Injuried Hen from my Rooster

[Baygirl]

I have a 9 pound Chandler (I know big girl). My Rooster clawed her 6 about weeks ago. When it first happened, it was the size of a quarter. I went to my vet went I first saw it. He gave me an antibiotic and I gave it to her like he said and put medicine on the wound as well. This did nothing for the wound. After 2 weeks I took her to my vet. Around the office I could hear the word going from one person to another... That hen weights 9 pounds.... I was laughing, but she isn't fat just a big girl. I came home with Cephalexin 250 mg 3 times a day. I have given her the meds and still the injury is not looking better. From the first day of the injury until now it has gotten to the size of a silver dollar. She has been going after it and I have vet wrap on it now. The wound is hard but doesn't look great. Does anyone have an suggestions of what I can put on it. She is really tried of my fooling with it and her!!!!!!

Thanks!! Martha

 

[Farmgal101]

I have a 9 pound Chandler (I know big girl). My Rooster clawed her 6 about weeks ago. When it first happened, it was the size of a quarter. I went to my vet went I first saw it. He gave me an antibiotic and I gave it to her like he said and put medicine on the wound as well. This did nothing for the wound. After 2 weeks I took her to my vet. Around the office I could hear the word going from one person to another... That hen weights 9 pounds.... I was laughing, but she isn't fat just a big girl. I came home with Cephalexin 250 mg 3 times a day. I have given her the meds and still the injury is not looking better. From the first day of the injury until now it has gotten to the size of a silver dollar. She has been going after it and I have vet wrap on it now. The wound is hard but doesn't look great. Does anyone have an suggestions of what I can put on it. She is really tried of my fooling with it and her!!!!!!

Thanks!! Martha

Pictures would help!

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Baygirl,

I am not familiar with the Chandler breed. Did you me Chantecler? You can check the standard weight for your hen's breed. Then, you'll be assured if she is overweight or not. Extra weight can cause health problems for a hen, vent prolapse being one of them.

You need to put a hen saddle on your hen to protect her back from the rooster's toe nails. It won't help to keep putting antibiotic on her back wound, if the rooster keeps jumping on her bare back. Once the skin heals, it will take a few months for her feathers to regrow. But, her back must be protected from the rooster.

Here is one of my rooster's favorite wives, this saddle is protecting her bare skin. I also added wing protectors because the wings were missing feathers.

Being that it is Spring, the rooster is probably aggressively mating the hen. Hopefully you have other hens for him to give attention to, so that your girl can have a break. Even then, sometimes a rooster just prefers a certain hen, and will mate her excessively to the point of injury.

Another option would be to move the rooster into another pen during the day, and return him to the coop at sunset to sleep. This is what I am doing right now with my rooster. He is so frisky, he only wants two of my 8 hens. Over mating can become a health issue for the hen.

These are my thoughts on your hen's injury, I hope they are helpful.

Other members will offer advice, please consider these too.

God Bless

 

[Baygirl]

Greetings Baygirl,

I am not familiar with the Chandler breed. Did you me Chantecler? You can check the standard weight for your hen's breed. Then, you'll be assured if she is overweight or not. Extra weight can cause health problems for a hen, vent prolapse being one of them.

You need to put a hen saddle on your hen to protect her back from the rooster's toe nails. It won't help to keep putting antibiotic on her back wound, if the rooster keeps jumping on her bare back. Once the skin heals, it will take a few months for her feathers to regrow. But, her back must be protected from the rooster.

Here is one of my rooster's favorite wives, this saddle is protecting her bare skin. I also added wing protectors because the wings were missing feathers.
View attachment 1298149
Being that it is Spring, the rooster is probably aggressively mating the hen. Hopefully you have other hens for him to give attention to, so that your girl can have a break. Even then, sometimes a rooster just prefers a certain hen, and will mate her excessively to the point of injury.

Another option would be to move the rooster into another pen during the day, and return him to the coop at sunset to sleep. This is what I am doing right now with my rooster. He is so frisky, he only wants two of my 8 hens. Over mating can become a health issue for the hen.

These are my thoughts on your hen's injury, I hope they are helpful.

Other members will offer advice, please consider these too.

