Large flesh wound! NEW PICTURES ADDED.

[cowcreekgeek]

Ha ha! Well, there you go. I'm surrounded by men who have a, "It's just a cat!?!" approach to farming, so I never expected such thorough and caring advice to come from a man, especially where a chicken is concerned. Food for thought on our assumptions and expectations in our increasingly anonymous internet world.

I'll whip out this ACV first thing tomorrow morning!

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted on her progress. I've begun "following" you.... oooo, scary!

I attempt to wear my armor of logic, in regard to dealin' w/ poultry, but they do keep on peckin' their way through to my heart. And, I don't recall ever cryin' over a chicken, 'til I came here ... shed a few tears, not for the chickens, but for the sense of panic, and loss, some folks have to endure, and that helpless feelin' that comes when there's really nothing more that I can do to help 'em ...

And, I'm never 'ascared' of bein' followed ... in your case? I'm honored (thank you ~'-)

 

[hurricanearran]

Right on. I believe I have a healthy approach to what's realistic in dealing with chickens. I do the best I can for them if they're sick because I find it interesting and rewarding to try. We've also had our share of upsets on the farm and I did cry. To be fair, I walked into the coop one morning to discover a mink had found it's way into the fortress we'd built (one ever so loose board in the wall) and saw 42 of our flock of 50 slaughtered! But I got that mink!!! I have pictures to prove it

If you might suggest a thread or good website on how go about breeding, that's my next challenge. We were very successful with our first hatch (98% success) and I'm keen to start the process again.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Right on. I believe I have a healthy approach to what's realistic in dealing with chickens. I do the best I can for them if they're sick because I find it interesting and rewarding to try. We've also had our share of upsets on the farm and I did cry. To be fair, I walked into the coop one morning to discover a mink had found it's way into the fortress we'd built (one ever so loose board in the wall) and saw 42 of our flock of 50 slaughtered! But I got that mink!!! I have pictures to prove it

If you might suggest a thread or good website on how go about breeding, that's my next challenge. We were very successful with our first hatch (98% success) and I'm keen to start the process again.

When I was little, a weasel got 'em all ... never got that one, but we had another at the house a long time ago (Dad got that one ~'-)

As for the breeding? Believe it or not, there's ... like ... seven things that I don't know absolutely everything about, and that's one of 'em. But, I'm fairly handy w/ my keyboard 'n mouse, if you give a bit more details.

 

[tellynpeep]

YOur girl will be fine! Chickens are the Sherman Tanks of the bird world, and have absolutely amazing powers of self-healing. I've treated many dog/fox/coyote inflicted wounds much worse than that. At some point I will get around to posting pics of the one I am currently treating: she was pinned down and partially eaten by an owl. There was a 4x3" area with NO skin. The muscle was completely gone down to the spine and scapula, and I could hear her breathing through the wound (probably torn air-sac.) She is nearly completely healed now, and other than the initial panic and wound treatment, I've kept it covered and treated the wound with mostly benign neglect. Amazing.
Good luck with your girl!

 

[fishnet1971]

Nicely done dressing her!!! (the wound) (love the saddle too by the wya) You have done a great job and she will heal just fine. Keep us posted with pictures. We all learn here from each other! I have never had to do one like this yet. It's good referance with your documentation. Give her extra treats from me!

CowCreekGeek..... (shaking my finger at you....) I bet most of us girls on here are not squeeeeemmmmish.......

(just got my first deer of the season last week here in Ohio - had to gut her on my own and didnt puke

)

You give great advise on the repair method. - Watch out, you are going to be 'stalked' by more than just Hurricanearran!

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Nicely done dressing her!!! (the wound) (love the saddle too by the wya) You have done a great job and she will heal just fine. Keep us posted with pictures. We all learn here from each other! I have never had to do one like this yet. It's good referance with your documentation. Give her extra treats from me!

CowCreekGeek..... (shaking my finger at you....) I bet most of us girls on here are not squeeeeemmmmish.......

(just got my first deer of the season last week here in Ohio - had to gut her on my own and didnt puke

)

You give great advise on the repair method. - Watch out, you are going to be 'stalked' by more than just Hurricanearran!

Yeah .. even as I typed of my stereotypical blunder, I knew I was gonna be in trouble by fully disclosing it ... there are many women that thankfully don't fit the general assumptions too many of us hold, but that works both ways -- I, for example, will ask directions as conversation w/ folks along the way, even when I'm reasonably certain of my location/destination, and will actually readily admit that I am, in fact, lost (however infrequently that happens ~'-)

And, bein' stalked makes me feel that I ain't so all alone in the virtual world ... thank you!

 

[fishnet1971]

oh we are all just going to 'henpeck' you now.....

 

[cowcreekgeek]

oh we are all just going to 'henpeck' you now.....

I'm sorta used to that, but I've gotta admit ... between havin' a chicken in my lap that's nippin' my empty hand, and your warning that it's comin' via the 'net, and hearing The View on tv I just turned off (unaffectionately known as five squawking hens around here)?

It's time for me to give up, get ouside, and get to work ~'-)

 

[Sandyd]

Good luck to your girl. Excellent thread and step by step instructions on caring for a wound. Hats off to both of you.

 

[hurricanearran]

Good to hear from others that there's great hope for my girl!

I checked on her yesterday and the sutures had come unglued so we went back to the house for a check-up. I cleaned her skin up again and flushed the newly formed scab with more warm water/peroxide solution, applied a few new band-aids and a better patch to keep dirt and bedding out and gave her a new outfit. Results below...



I'd say things are looking great. No sign of infection or bad smells! There is just that one spot (near centre of image) where the skin still hadn't healed over so secured the whole wound again with sutures just to make sure things wouldn't split open.



I was having little success keeping her in her saddle as she figured out very quickly how to pull it off. I cut up an old old stretchy tank top and stitched it together in a tube. It's very loose and the fabric is very stretchy. After 24 hours it's still in place, doing a better job keeping things clean and she's still eating, scratching, clucking and giving me eggs. Ain't she pretty...

Hopefully my next shots will be of a nicely healed scar and a few more feathers to boot!