Need advice on thin chicken with big wound - pics included

[Motts]

I have a stray chicken that has started hanging out around my coop about 7-8 days ago. I have 4 10-11 week old chicks in an enclosed coop/run. She has been hanging around the outside. Last night my son walked over and picked her up, she was "sleeping" according to the 6 year old.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
I believe that she is an EE. Adult but is a stray so totally unknown about age. Very thin.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Quiet, she does move around in the large storage/brooder I have her in, but prefers to lie down. Gait is normal, posture is normal. Until last night she was roosting about 15 feet up in a tree. She does talk to you when you engage her. Her feathers are also crusted around her face and her beak had hard dried dirt(?) present.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Noticed damaged tail feathers when I got a good look at her. 7 days ago, she would not come near me. Every day she got a little more daring. Yesterday am, came to my feet, but when I tried to reach down she took off. My son picked her off the ground around 6pm last night.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Yes. Large wound over the left tail base and back with a flap of skin that is retracted. Last night cleaned with a dilute chlorhexidine solution (antibacterial). Today, I repeated this and applied a little antibiotic ointment.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Unknown. She showed up in our backyard about a week ago.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Last night ate some chicken scratch (50% bird seed mix: 50% cracked corn). Maybe picked at some starter crumbles last night. Today she did eat a mash of the crumbles, mixed with some plain greek yogurt. She is ignoring the dry crumbles though. She is drinking, maybe excessively?

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Poop looks watery, some white white and black present. She is pooping.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Just the wound treatment and food as listed above.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I may take her to a vet (friend) that has some limited chicken experience. Im hoping to find her owner. We have at least 5 neighbors that have chickens. I have left messages. One lost a chicken about 4 months ago. These wounds are fresh, but don't seem to be that old. Still waiting to hear from others.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
See pics below.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Currently in a storage box that I used as the brooder for my four. It has shavings in it. Fresh water and crumbles with another container of the crumble/yogurt mash.

Here is a head pic:


Here is her keel: Poor thing...


Wound before trimming feathers and cleaning:


Afterwards, it was a lot more extensive then I thought...


I guess I'm wondering about how far to go and the fact that this is a totally unknown bird that I know has already been exposed to my small flock.

Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

Wow that is a serious wound. You did everything right to clean it up. I might make sure the edges of the wound get the antibotic ointment under there well. The biggest threat is infection and fly strike where maggots get into the wound. That should heal up well in a few weeks with the good care you are giving. The main thing is to keep it clean and flies off of it. Your vet may be able to prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic for her. If not the feed stores have a few.

 

[Motts]

Anything else food why that I should be giving? How long can she be by herself? If she is quarantined properly she should be by herself for 4-6 weeks, right?

 

[Eggcessive]

She can eat the same chick starter grower that your chicks are on, with some crushed oystershell in a container so that she can get extra calcium as she needs it. Some chopped scrambled egg would give her extra protein. Plain yogurt a couple times a wekk along with 1TB apple cider vinegar in 1 gallon of her water is good to get her bowel bacteria healthy. Most people recommend 30 days quarentine when a new member comes into the flock. Also, I might give her some Polyvisol baby vitamins without iron, a drop or two daily since she is probably weak.

 

[seminolewind]

That is a pretty big wound. Should it be stitched closed? I would also assume she has an infection and put her on antibiotics as well. That may be why she has a so-so appetite and very thirsty.

 

[Motts]

Thanks for all the help. She was slightly more perky this morning. She stood up and started "singing" when I checked on her. Still not eating any dry crumbles but ate some crumbled mash with scrambled egg in it. Not sure exactly how much 1 chicken is suppose to eat.

Aren't chickens known to go into kidney failure?