My hen' beak got chewed off and her face is SUPER swollen, how can I help with the inflammation?

[slordaz]

also if your local vet doesn't treat chickens a lot of times they will dispense medicines for a chicken especially with that kind of injury

 

[blackandtan]

Here's some pictures of her left "eye". I think shes getting an infection in her nare and whats left of her really shredded beak area. I sprayed Vetericyn on it and put some Neosporin on it and her eyes, trying to get it to open up. She walked around today for little bit. I got the rest of her poopy feathers cut off. And I got her to eat! I gave her probably 6 small pieces of hard boiled egg and about 2 of the yolk, but the yolk was hard to feed her. I've been giving the 3-in-1 in her water with some plantain plant, which is an herb that helps with like everything that's called a weed by any gardener just about
I think things are looking up for her, I just have to get the infection gone

I’m sorry for you and your hen, but looking at those pictures I’d say her tongue is dead and necrotic, which would account for some of the smell in the face area.
I know you’re trying but if she was mine I’d end her suffering.
I’m sorry!

 

[RooandherRooster]

How is the rest of her face? Is the swelling going down at all?

It seems to be the same, I've seen it so much it's hard to tell now that I'm used to it, but the left side might have swollen a little bit more.

If her eye was injured or bitten, the white material might have been pus. But it could have been her eye collapsing. Does her face still smell bad? I would clean it with Vetericyn or saline, and apply some plain antibiotic ointment twice a day.

That's what I thought at first, but it like dried out. She has a different smell now, it's not as strong, but I can't explain it. I used the Vetericyn and put Neosporin on her eyes to try and loosen it so maybe she can open them soon. The only thing is is that there seems to be infection starting in her nare area that smells bad, just started this later morning.

Try hard boiled egg, especially the yolk. You can make a paste by mashing the yolk and a couple of drops of Chick Booster (liquid vitamin supplement with just about any vitamin a chicken would need) & perhaps some cooking oil, butter, or other high-quality fat to give her some much needed calories. My chickens adore a bit of raw hamburger too, so if you've got a little it could be a replacement for insects that she'd have normally caught and you can control the fat vs protein content with the meat too.

I did that, the yolk was kinda hard to give her because she doesn't know what to do to get the food down but I got like 2 pieces in her plus like 6 pieces of the white in the egg. I just might have to try that paste, oil, and meat to help with her nutrients.

 

[RooandherRooster]

I hate to be the naysayer here but it’s reasonable given her injuries to consider seeking veterinary care. Both amoxicillin and penicillin from the feed store have a narrow spectrum of efficacy for the bacteria they target. This is typically good given the liberal use by some facilities/flocks (resistance is a real concern). However, other antibiotics available by prescription have a wider spectrum and may be more appropriate given her situation. Also, there are antiinflammatories and pain medications with more potency than aspirin, which would also be reasonable given her injuries. They could also teach you temporary gavage feeding if she can’t maintain adequate caloric intake on her own currently.

Please don’t think I’m discrediting her current care- I’m certainly not and am thrilled to see such devoted chicken owners. I know cost is always a concern with backyard flocks but it feels like my ethical obligation to advocate for her if possible.

I totally get it. However, my dad is in a position that, even with veterinary care she isn't guaranteed to be okay. And yes money, if I can do things to help here, he would rather me do that than waste money, he'd rather put her out of her misery and cook her for dinner. I'm just trying to take one step at a time, here's my thoughts. If I can get the inflammation down and get her to open her eyes, I feel like she would be more willing to figure out how to eat and drink on her own since she could see and she'd be in less pain. I'd also have to get the infection gone, and I prefer natural ways, but I understand sometimes you just gotta use antibiotics. With the Vetericyn spray, plantain, and the Neosporin I feel like it should clear up. And if I can get her to see, get her to eat and drink, then she'll move around more, will get her energy and muscle back and will be well on her way to getting better. She walked a bit today in the grass because she does not like me touching her bum, to get the poopy feathers cut off, without being able to see me. But it's my goal for her.

 

[glassdragonfly]

I'm glad you got her to eat some. Sound like your doing all you can for her and she's fighting.Keep up the good work!

 

[RooandherRooster]

One of the other people who had this happen did tube feed her chicken for a few weeks. But she scrambled eggs and fed her hen slivers of egg that way, which the hen learned how to eat. Pieces of tuna, salmon, or liver would be somewhat easy to feed. I would moisten the amber thing in her eye, and see if you can get the eye open, to check if the eye is in there or not.

That's what I'm hoping the Neosporin will do, it's just hard to get it on her eye when she is moving all about, she hates her face touched now and I don't blame her.

 

[RooandherRooster]

I’m not trying to stress anyone out, just giving my opinion from the medical experience I have. I’m sorry if I came across as unhelpful.
When I say that the hen needs veterinary care, I’m talking about access to stronger drugs and maybe a firmer hand (sometimes gnarly wounds require some manhandling to properly clean up). Even if you don’t have a vet who will see chickens (I don’t), if you just explain the situation to a vet who you have a relationship with already, they can help you out. At the very least you can try, and maybe you’ll get a prescription out of it.