God Bless

You are right she is a Chantecler. I was in a hurry to get this post done!!!
My rooster has already injured this girl so I am trying to get some help with her wound. I do have the aprons and the ones with wing protectors. I have used a Dremel to round his spurs as well. Looking for help to know what I can use to help get this to heal up.

 

[Baygirl]

Pictures would help!

It is really bad looking

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Oh yes, my goodness...that is a bad looking wound.

I can understand why you are so distressed.

It is Spring, and all a rooster wants to do is mate.

I don't think his spurs are the problem. First, her feathers were rubbed off. Then, the skin was burned by his constant rubbing and wiggle action. Before it could heal, it got infected from the poop and dirt, under the rooster's feet.

If you've ever had rug burn, imagine someone rubbing it everyday, several times a day. It wouldn't matter how much medicine you took, or put on, or, if you covered it with cloth. The body's attempt to heal the wound, would be defeated every time the wound was vigorously rubbed, over, and over again.

Skin takes a lot of time to rebuild, but first you have to heal the infection. That won't happen if the hen is constantly being mated.

Honestly, I would keep her separated from the rooster. She is in no condition to breed.

The black part of the wound in very concerning. That scabbing doesn't look right. If she were in my care, I would spray Colloidal Silver on the wound, twice a day. I wouldn't cover the wound, so it can scab over. This would require keeping the hen in a dirt free environment for three days. Perhaps a penned grassy area during the day, and a dog crate for night. After it scabs over, then a hen saddle can go on, (and NO rooster!).

You will have to keep her clean, since she can't dirt bathe right now. Another option would be to use Manuka Honey, medical grade is best. There have been some amazing healings with Manuka Honey. You can also use Vetricyn Spray, I would't use Blue Kote at this point, because I'd want to monitor the color of the skin.

Instead of oral antibiotics, I would give her some echinacea in her water or feed or orally, to boost her immune system. Administer a poultry vitamin, orally, like NutriDrench 3 times a week for two weeks. If you use NutriDrench, 1 mL, is enough. She needs a good nutritional boost.

For two weeks, feed her some extra protein four to five times a week, cooked grains, fresh greens or cooked mixed vegies, diced fruit, and her layer ration.

It's not that the wound is not healing...it's that it wasn't, allowed to heal.

Anyways, these are my thoughts on your hens wound, I hope they are helpful.

Other members may offer advise, please consider these too.

God's Blessings to you and your hen.

 

[Baygirl]

Oh yes, my goodness...that is a bad looking wound.

I can understand why you are so distressed.

It is Spring, and all a rooster wants to do is mate.

I don't think his spurs are the problem. First, her feathers were rubbed off. Then, the skin was burned by his constant rubbing and wiggle action. Before it could heal, it got infected from the poop and dirt, under the rooster's feet.

If you've ever had rug burn, imagine someone rubbing it everyday, several times a day. It wouldn't matter how much medicine you took, or put on, or, if you covered it with cloth. The body's attempt to heal the wound, would be defeated every time the wound was vigorously rubbed, over, and over again.

Skin takes a lot of time to rebuild, but first you have to heal the infection. That won't happen if the hen is constantly being mated.

Honestly, I would keep her separated from the rooster. She is in no condition to breed.

The black part of the wound in very concerning. That scabbing doesn't look right. If she were in my care, I would spray Colloidal Silver on the wound, twice a day. I wouldn't cover the wound, so it can scab over. This would require keeping the hen in a dirt free environment for three days. Perhaps a penned grassy area during the day, and a dog crate for night. After it scabs over, then a hen saddle can go on, (and NO rooster!).

You will have to keep her clean, since she can't dirt bathe right now. Another option would be to use Manuka Honey, medical grade is best. There have been some amazing healings with Manuka Honey. You can also use Vetricyn Spray, I would't use Blue Kote at this point, because I'd want to monitor the color of the skin.

Instead of oral antibiotics, I would give her some echinacea in her water or feed or orally, to boost her immune system. Administer a poultry vitamin, orally, like NutriDrench 3 times a week for two weeks. If you use NutriDrench, 1 mL, is enough. She needs a good nutritional boost.

