Injury from a hawk attack

[BigBlueHen53]

Boil a quart of water and let it cool in a clean container like a glass quart jar. Add 2 tsp salt and a pinch of baking soda. Put a clean lid on it and shake till salt dissolves. When cool, place in a CLEAN (or new) spray bottle. And yes, it is perfectly safe to use as long as you don't let it get contaminated. In fact it is much safer to use than just tap water.

Sorry, follow @Wyorp Rock's instructions, don't spray. She is an Educator, listen to her.

 

[Ebz5003]

No, don't wash. Swab.

You can use the Betadine spray, but I'd pour some of it in a small container, then use cotton balls or some gauze to swab the tissue, cleaning it very well. Trim the feathers from around the wound as you work, swab and clean.

Warm your triple antibiotic ointment a little, put the tube in a warmish cup of water so it's easier to apply, then spread a thin layer of ointment on the exposed tissue.

If you don't have antibiotics, I'd get some. Do you have any, if so, what do you have?

Work on this slowly, you definitely want to keep her from tanking due to shock. Get warmed sugar water or electrolytes into her.

Ok. I will try all that. I do not have an antibiotic? Can these be purchased or do I need to go to a vet?And we are in SW Va, by the way. Is about 18 degrees outside right now. I put her in a medium dog crate in the basement to get her out of the extreme cold.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok. I will try all that. I do not have an antibiotic? Can these be purchased or do I need to go to a vet?And we are in SW Va, by the way. Is about 18 degrees outside right now. I put her in a medium dog crate in the basement to get her out of the extreme cold.

If you have a vet that will prescribe antibiotics, that would be the fastest way to get them. Otherwise, you'd need to order them online.

Glad she's inside where it's warmer, this will help.

 

[Ebz5003]

If you have a vet that will prescribe antibiotics, that would be the fastest way to get them. Otherwise, you'd need to order them online.

Glad she's inside where it's warmer, this will help.

If you have a vet that will prescribe antibiotics, that would be the fastest way to get them. Otherwise, you'd need to order them online.

Glad she's inside where it's warmer, this will help.

Do you think it is definitely necessary to get antibiotics? I am trying to avoid the vet as they have lately recommended some rediculous ( and expensive) services for my chickens. But if there is no other way, I'll take her. Do you think she needs stitches?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you think it is definitely necessary to get antibiotics? I am trying to avoid the vet as they have lately recommended some rediculous ( and expensive) services for my chickens. But if there is no other way, I'll take her. Do you think she needs stitches?

No, I wouldn't stitch it. Stitching often seals in bacteria and wounds get infected.

Vets are expensive for sure, so I'd just order the antibiotics and start them when I got them.

https://fishmoxfishflex.com/collect...-equivalent-aqua-amoxicillin-250-mg-100-count

 

[Ebz5003]

No, I wouldn't stitch it. Stitching often seals in bacteria and wounds get infected.

Vets are expensive for sure, so I'd just order the antibiotics and start them when I got them.

https://fishmoxfishflex.com/collect...-equivalent-aqua-amoxicillin-250-mg-100-count

Thank you so much!

 

[Calisandra]

