open wound on hen! need advise!!

[scooby]

I found this on my hen today when i went to clip her wings, a large open wound, i have no idea what happened or when, but i can only assume it happened sometime today cause i didn't notice it yesterday. Anyways I am wondering what i should do to treat it, or if you think it requires a vet (can't afford it but i will if it is necessary) or will it heal on its own? the skin is loose around it (dont know if thats normal) so when i pour'd a mix of peroxide and water it ran under her skin. as of right now we put her in a cage in our room with food and vitamin water. she also is not acting odd (well untill we brang her inside) she has been eating and drinking and roaming all day. so any advise?

Sorry the pics arn't that good!!

 

[WalkingWolf]

If you have a rooster his claws probably did that. I had a hen that had a wound much worse and she healed but I made sure she was around no roos until skin regrew and I bought a saddle to protect any future tearing. I used blue coat on the wound until skin reformed. She showed no sigh of infection but I did put her on anti-biotics for a week. I made sure she got plenty of food and I gave her a scrambled cooked egg a day.

 

[scooby]

i do have a roo and i was thinkin that same thing when i first saw it, does that happen often when they mate?
what is a saddle?
and what is blue coat? i assume its some kind of spary. can i get it at the country store? will they know what that is?
also what type of antibiotics/ do they carrie that at the country store also? does it have some type of scientific name i need to know?

 

[sammi]

check your roos toenails and spurs..they may need to be trimmed.

Blue Kote is a spray..it is an anti-infectant..
available at farm/feed/livestock supply stores.
it WILL stain..so use gloves.

don't use peroxide anymore after first use..
best to clean out with a squirt of saline solution..then treat with diluted betadine..let dry..until you can get the Blue Kote..
watch for signs of infection..
Pen-G procaine or penicillin is good to have on hand for wound infections.


give extra protein as Walking Wolf suggested.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Blue Kote is great. Just keep the wound clean and purple!

I had a hen that was free-range and had her whole side ripped off by ???? Was like that for a WHILE when I found her. Lots of maggots. I felt terrible. I had to pick them out and spray out under the skin with peroxide to bubble them out.

I just kept it very clean after I noticed and grabbed all my horse meds. Blue Kote looked the safest to use.

Her side and feathers are still purple, but the skin is totally healed. She's bald all under her wing on that side with a purple ring all around it and the accident happened in the summer. It really did great on short notice. Kept it from getting nasty and even dried it out a bit...

Do use gloves (if you care).....no matter how hard Ive tried through all the years using it, It will ALWAYS get on you!

 

[scooby]

blue kote, its for horses right?, we use to use it on our horses but its been so long i couldn't remember the name. well i guess i'll make a trip to the feed store tomarrow.
Pen-G procaine or penicillin- do i give these for about a week?
thanks guys for all your help i appreciate it, o and i'v already given her a scrambled egg as soon as i got her set up in her own cage, and she gobbled it down!!!

 

[sammi]

yes..the Blue Kote is used for livestock to prevent infection and keep flies off wounds.

 

[scooby]

so once i get the blue kote, how long should i keep her inside? till it fully heals? or can she be kept outside? do i need to worry about dust bathing and such?

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
If it scabs up completely, then you can probably put her back out with the rest. However, if the roo can get her, he can rip the scab open and starting the whole process over. I had one hen that remained in the house until she healed (several weeks), a second hen that scabbed over very well and she did fine being put out in the flock while healing...and a third hen, which is in the house currently and will likely remain here until it looks like it is healing nicely because she has a thing for the roo. (The first two hens were tore up by a roo that we longer have). Also, saddles (jackets) help to protect the wound as well. If it is scabbed over completely, then it is protected from outside material (dirt, etc). But, I usually still check it daily to be safe.

 

[woolychicken]

also looks like some one has been picking at her. is she low on the pecking order? i have had a dog get the back of one of my hens it was awful. but triple antibioict(oops) oiment and and keep it washed out for a few days with dail soap rinse well , then peroxide,oiment
keep away from other chickens they like the oiment. use chicken saddle if you have one if not you can make your own. you can find pattern on internet kepp hen away till scab forms
good luck