Need Help Found y hen with a whole in her side

BigRedRoo

In the Brooder
6 Years
Nov 6, 2013
97
1
46
Ontario, Canada
So I introduced a couple new hens to the coop and since then all hell has broken loose. Yesterday I went into the coop in the morning (6:00 to beet the lights so I could referey) every one looked good no problems. Was in for an hour and split only one fight. But my rooster has become nerotic and quite rough with my hens. After breakfast I went back down and seen some blood on a white hen, but thought it was just the roosters wadels bleeding from my hens fighting back. Or his frost bite woonds spliting open. Went to work and when I came home went straight to the coop. Everything looked good. then I seen my white chicken flap her wing on the roost and I noticed the 8" whole in her side. I grabed her and she didnt even fight me, brougt her straight to the house to investigate.
What seems to have happend is that when the rooster mounted her he sliped and ripped a whole in her side. I washed it out with sayleen and pulled the folded skin out and tryed to flush as best I could. I put some polysporen on it and took her back to the coop.
The lights were out but a desk lamp which shuts off 10 minutes latter so every one can get on the roost. I but her on the floor she had a drink some food and up onto the rooste. this morning I put the rooster in a cage by him self so he doesnt mount her but she doesnt look happy.
She didnt get off the roost I took her down and she just layed down in the shavings? shes limping abit but wont walk much and wont eat or drink even if I put it in front of her.
What Can I do to help her and clean the woond. the feathers are in the scabs and everything is really hard this monring. How do I clean the feathers out of the skin without ripping the skin more? Im going to bring her back inside but I need to set up a spot first.
 
You are going to need to thoroughly clean the wound. Since it has hardened that is going to involve soaking her for a while. I would run her a warm bath with epsom salts and let her soak. As the wound softens pull the feathers out and cut them off. You may need to scrub her a bit with a soft brush to try and remove as much of the hardened scab as you can. It is way too soon for the scabs to be hard as a rock. The scabs need to be soft for the first few days to let healing start. Once the wound is as clean as it can be- blow dry her as much as she will tolerate. Then put some antibiotic ointment on the wound. Apply it lightly you don't want her to be a goopy mess with a wound that size. She will need to be separated until that wound starts to heal and can be covered.
 
Oh...and you need to tend that roo's spurs. Filing down the tips or removing them entirely will prevent this from happening again.
 
How do I file the toe nails? His spurs are small and dull but his toe nails are long and sharp.

Should I keep her inside? I have her in a dog kennel on my work bench in the coop, sectioned off from the rest?
What anitbiotics should I give her and what topo should I put on im in ontario canada.
 
File them down like you would any other animals' nails.

She will need to stay inside until that wound is better than it is now. You may be able to conceal it in a few days, but for now she needs to be where she can be clean, dry, warm, and unmolested.

I don't do antibiotics unless there is an obvious infection in a wound. An antibiotic ointment like bacitracin/Neosporin should work. Just make sure it has no pain killing agent in it (no -caine drugs).
 
I love Blukote...but only after a few days. It is very drying and burns like hell on a fresh wound. I like to wait a few days to allow some healing to take place before I start shooting them with Blukote. If the wound were smaller I would say do it up now, but with the size of the wound and her obvious distress, I think I would wait for a few days. If you are averse to waiting then it will do. Overall, it extends the healing time in wounds because it dries them out like shoe leather. A dry wound has a harder time healing under a layer of eschar than a moistened wound under a breathable scab.
 
I think you'll be amazed how quickly and easily she can heal, even if left alone. Chickens are incredibly tough
 
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After soaking and carefull work with some scissors and tweezers I was able to get it cleaned up and looking healthy.
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