My hen had it seemed like punchure markes on both sides of her head.

[Didymus]

My hen had puncture type wounds on each side of her cheeks. Not her eyes, but she was fine last night and then sometime during the morning after they were let out, about 10 a.m. we noticed it. They are free range in a large yard and usually don't notice any predators except for a hawk last year. We threw rocks at it and didn't return.

I treated her with hydrogen peroxide and with triple antibiotic with no analgesic. Just the antibiotic kind. She seems ok, and is eating and layed an egg. But I am concerned about the puncture type of wound. Is there a chicken biotic that I can purchase through Murdocks or some kind of safe antibiotic that I could possibly get my vet to prescribe, if it were safe, but they don't see chickens. Will the 3 other hens peck at her wounds? Should I isolate her? I did this afternoon and she was not happy. But my husband stayed outside all day watching them in the cold even, until I got home. Any help or advise?
Sorry, but I need this advise soon, like tonight.

Thanks in advance,
Didymus- Beth​

 

[farmtotable]

It could be the punctures are from talons, like an eagle or hawk, although usually avian predators grab onto the back of their prey. She could also have gotten her head stuck in something, like wire or a broken fence, and shook her head to get unstuck. At any rate, it's great that she's still eating and laying! You can also try dabbing Neosporin on the wounds, it helps keep dirt and debris from getting inside of the would because it's so greasy. If she is still bleeding at all I would isolate her, even if she doesn't like it, until the bleeding stops and the wounds heal over. Even if no one is pecking at her when you're looking, all it takes is one chicken to start in on it and then they all will. You could try putting her inside a wire cage or kennel inside her coop (with food and water, obviously) - that way she's isolated but she can still see the other hens. The up side is chickens heal very quickly.

I wouldn't put her on antibiotics unless you see some signs of infection (like the skin around the wound feels hot to the touch, gets red or swollen, leaks pus, etc...) That's just my opinion, I'm not a fan of them and think they are way overused (in humans and animals alike!).

 

[Didymus]

It could be the punctures are from talons, like an eagle or hawk, although usually avian predators grab onto the back of their prey. She could also have gotten her head stuck in something, like wire or a broken fence, and shook her head to get unstuck. At any rate, it's great that she's still eating and laying! You can also try dabbing Neosporin on the wounds, it helps keep dirt and debris from getting inside of the would because it's so greasy. If she is still bleeding at all I would isolate her, even if she doesn't like it, until the bleeding stops and the wounds heal over. Even if no one is pecking at her when you're looking, all it takes is one chicken to start in on it and then they all will. You could try putting her inside a wire cage or kennel inside her coop (with food and water, obviously) - that way she's isolated but she can still see the other hens. The up side is chickens heal very quickly.

I wouldn't put her on antibiotics unless you see some signs of infection (like the skin around the wound feels hot to the touch, gets red or swollen, leaks pus, etc...) That's just my opinion, I'm not a fan of them and think they are way overused (in humans and animals alike!).

Thank you so much for responding. I will keep an eye on her for whatever it takes. Good idea for putting in the coop in a wire cage. We put her in for an hour or two, but she was very unhappy that her 3 hen friends were running around in the yard. My husband said she may have gotten her head stuck, but we have a wood fence. I will take a serious look around tomorrow.
If she does go to looking or infected, I wouldn't know how to get antibiotics anyway. She is not bleeding since this morning when I cleaned her up. I just hate this kind of stuff! Thank you for you timely response. I seem to worry excessively when on my animals are hurt or sick.

 

[Didymus]

Sweetie Pie is doing pretty well. With the addition of Neosporin with not anagelisc (pain ) she seems to be OK. Of course she is greasy. Should I clean this up with hydrogen peroxide and re apply? Or just add more Neopsorin. I am sue that she was injured by a tip of a bungie cord that my husband used to keep their cover over them. It has been rainy and cold and has blown away their tarp. Not his fault, but he was trying to protect them from the weather. I know of no chicken dr.s around here, so if I need to get some antibiotics where would I get them and what would be safe. Thanks for anyone's concern.

 

[farmtotable]

Thanks for the update! Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been online in a bit. Regarding the Neosporin, you can just leave it on there, unless you are washing the wound. It kind of depends on what it looks like in terms of infection. When one of my ducks got bit by a weasel, he had two huge puncture wounds. The wounds got infected, so every day I would hold his neck under the faucet and flush the wounds, then use a bit of soap and water on them, then flush it again. Then I would put more Neosporin on it. As the wounds healed and I no longer had to flush out the signs of infection, I would just keep applying the new Neosporin over the old. It absorbs quickly. On the other hand, when a baby chick got scalped by an adult hen (not pretty), I applied Neosporin twice daily to the skinned area on her back. I never washed it because it didn't appear to be infected. I just kept the skin moist and "elasticy" with the ointment.

Regarding the antibiotics, I believe you can get them at many feed stores or you can order them online. I don't use them myself (or on my chickens) for a number of reasons, so I've never had to buy them. I prefer to use plain old soap and water, herbs, and Neosporin and I haven't had a chicken die from an infection yet (knock on wood!!!) But don't get me wrong, my choosing to avoid antibiotics is a personal choice made for personal reasons, and a LOT of people on this forum use them with good results. I don't want my own choices regarding them to influence you against medicines, if that's the direction you want to go in!

 

[Didymus]

Thank you. I did not end up giving her antiIbiotics. I don't see any signs of infection. I will just keep watching her and applying Neosporin (the kind with no pain reliever). I would be interested in knowing about the use of antibiotics. I would certainly try anything possible not to have to use them, but I think that I would if I was advised to to keep her alive, or any of my other hens, for that matter. I did use them on my Maine Coon one time when a fox bit him, and caused an abscess. Thanks again.