OUUUCH! Now What? ***GROSS PIC WARNING***

[Shelanie]

I just went outside and found one of my girls with a "neck issue". The funny part is I'm a medic but I have never treated chickens. So clean it and put antibiotic ointment on it? I have her isolated. She is A & O x 4 (just kidding) she is alert and orriented and is acting fine. I just want to make sure I can do for chickens whats ok for people.

 

[Alexis]

Quote:

But OUCH! That wound looks painful. I can't offer much help, so I'll wait and see what someone more experience in chicken wounds says.

 

[CUDA]

Man that's a nasty wound. If it is really open bad like it looks in the pic, and your a medic, I might think of stitching it closed. Start her on a broad spectrum antibiotic too, like terramyacin, to help with infections either way. Chickens can heal from some pretty bad wounds, so she might pull through just fine given some time to heal up.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, see if you can't sew that up and give her an antibiotic since it is an open wound

 

[pips&peeps]

I agree that needs to be closed! I would suspect a cat did that.

Do you have any predators hanging around??? That would be the next thing on your list to check.

 

[Moonwalker]

I agree that it should have a couple of stitches. Leave a bit at the lowest part open so it will drain.
And I would look around the coop or wherever she was for protruding nails or bits of wire if you don't think a cat may have gotten in.

 

[petlove]

From the picture it looks as if there is a puncture as well. In that case I would not stitch it. I would clean it with hydrogen peroxide and watch for infection.

 

[amystours]

I thought we weren't supposed to use peroxide anymore??? Even on us!!! I took a first aid/cpr class, and they said that is a definite no-no, because it kills the healthy tissue as well.

Maybe that's just for us, though, not our critters...

I seem to remember anytime we got boo-boos as kids, here came the peroxide to be dumped on it...I guess we all turned out okay anyway..

 

[petlove]

There are other cleansing agents you can use. I am not sure what they are. My choices are hydrogen peroxide and betadine. I am old school. Ask your vet. I think the important thing is to flush out the wound and use whatever is cleansing.

 

[Shelanie]

Thanks for all the info. Luckily I have a friend who is a vet. I finally got a hold of her and she told me to clean it and super glue it shut. We have no cats. The only thing I could find is some chain link that was sticking out. She is usually very mellow and now she attacks me everytime I go to get her. Poor thing is obviously in a lot of pain. She is eating and drinking though. Thanks for the quick info!