Open wounds under wings ***NEW PICS****

[rooaroo]

TamTam84 posted a pic a couple of weeks ago of her hens back with a wound just like my hen's. NOW another one has one. I am losing my mind here. I have blue-kote to spray on them, I have read a number of things people do. I am going to file the rooster's nails today but should I keep him in a cage until they heal? I feel like he will keep messing their wounds up from healing. They also have home made saddles but I notice they don't go down the sides where they are getting the wounds. I would love to find a link from here I saw someone talking about...a no sew fleece saddle that sounded like it covered more. I made mine from jeans. If anyone has that link...I cannot seem to find or search the right things for it. I need a pattern and advice on what to use to heal them with the best? Should I wrap the areas with gauze or leave it open? Also, should I keep him at bay and for how long? He is pretty upset right now since I have them free ranging and him in the coop. I almost cried when I saw the other hen hurt. I am worried about infection.

 

[Judy]

Here's the link for the no-sew fleece saddles: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-blog-ellas-chicken-flock (Scroll way down)

I use them exclusively -- though I don't know that they would prevent cuts like that. I'm lucky, that has never happened to me. I don't even make the tail hole, only the two wing holes. It's been a trial and error thing for me to get them to fit right -- usually I get it right the second or third time. Fortunately I have lots of fleece scraps.

I would definitely keep the injured hens away from the roo til the wounds heal, even after you round or trim his spurs.

 

[rooaroo]

THANK YOU!!!!! I really needed that link. I want to try them, anything and since I live in a small town and plan to hit up the big one today...I will get fabric. And I think I am going to put him away while they are all out and let him sleep with them since he isn't worried about being romantic then. Do you know how long I might have to keep him at bay? I would just like an average so I can plan....I am a planner!

 

[Judy]

It probably depends how deep the wounds are -- but chickens do heal quickly, and if you can get a lot of the spur off (assuming the cuts are from the spurs) I wouldn't think it would be more than a few days.

 

[rooaroo]

Ok, I put blue-kote on the girls, all of them since they have some sort of healing to do. I had him separated all day. When my husband got home we pinned him down and used our dremel with a sanding tip to file his nails. He took it well. We only took off maybe 1/2 inch, should I do more? I am worried about making him bleed and hurting him. Well, I let him out at dusk because I thought he would be able to spread his legs and wings, do a full crow (since he couldn't stand super tall to get it all out it sounded a bit gurgled) and get on the roost for bed. As soon as I shut the door he was on one hen, then when I hit the house he was on the other. I just put them all in so they would go to bed. And they did. I have saddles on the hens, making new ones tomorrow. And as bad as I feel for the poor son of gun, he has to be away from them. Thank you for all your help. Now wish me luck that I can manage healing hens over here, rooster over here, and 8 teenage chicks over here. GEESH!

 

[rooaroo]

Crap! So one of the hens that was injured is acting funny today. She wants nothing to do with treats, which she ALWAYS fights for and she doesn't seem to want to lay down. Her vent keeps pulsing, she stands, and falls asleep. She is letting me get close to her which she never does. What is wrong with her???? HELP!

 

[Sylvestor12]

I would check her for new wounds and keep the rooster TOTALLY away from them until they are fully healed. Also, roosters get in the mood easily at night because he now has a lot of hens around him and hasn't seen them all day. If the wound is infected I'd put some Hydrogen peroxide on it to bubble it away and wipe it off. I there are maggots then I'd spray the wound with screw worm spray, wash them off, bring her inside, and let her heal.

 

[rooaroo]

Ok, I decided to go out and let them free range. It took a little coaxing but I got her to come out and peck the ground. Thank you for eating girl, but then she had a BM in front of me and it looked awful. I took a pic and then cornered her to take pics of her wound to show after I fed a strawberry to her from the garden and she ate it. Maybe from these pics someone can give me a better idea. I DO love that she is eating around. I have yet to see her drink...and again no egg. Did she stop laying from the wounds and is now backed up? She literally moved twice and slept all day until now....
Her bowel movement...doesn't look good at all...can someone help me with this?

Gilly's bum...doesn't seem like she has poopy butt. Just a little dirty.

Gilly's wound...

Lady's wound...her's has been around longest and she exhibits no change in behavior or egg laying.

The culprit, Sugar... Poor guy doesn't know why he is being "punished" but it is best for everyone, the hens still want to cuddle with him, he's is their bear.

 

[rooaroo]

ANYONE???? Now that it is the next day I am hoping more people see the poo and tell me what to do. She jumped down this morning and ate a little but still puffed out a little like she doesn't want to be bothered. The feed stores are open in town today....so if I need to get something I need to know, please anyone....why is her poo like that?????

 

[MoriahQuilts]

Rooaroo - I had a small Faverolle hen with a wound like that when the turkey starting feeling his oats. He killed her sister, and terribly wounded this one. I kept her inside where I could monitor food, cleanliness, temp, poo for two weeks. I kept the wound slathered with Neosporin ointment. It healed with pretty pink skin, and even some feathers. The hens picked on the wound also. Since she had no feathers yet, going into winter, I made her a saddle with insulation, and put a few on the others so she wouldn't feel picked on. They are simple to make - do you sew?

Here's a link to the Chicken Poo Chart:

http://chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

It doesn't look that odd to me.

Good luck.

I think I did give her a round of TerraVet (tetracycline) which mixes in drinking water.