MASSIVE hen injury. need advice! PLEASE!

[Ecoria]

Saturday and Sunday nights there was some sort of attack on my coop. Found a dead bird sunday morning and monday found 4 birds with injuries, one massive. One of my austrolorps is ripped open from breast bone, up her neck, and down her back past her wing joints. There is no skin covering her back and back of her neck. She has a horrid smell and today, while changing her bandaging that her crop is also cut open as there were tons of seeds just coming out of her neck. I've been reading threads and see that the crop can be stitched closed. I guess my question is do i try to stitch her up or leave it open and bandaged? She's got an amazing will to live, even laid an egg monday but nothing today, is walking around and acting normal but for small intervals and is resting the rest of the time. She was eating well, which is how i found out about the crop tear, but i'm witholding food until i can get it stitched tomorrow. I've got duramycin i've added to her water. please what else can i do to help her?

also, one of my other hens, a brown leghorn, has just a couple of puncture wounds we've cleaned up, but she seems in really bad shape. Constantly sleeping, can't walk right, keeps walking backwards and falling and slipping. I don't think she's eating or drinking but i'm going to give her some sugar water tonight via dropper.

Why would the worse injured bird be acting much more normal than one who seems barely injured?

 

[foreverlearning]

I don't know how to treat them, I'll let someone more experienced answer that one. But you MUST take them out of the coop and bring them inside until you find out how something attacked them and secure the area.

 

[foreverlearning]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/21291/how-to-crop-operation-warning-graphic-pics

This should help with the crop. I suggest not to leave it open because then she can't even drink. At least place antibiotic ointment on the wounds of the other one.

 

[Ecoria]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/21291/how-to-crop-operation-warning-graphic-pics

This should help with the crop. I suggest not to leave it open because then she can't even drink. At least place antibiotic ointment on the wounds of the other one.

I will be stitching the crop, i was asking if i should stitch up her back and neck/chest or leave it open and bandaged.

I don't know how to treat them, I'll let someone more experienced answer that one. But you MUST take them out of the coop and bring them inside until you find out how something attacked them and secure the area.

I have 18 birds, I can't bring them all inside, but 2 injured birds are in the small coop for chicks and the worse 2 are in the house with me.

 

[foreverlearning]

Sorry, I misunderstood, that link was on how to stitch it back up. Yes you do want to stitch anything big back up. For something like the back because you have to bandage her anyways you might want to think about super glue. It is what is used in the E.R. as liquid stitches. Make sure before anything is stitched up or sealed/bandaged the entire area is thoroughly sanitized with something like clear iodine.

 

[ten chicks]

Saturday and Sunday nights there was some sort of attack on my coop. Found a dead bird sunday morning and monday found 4 birds with injuries, one massive. One of my austrolorps is ripped open from breast bone, up her neck, and down her back past her wing joints. There is no skin covering her back and back of her neck. She has a horrid smell and today, while changing her bandaging that her crop is also cut open as there were tons of seeds just coming out of her neck. I've been reading threads and see that the crop can be stitched closed. I guess my question is do i try to stitch her up or leave it open and bandaged? She's got an amazing will to live, even laid an egg monday but nothing today, is walking around and acting normal but for small intervals and is resting the rest of the time. She was eating well, which is how i found out about the crop tear, but i'm witholding food until i can get it stitched tomorrow. I've got duramycin i've added to her water. please what else can i do to help her?

also, one of my other hens, a brown leghorn, has just a couple of puncture wounds we've cleaned up, but she seems in really bad shape. Constantly sleeping, can't walk right, keeps walking backwards and falling and slipping. I don't think she's eating or drinking but i'm going to give her some sugar water tonight via dropper.

Why would the worse injured bird be acting much more normal than one who seems barely injured?

Is hen still alive? If so,clean wounds several times a day. Crop has to be stitched,you can use any natural material(will dissolve) for internal stitches,for example silk thread,cotton thread,hair,etc. Sterilize needle(use fire,heat till red hot)for thread you can use rubbing alcohol,sterilize wound,this is extremely important as anything trapped in stitches will cause an infection. Tie each stitch off separately,make sure thread is thick for stitching internal wounds,has to last till healing is complete. You can use same technique for stitching external wound from chest to neck. For back,if there is no skin,then it cannot be stitched,keep it clean and apply an antibiotic ointment(nothing ending in "caine/cane" toxic to chickens. Start your injured girls on antibiotics for infection. Signs of infection are: redness,swelling,wound is hot,hen is lethargic,any smell from wounds mean they are infected. WATCH for maggots! Keep hens inside,monitor them,make sure they are eating/drinking. You can purchase Metacam from a vet or give a baby aspirin(81 mg)dose is 25 mg per lb of body weight,make sure the aspirin and the antibiotic are safe to use together. For hen with torn crop,she has to be on soft foods,you do not want any stress on the crop.

 

[Ecoria]

She is still alive and seemingly doing well. we stitched up the crop (my sister is a nurse and had some sutures from an old army/navy surgery kit). We've decided to keep her back open to monitor the crop healing and keep her bandaged for another day or so, then we will stitch up her back. I do not understand how she is still alive, but she has an appetite and keeps hydrated. We've been giving her soaked chick feed for the extra protein.

Thanks for the help. I will keep it updated.

 

[foreverlearning]

Good to hear. Her will to live is strong, you would be surprised what they can live threw when its strong.