injured Turkey, need ideas...

[MamaMarcy]

Well, I adopted a gorgeous obese turkey about a week ago. I introduced her to our flock of chickens (one pretty mean roo) and 4 muscovies. They did their dominance dance but Big Mama seemed to have put them all in their place nicely, being so huge. She's pretty slow moving, due to girth. I got hoem form work and went to feed the flock, and noticed she was bloody on her back. Lifting a massive wing, she looks like a zombie took a big bite out of her!

Either the enighbors 2 puppies got her (they are turning a bit agressive and I've seen them scatter the flock once), or a coyote, or the flock of poultries decided to spontaneously pek away under her wing.

I poured warm soapy water over the wound and patted at it with a clean washcloth to try to visualize it. It's maybe the soze of a baseball and to me it looks like it goes thru all layers of skin, possibly to muscle. I'd take a pic but it's too gross. I'm a nurse and see some pretty nasty things, and this made even me turn a bit green.

The wound looks healthy. Fresh blood, I'm sure from being pecked at, but no other drainage or green or bad smells. My DH (d in this case does not stand for dear) will not finish her coop, so I was forced to put her inside the duck coop side of the pen with the door shut and pans of food & water. The other birds cannot get to her. I don't want to put neosporin on it since it's meant for superficial skin wounds, not zombie bites. She's alert, walking, talking, eating, and drinking. Should I add something to her water? do they sell OTC antibiotics at feed stores? I'm hoping she'll pull thru this. I'm already in love with her.

 

[chix666]

depending on how deep the wound is and what attacked your bird they heal pretty good on their own. it has to do with being related to dinosaurs. there is meds if it's really deep. check with local feed store or vet.

 

[MamaMarcy]

It LOOKS like it goes thru all layers of skin, but it also looks chewed up. It's still her original shape if that makes sense (no muscle missing). I need to go check to see if she made it thru the night.

Her 1st human mama says she's a tough old bird. She's been dog attacked so many times (that's why I took her in). She came to me with a HUGE scab on her neck, but it seems to be healing up really well.

For now I plan to let her into the common room of the coop when the other birds are our free ranging, otherwise she's confined to the duck's house alone till she's healed. Poor girl. Hoping by the time she's healed and weather is turning nice my husband will have the heart to finish her coop, where our baby turkeys will join her.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Just wanted to update. She's still eating, drinking, walking and talking LOUDLY. she seems ticked at being in isolation. After initial rinsing of the wound I;ve left it alone and am peeking at it every day. It seems to be getting smaller and is covered in a dark scab. No obvious signs of infection. She must be one tough bird.