Injured Hen. What do I do?

bannys barnyard

In the Brooder
Mar 17, 2022
8
2
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A couple weeks ago, our best rooster was attacked and killed by our dog. We had another rooster that had grown up with the first rooster, but the new roo still wasn’t on good terms with the original one. When the first rooster died, the young one, Winter, had to take up the slack. We have a grown flock of 7 (one roo 6 hens). One hen, Amelia, is one of our oldest hens. Sadly she became Winters favorite so he over mated with her and cut her on her back under her wing. We separated her in a large dog crate in the coop and put some first aid cream on the small mound. After it had scabbed over, we let her back out again with the flock and he cut her open again. He doesn’t even have sharp spurs yet! We put her back in the dog crate and let her heal. She seemed to want to get back out with the flock again so we let her out and hoped that she would heal. Winter stopped messing with her but the other hens wanted to re-establish the pecking order so she was picked on by them. The next day after letting her out, I noticed that her cut was much larger and the skin seemed to be pulled back. We moved her to our porch and put her in the dog crate. We tried a hen saddle but it was too uncomfortable for her and we tried an ace bandage which she managed to peck off. We aren’t sure if she needs stitches. We have a vet friend but we aren’t sure if he could even do it. I read something about using super glue? Is my hen going to heal on her own? She also keeps pecking at her wound. Is that good?

She is still pretty perky and she will let me hold her and apply medicine. Any advice would be appreciated!!

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That looks very deep. Can you see any organs inside the wound? Does it have any odor? Wounds that have been open usually do best if left open to heal, especially if they are nit sutured right away. I would use some Chlorhexidene or Hibiclens from a drug store to clean out the wound, and rinse with water. When dry apply plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment twice a day. She needs to be in a dog crate with food and water until she heals. It is best if you can keep the crate with the others. I would think about separating the rooster and dulling his spurs.
 
That looks very deep. Can you see any organs inside the wound? Does it have any odor? Wounds that have been open usually do best if left open to heal, especially if they are nit sutured right away. I would use some Chlorhexidene or Hibiclens from a drug store to clean out the wound, and rinse with water. When dry apply plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment twice a day. She needs to be in a dog crate with food and water until she heals. It is best if you can keep the crate with the others. I would think about separating the rooster and dulling his spurs.
Thank you for the advice! Do you know if we should clip the feathers around the wound?
 

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