Kodiakchickens scalped chick - Final post page 6

[SandyNest]

I have been hand feeding 2 of my sick chickens recently, 1 in particular, with eye problems. She wasn't eating or drinking at all because she wasn't seeing well and I was having a problem getting her to eat or drink from a spoon. I went in to the farm store for an eye dropper and some medication, but the closest thing they had was a syringe. I bought it, since it was the holidays, and thought I would give it a try and I've found that it has worked wonderfully to get her to drink and eat. I left the needle off and sucked up yogurt; squirted just a little bubble out and held it just under the tip of her beak.....same with water. It's a slow go, but was a lot easier than a small spoon.

Perhaps this will help you keep your baby hydrated and fed. I even dried out a small piece of bread, ground it and then put water in it to mash it up so I could get it into the syringe. That worked well also. It's also a nice way to track how much they're getting. Good luck!!

 

[BeckyLa]

For pain you can dissolve a regular aspirin (not Anacin, Tylenol, Advil, or anything like that) in a gallon of water and use that to water her with. I'd also use it if you need to water her feed or anything. This should ease her pain and make her more comfortable. You're doing a great job, just hang in there, it will take time.

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

There is hope. My Pullet had same trama and she has recovered fully and even layed her first egg today. Keep her warm and I used vet wrap with a thick cream so it wouldn't stick. Many time she acted like she was going to die , I bet mostly from the pain she was in. I also held her , lightly pet her. I also spoon fed her sugar water. She was refusing to eat for about two days I actually put her in next to my bed and watched her all night. My husband laughted at me for it but she made it. She was showing skull just like this your is now. It has grown over well and you can tell she had a injury but overall she has healed very nicely. Good luck ! I wish you same luck I got with Sara.

 

[hoosier]

Cooked oatmeal, with corn syrup for energy, and enough liquid to make it thin enough to feed through a syringe can help keep her going.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
I've also sewn up several hens whose backs get ripped open from the roos and at first, it looked like there was no skin left to sew up. But if you look carefully and gently pull on the skin it usually stretches more than you would believe. Once they get a rip, especially in a curved shape, the rest of the skin pulls way back. Check again and see if that skin at bottom of neck can be pulled up any. If so, you can try stitching it where you can. I usually put my first stitch in whatever section I can rejoin by stretching and then start sewing from there. I've been amazed often at how skin suddenly starts "showing up" and going back into place.

Even if there is nothing that can be stretched and resewn, if kept clean with Betadine and applied Neosporin, it should heal. I would also give antibiotic, like Penicillin injections. You can buy Pen G at feed store.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Thanks, Ruth, for the info on stitching. It does look like the skin is rolled a little at the back of the head. I tried lifting it and it did a little although it was a bit dried out (prior to another application of neosporin) and she started jerking and fighting. I'm not sure if it's there's enough there to pull it all the way to the other side of the head, so what do I stitch it to? Could the stitches run across the skull without it being a problem?

 

[chickenzoo]

I had a roo and a pheasant with skull exposed. I flushed it with saline and coated it with nitrofurazone (horse med) and left them alone. Both are fine and healed up now. Just keep her warm and clean and it will heal surprisingly fast.

 

[MissPrissy]

I had a little roo this happened too once. We flushed it with iodine rinse and saline them kept it covered with blu-kote. His head healed AND his comb grew back. He grew into a lovely boy!

 

[BeckyLa]

Please remember the aspirin, it will help with the pain.....

 

[Mrs MIA]

I hope she heals well for you.