one scalped chicken and one missing

[coldinnh]

I went away for a couple of days vaca and the DH created a "run" - well when I got back I thought I counted all 20 chickens on Monday night. Tuesday AM it appeared I was one short...but figured she was in the coop eating...last night when I was putting the gilrs to bed and doing roll call I was missing a Leghorn. Ok...

maybe she is out in the garage. NOPE! BLAST IT!!
So one more lost...when saying goodnight to my chicks (they will be 15 wks on Friday) I noticed that my cochin was scalped....she was roosting and her wings were to the side more, I was horrified. What the heck could of done this? They have free ranged no isues for weeks... I know we have crows, racoons, skunks, etc. But what would tear the feather, and skin down to the what appears to be the under dermis or is it muscle (I hope not ...I hate to think of the pain she is in if so)? She was up out in the yard before going to roost, a little reserved but thought that may have been the heat, Would a raccoon reach in and rip if they cold not get a good grasp? Possums? Or was this more likely a predatory bird?

 

[coldinnh]

Oh and how to I care for her? When should I take her to the vet? She is inside resting and is willing to accept the r&r in a tub for now. I gave her half an asapirin last night and this am..shoudl I give more?Epsom salt soaks? If this was a human I would lidocaine the wound and scrub it out but I can't so am hoping that soaks will do?

 

[CMV]

DO NOT USE LIDOCAINE!!! Or any -caine drugs. You will kill your bird. Clean the wound with betadine tea (1 part betadine to 10 parts water) or peroxide (Only use peroxide once to kill germs but not again because it kills skin cells). Cover it with Neosporin or Blukote. Keep the bird under close observation inside the house to prevent others from picking at the wound and to prevent flies from laying maggots in the wound. Give her some sugar water today and then pack her full of protein rich foods. If she has a close friend maybe set-up a hospital ward with the 2 of them in it. Chickens recover much quicker with a friend. Do not worry about pain relief. Chickens are tough and don't usually need it.

Good luck.