injured hen, what to use to help her heal

[eggsr4me]

I am in need of some advice for my one hen who was attacked by a dog yesterday. She was bitten on her back, but lucky for her she got away before it could harm her further. She was gone all night and most of the day today. She showed up around 5:00 pm. I picked her up and noticed her back had a bite on it and she was missing alot of feathers on her back. I isolated her from the other chickens and rooster.
Any one have any advice as to what I can use on her wound?

 

[loveourbirds]

neosporin, and/or blue kote will help alot.

make sure its clean, and dont bandage it.

 

[eggsr4me]

Thank you, I thought about neosporin but wasn't sure I could use it. What is blue kote and where do I get it?

 

[3chickchicks]

Neosporin isn't the best to use for a bite wound. Bacteria from bites thrive in an anaerobic environment. When you apply Neosporin, it prevents oxygen from reaching the wound and you have the perfect environment for an infection.

Run some lukewarm tap water over the wounds for about 15 minutes. Studies show irrigation of wounds is one of the best ways to prevent infection. After you do that, dilute some betadine with water until the color is like a tea. Pour that on the wounds and let it dry. Then, apply Blu-kote (you can get it at tractor supply). Make sure it is blue. Don't use red-kote. The color will make the others pick at her.

When mine suffered a bite, I did this and applied Blu-kote twice daily for about 5 days. I used a cardboard box to contain her while I put on the Blu-kote. It does sting but it works well.
I let my hen out with the others while I could watch her and prevent any pecking for about a half hour to one hour once or twice a day just so she wouldn't need to be reintegrated. Otherwise, I kept her separated and in a dog crate with food and water (she required some force feedings at first due to shock). After the first 5 days, I went to using Blu-kote once a day for another 5 days. By then she was missing her dust baths and was ready to be back with the flock full time.
She healed well, grew back all her feathers and you wouldn't know she was ever injured.

 

[eggsr4me]

Thank you so much for the advice. She showed up this evening and had been out all night last night after the incident, I thought I lost her for good. I put her by herself and did not attempt to treat her tonight. I did not want to do anything that would make it worse until I got advice from others on this site. I will get some blue kote for her and put it on her tomorrow.