For two weeks, feed her some extra protein four to five times a week, cooked grains, fresh greens or cooked mixed vegies, diced fruit, and her layer ration.

It's not that the wound is not healing...it's that it wasn't, allowed to heal.

Anyways, these are my thoughts on your hens wound, I hope they are helpful.

Other members may offer advise, please consider these too.

God's Blessings to you and your hen.

Thanks so much for your advice!!
We don't had a poultry vet in our area. So I saw the vet who works with the zoo and does some work on birds. The other chickens haven't been going after the wound, she has. It makes since to put her in a clean area and treat, but what can I do to keep her from picking at the sore???

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

That depends on how badly she is pecking at it. She may just be trying to groom.

When my rooster was attacked by a coyote, he sustained bad wounds on his back. I flushed them with hydrogen peroxide, then, patted them dry with sterile gauze. After that, I sprayed his wounds twice daily with some Vetricyn Spray.

He was very interested about what was going on there, on his back. He'd gently use his beak, as chickens do, to probe the area. But, it must have hurt at one point, because he immediately stopped. After that, he was content to let me attend to his wounds. Just two weeks later, new feathers started to emerge. I never had to cover his wound. But, then he was a rooster, and getting mounted wasn't an issue. He was also separated, from the other chickens.

Which, brings me to another thing you'll have to be vigilant for. The other hens will peck at her scabs, and may have already! So when you are ready to return her to the flock, you may want to use some Blue Kote on her back. I'd do this, even if she is wearing a saddle. If you have her outside, you'll also have make sure flies don't decide to lay eggs in her wound. Keep enough ointment or whatever medicine you decide to use on the wound.

Take care of the wound, and just observe her for a few minutes. If she pecks at it, and is drawing blood, or making her wound worse, then you will have to cover it with gauze, and vet wrap. At least till it dries out. But, if you cover it, you'll have to change the dressing twice a day, till you see it drying out and crusty. Then, you can put a hen saddle on her and monitor the wound's progress. Infection is the biggest concern right now. That won't happen, if you keep it clean, and apply some type of wound medication.

You may need more saddles for the rest of your girls, if your rooster is anything like mine!

God Bless

 

[Baygirl]

That depends on how badly she is pecking at it. She may just be trying to groom.

When my rooster was attacked by a coyote, he sustained bad wounds on his back. I flushed them with hydrogen peroxide, then, patted them dry with sterile gauze. After that, I sprayed his wounds twice daily with some Vetricyn Spray.

He was very interested about what was going on there, on his back. He'd gently use his beak, as chickens do, to probe the area. But, it must have hurt at one point, because he immediately stopped. After that, he was content to let me attend to his wounds. Just two weeks later, new feathers started to emerge. I never had to cover his wound. But, then he was a rooster, and getting mounted wasn't an issue. He was also separated, from the other chickens.

Which, brings me to another thing you'll have to be vigilant for. The other hens will peck at her scabs, and may have already! So when you are ready to return her to the flock, you may want to use some Blue Kote on her back. I'd do this, even if she is wearing a saddle. If you have her outside, you'll also have make sure flies don't decide to lay eggs in her wound. Keep enough ointment or whatever medicine you decide to use on the wound.

Take care of the wound, and just observe her for a few minutes. If she pecks at it, and is drawing blood, or making her wound worse, then you will have to cover it with gauze, and vet wrap. At least till it dries out. But, if you cover it, you'll have to change the dressing twice a day, till you see it drying out and crusty. Then, you can put a hen saddle on her and monitor the wound's progress. Infection is the biggest concern right now. That won't happen, if you keep it clean, and apply some type of wound medication.

You may need more saddles for the rest of your girls, if your rooster is anything like mine!

God Bless

 

[Baygirl]

Thank you so much with your help. I have been spraying her wound with the
Colloidal Silver Spray when I first take off the vet wrap in the morning. I am leaving the bandage off all day and then wrapping in when I put her back in with the flock at night. I am putting the Colloidal Silver Gel on over night. The wound seems to be getting hard but one area still hasn't closed all the way. It is looking a little better. She doesn't seem to be bothering it as much as she was. Thankful for this!! The others don't seem to be bothering it either. Thanks again for your help!! Martha