One of my hens was horribly injured, mating injury. Her whole side is skinned. Hard to treat these wounds because, as I have found out, no subcutaneous tissue under the skin. Well, I guess I knew that about chickens, as anyone who has removed skin from a chicken breast can see, but I never thought about how thin the skin is in relation to a live chicken with an injury. Until I had live chickens. And by the time I discovered the injury, it was too late to bring up the skin and suture it back into place. It was shriveled and dry around the edges, no longer healthy tissue. It is open to exposed muscle. So, I mixed up a batch of 100 ppm hypochlorous acid and I am spraying it twice a day, but I am not keeping it moist enough for my liking, in order for new tissue to granulate in. Saline-soaked gauze or hypochlorous acid-soaked gauze is an option but hard to keep in place unless i wrap her all up. I suppose I could run up to the tack shop and get some vet wrap... Right now, she is pretty perky after 3 days of treatment. I was wishing I had some hydrocolloid to put over her exposed wound and thinking I would never find it but they do sell it on Amazon. I thought it might be prescription only but no, it is not. It is basically a gel that sticks to wound, absorbs extra fluid and keeps everything moist which promotes healing. They sell hydrocolloid bandages for heel blisters and burns which I have used personally, but I just bought the 4x4 squares and a roll of hydrocolloid without surrounding adhesive because I dont want the adhesive. I don't want adhesive sticking to the muscle. I am hoping it helps her heal faster and encourages new growth of healthy tissue. Hydrocolloid would be hard to put around feathers on a wing, I think, because it has to make contact with the wound bed and the feathers are in the way, but since I have a large area to work on that is featherless, I am going to give it a try. I don't know if it will work. I have no idea if it will stick. I am winging it here. Before I apply it, I am going to gently scrub the area to get down to healthy tissue and try to eliminate any dried nonviable tissue. Then a generous spray with hypochlorous acid, then the hydrocolloid, repeat as needed, then wait and see. I will post again if it works. The rooster is rehomed in his new bachelor pad.

 

[alinas2010]

One of my hens was horribly injured, mating injury. Her whole side is skinned. Hard to treat these wounds because, as I have found out, no subcutaneous tissue under the skin. Well, I guess I knew that about chickens, as anyone who has removed skin from a chicken breast can see, but I never thought about how thin the skin is in relation to a live chicken with an injury. Until I had live chickens. And by the time I discovered the injury, it was too late to bring up the skin and suture it back into place. It was shriveled and dry around the edges, no longer healthy tissue. It is open to exposed muscle. So, I mixed up a batch of 100 ppm hypochlorous acid and I am spraying it twice a day, but I am not keeping it moist enough for my liking, in order for new tissue to granulate in. Saline-soaked gauze or hypochlorous acid-soaked gauze is an option but hard to keep in place unless i wrap her all up. I suppose I could run up to the tack shop and get some vet wrap... Right now, she is pretty perky after 3 days of treatment. I was wishing I had some hydrocolloid to put over her exposed wound and thinking I would never find it but they do sell it on Amazon. I thought it might be prescription only but no, it is not. It is basically a gel that sticks to wound, absorbs extra fluid and keeps everything moist which promotes healing. They sell hydrocolloid bandages for heel blisters and burns which I have used personally, but I just bought the 4x4 squares and a roll of hydrocolloid without surrounding adhesive because I dont want the adhesive. I don't want adhesive sticking to the muscle. I am hoping it helps her heal faster and encourages new growth of healthy tissue. Hydrocolloid would be hard to put around feathers on a wing, I think, because it has to make contact with the wound bed and the feathers are in the way, but since I have a large area to work on that is featherless, I am going to give it a try. I don't know if it will work. I have no idea if it will stick. I am winging it here. Before I apply it, I am going to gently scrub the area to get down to healthy tissue and try to eliminate any dried nonviable tissue. Then a generous spray with hypochlorous acid, then the hydrocolloid, repeat as needed, then wait and see. I will post again if it works. The rooster is rehomed in his new bachelor pad.

Sorry to hear she was injured. I hope she makes a complete recovery. Ointment such as neosporin without pain reliever in it can be used to help keep a wound moist, too. Let us know how the hydrocolloid works, curious to know.

 

[Ebz5003]

Thanks. It is very deep. I am reluctant to wash what looks like her insides....muscule, bon, veins, etc, all in plain view....are you sure that's ok. I do have betadine spray- should I use that? Here are another few pictures.

This is the injured hen, now. A big piece of skin dried up and came off the exposed tissue, and light pink skin is now growing in over top of the exposed area. See the picture below. Should I be continuing to put tge saline/betadine solution over the area followed by antibiotic ointment over the edges at this point?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This is the injured hen, now. A big piece of skin dried up and came off the exposed tissue, and light pink skin is now growing in over top of the exposed area. See the picture below. Should I be continuing to put tge saline/betadine solution over the area followed by antibiotic ointment over the edges at this point?

I would just keep ointment on the wound.

If the wound gets dirty/soiled for some reason, then use the saline or betadine to rinse/clean it up.

The wound looks to be healing nicely.