pick up dirt, etc, but know that the wound under is clean. I'm a believer in the "don't mess with it and let them heal on their own" school of thought, I would't wipe the wound clean every day, I think that just traumatizes the tissue more. So, clean it, cover it, keep her isolated and well fed, protien helps healing. Keep and eye on her and good luck!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Good job using betadine. Put neosporin (without pain reliever) on the wound as needed. It will heal in time, no need to put her down. Keep her seperated from the others till she's completely healed. Feed her plain yogurt or buttermilk (probiotics) with scrambled egg (protein) all mixed in her feed to make a mash and give it to her to eat. That mixture will get her strength built back up over time. Give it to her daily til she's strengthened enough to eat her layer feed only. You need to seperate your roosters from your hens, this isnt going to stop. Or you can purchase chicken saddles/aprons and put them on your hens to protect them from roosters while mating. Check the for sale section in this forum...there are usually a couple of BYC members selling them. Edited...I've had hens with far more severe injuries from roosters than what you have and they survived and they became productive egg layers. Injuries under the wings and sides are common with overbearing roosters mating with their favorite hen(s).

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Yes, get rid of one roo. Should only have 1 roo for 10 hens.

 

[ChooksChick]

Hens often get a cut straight down the side, under the wing, from the roos.

This happens as he loses his footing and his foot slides down her side under the wing (since she has them raised, especially). It can be caused either by his toenails or by a spur. It's very common, and you'll find a lot of people have had posts on here asking about it- it flays the side and you end up looking at their flesh, just like you're preparing a meal. It's awful.

 

[emys]

Hens often get a cut straight down the side, under the wing, from the roos.

That's why I still hang out on this forum. I still learn new stuff. Thanks, never heard that.​

 

[momonator]

Thank you, thank you! for all your comments. I'm feeling more confident about my Blanca. She is eating and drinking and her eyes are bright. And I like the idea of needing to handle the roos more to make them more docile. But I am getting rid of one. I have 8 hens, and 5 1-mo old chicks. By the way, I've lost 5 baby chicks in the last 3 weeks to snakes!

 

[Earthchick]

Hens often get a cut straight down the side, under the wing, from the roos.

This happens as he loses his footing and his foot slides down her side under the wing (since she has them raised, especially). It can be caused either by his toenails or by a spur. It's very common, and you'll find a lot of people have had posts on here asking about it- it flays the side and you end up looking at their flesh, just like you're preparing a meal. It's awful.

Thank you for a clear answer. I kept telling people that my girl looked like someone flayed her! it was so upsetting.