Need Advice

[Ricky Rooster]

I've got her inside and try and clean up her poop frequently and the liner daily, I do smell something, hoping it's normal chicken smell. I'm a nurse and work in a hospital, have smelled some really bad infections, this isn't quite the same.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It sounds like she is progressing well. She is probably a more compliant patient than some of the people you have treated. With your experience you will probably detect signs of infection. I think chicken infection would smell similar to human infection.

 

[Ricky Rooster]

I was reading some other posts and had a question about Blu Kote...someone had posted that this will keep them from pecking at themselves. My hen is definitely feeling better or the aspirin in the water is helping with any pain issues, but will she peck at her own wounds?? They still look bad (at least to me!) but she's tolerating the wound cleansing; I have the saline/betadine solution in a spray bottle and spray in the wounds but she pokes around with her beak afterwards. Would Blu Kote be a good idea?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

The color of Blu Kote camouflages the red of the blood and discourages other chickens from pecking the wounds because they are attracted to red. It may not prevent her from beaking her wounds. Some people use the wrap that sticks to itself to prevent the chicken from pecking at her own wound. Although she may peck her way out of that wrap pretty fast. Some people have fashioned a kind of elastic sleeve to slip over the body.

 

[Ricky Rooster]

Just an update...Mother is still doing well and healing although the "sliced" areas under her wings are healing slowly. Still eating/drinking/pooping normally. She had one area under one wing that looks like it might be infected but it doesn't smell like infection. Still irrigating that area with saline/betadine solution. I attached a makeshift nesting box to the crate and she snuggled right in and started making a sound that was almost like a cooing! Hoping she'll be well enough to go back out to the coop soon, her roosting buddy is looking lonely! I only have four hens and they roost in pairs at night.

 

[Ricky Rooster]

My girl Mother was starting to get a little restless...I made her a makeshift nesting box for the dog crate, she laid her first egg since her injuries over a week ago.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

That's great to hear her progress. Maybe she will be ready for supervised visits with her hen friends soon.