INJURED CHICKEN HELP NEEDED!

[chicksgirl123]

Last night my chicken was attacked by a raccoon but I was able to quickly get the raccoon to run away but in the meantime it left one of my chickens badly wounded on her backside. She has been isolated in a dog crate from the other chickens to help her recovery process.

Background information on the chicken:
- 4 years old
- Americana
- Weighs about 4-6 pounds

She is running around, eating, and drinking as normal which is good. I started her on Vetrimycin and a, giving her a vitamin supplement in her water as well.

Looking for any extra advice for how to take care of the wound please. See picture below to see the wound.

 

[awarmrainyday]

I am no expert by any means but I have many rescue chickens/ducks who have arrived with injuries so I will tell you what I would do if this happened to one of mine. I would first start her on an antibiotic to prevent any infections, because who knows what the raccoon may have had. I like Tylan-50 given orally or Duramycin in water. Make sure you clean the wound very very well. I usually clean with Benzoyl Peroxide repeatedly until it is no longer foaming and apply iodine for extra measure. If she is indoors you can apply a triple antibiotic ointment but that doesn't work too well if she's in the coop. Tractor Supply carries something called blu-kote that sprays on them and protects the wound.

I clean wounds every single day with peroxide and iodine, and I've had great success using epsom salts water. You could use a dish cloth and soak in the warm epsom salts water and apply to her back for a few minutes each day. I've found this helps a lot with wounds and the girls don't seem to mind being pampered with a warm cloth. I do this after cleaning it, and then I pat dry and apply blu-kote or triple antibiotic ointment.

I hope this helps, keep us posted on how she is doing!

 

[chicksgirl123]

She is in great spirits and hates being in the cage I put her in but I wanted to isolate her to keep any flies from laying eggs or from the other hens pecking at her.

 

[Vickie 51]

Whoa, ouch! From what you posted, she Is isolated from the rest of the flock and that's good. Often chickens will peck at another's wounds so keeping her apart is best. I also agree with the daily wound cleaning and the Blu-kote works very well. Oral antibiotics are important because, as has been stated, you don't know where that raccoon has been.

 

[chicksgirl123]

What antibiotic should I be giving her? id prefer something that i wont have to inject

 

[awarmrainyday]

If shes isolated you can put duramycin powder in her water. Its a couple of dollars at tractor supply. I prefer tylan but its more expensive and is injectable or you can give the injectable orally. I draw it up in a syringe and then inject it into an oral syringe.

Ive found the best way to give oral antibiotics is to hold them under one arm, hold their wattles so they open their mouth and slowly squirt it on their tongue a little bit at a time.

I also give nutri-drench, a few drops straight in their mouth. It never hurts.