But if you want ideas, I can give ideas!
If this were my hen, I would immediately start by bringing her inside. This wound is severe enough to be past the point of caring about flock hierarchy. I would be very concerned about fly strike and myiasis given the amount of vulnerable flesh exposed and her inability to defend herself from parasites.

Then I would wrap her in a towel and clean her wounds thoroughly with betadine. This would require some elbow grease and a strong stomach. She will complain, and it will hurt.
The loose beak fragments will have to be removed, and the pus in her eyes will have to be expressed to the best of your ability. You should be able to work her eyelids open with some warm compresses and patience. The eyes will have to be closely monitored and cleaned as they continue to drain and fill up.
Ideally, antibiotic ointment drops would be used, especially if one or both eyes is decaying in the socket. You might be able to find some terramycin ointment in stores.

I believe she needs antibiotics, the kind you can only get with a prescription. Whether that’s from medication you already have laying around, or you can get lucky with a vet, I don’t know. But in my opinion, the extremely swollen, hot and foul smelling face indicate a nasty bacterial infection (combined with dehydration and normal lymphatic swelling from the physical trauma of her wounds).

I would also start a tube feeding regime immediately. Personally I would use a blended slurry of water, poultry booster, “Exact” powder, and maybe some egg yolk as a base. Tube feeding isn’t too bad once you get the hang of it and can really make all the difference.

On the bright side, I doubt she has much energy to fight you regardless of what you decide to do for her.
I wish you and your hen the best of luck. She looks like a fighter!

No, you're okay. I can try to do that with a vet, and I know what you mean i am in no way shape or form experienced in wound care like this. I need to bring her inside, she's been separated but it is gonna be a cold one for her, especially tonight. About myiasis, if she has it how do I stop it? I've got a strong stomach for things like this, but what gets me is the part that I'm hurting her, and I don't want to push her too much. The loose beak fragments I knew would probably have to be removed, but how do I go about doing that? And with the pus, i don't know. I can't keep anything on there, as far as a warm compress, on there long enough to actually be effective. How do I get that out, let it get moist then gently pull it out? Everything and everyone says that tube feeding isn't hard and I believe it. I'm thinking I won't have to do it if I can get her to eat now, but that will be my fallback if she stops eating. I will keep that slurry in mind, Tycine1 and Eggcessive gave some too and they're similar thank you for your response, it was very helpful! And yes, she is I just hope she chooses to fight this battle

 

[RooandherRooster]

I'm glad you got her to eat some. Sound like your doing all you can for her and she's fighting.Keep up the good work!

Yes, and thank you!

 

[RooandherRooster]

also if your local vet doesn't treat chickens a lot of times they will dispense medicines for a chicken especially with that kind of injury

I can ask around

 

[Tesumph]

No, you're okay. I can try to do that with a vet, and I know what you mean i am in no way shape or form experienced in wound care like this. I need to bring her inside, she's been separated but it is gonna be a cold one for her, especially tonight. About myiasis, if she has it how do I stop it? I've got a strong stomach for things like this, but what gets me is the part that I'm hurting her, and I don't want to push her too much. The loose beak fragments I knew would probably have to be removed, but how do I go about doing that? And with the pus, i don't know. I can't keep anything on there, as far as a warm compress, on there long enough to actually be effective. How do I get that out, let it get moist then gently pull it out? Everything and everyone says that tube feeding isn't hard and I believe it. I'm thinking I won't have to do it if I can get her to eat now, but that will be my fallback if she stops eating. I will keep that slurry in mind, Tycine1 and Eggcessive gave some too and they're similar thank you for your response, it was very helpful! And yes, she is I just hope she chooses to fight this battle

I’m sorry for the troubles you and your hen are going through.
I feel I should add that no one here is judging you for not being able to see a vet, least of all me. I have been in your exact position, it’s an extremely difficult spot to be in when you’re still living with your parents.

Myiasis is just the parasitic infection of fly larvae in or on an animal. This could be in the form of fly larvae being laid on her diarrhea soaked rear end and eating into the flesh, or maggots entering her facial wounds. You would treat it with thorough cleaning and manual removal of the maggots, and prevent it by making sure she is indoors and away from flies while she is healing.

The beak fragments would have to be removed with small scissors, nail clippers, or just pulled off if they’re hanging from a thread. It’s hard to see from the pictures how much work you’d have to do on that. It might be better to just leave it and see what happens.

As for feeling like you’re hurting her, I get it. It’s hard to hear them in pain. Think of it this way.. the faster it gets dealt with, the less pain she’ll be in and the faster she’ll heal. She won’t hate you for it, I promise.
Wrap her in a towel to secure her wings and feet and make her feel safe. She will still be able to shake her head but you just have to be persistent and patient. You should be able to use a warm, wet washcloth that’s draped over her head and eyes. Once her eyelids are open, it will take some work to make sure that they don’t get sealed shut again by nasty fluid.
I’m not sure about expressing pus because I’m not sure of the state her eyes are in. If there is a pus nodule, you would pretty much work it out by gentle squeezing and manipulating. But that’s a big “if,” and only a small part of the picture if she has a raging bacterial infection in her body.