Pea hen with long term wound

[PeaChick C]

I need some medical advice for our oldest hen.

Last spring, our oldest peahen 'Queenie' went broody in the tall grass where all our peahens nest. She showed up two weeks later with two nasty wounds, one on each wing, as if something tried to grab her. Her feathers were all messed up and crooked. We kept her in the enclosure in the barn for two months while she healed. I gave her Pro-Pen-G once a week and put flies off on the scabby wounds.

Come August 1st, she was looking better so we let her back out. After just a few weeks she vanished again. I quite frankly had thought she had died. But after four weeks, she reappeared with a beautiful baby boy peachick. We got her back into the enclosure where we keep all of our mommas and babies for 5-6 weeks. So she has been in there with her baby for two weeks.

Last night, I noticed that she has started bleeding again out of one of the old wounds. Its right on the elbow join of her wings and when she flew up to the roosting bar, it reopened the old injury.

So now, I am back to being a peahen doctor. I need some suggestions on what to do. I could go back to the Pen-G shot. I could try honey or Neosporin on the wound. Whatever we do, we don't want to hinder her mothering ability.

Suggestions? Any one ever dealt with a five month old wound that just wouldn't heal?

 

[zazouse]

I need some medical advice for our oldest hen.

Last spring, our oldest peahen 'Queenie' went broody in the tall grass where all our peahens nest. She showed up two weeks later with two nasty wounds, one on each wing, as if something tried to grab her. Her feathers were all messed up and crooked. We kept her in the enclosure in the barn for two months while she healed. I gave her Pro-Pen-G once a week and put flies off on the scabby wounds.

Come August 1st, she was looking better so we let her back out. After just a few weeks she vanished again. I quite frankly had thought she had died. But after four weeks, she reappeared with a beautiful baby boy peachick. We got her back into the enclosure where we keep all of our mommas and babies for 5-6 weeks. So she has been in there with her baby for two weeks.

Last night, I noticed that she has started bleeding again out of one of the old wounds. Its right on the elbow join of her wings and when she flew up to the roosting bar, it reopened the old injury.

So now, I am back to being a peahen doctor. I need some suggestions on what to do. I could go back to the Pen-G shot. I could try honey or Neosporin on the wound. Whatever we do, we don't want to hinder her mothering ability.

Suggestions? Any one ever dealt with a five month old wound that just wouldn't heal?

Honey may not help at all especially if it is from the grocery store cause that is pasteurized honey.

Remember scar tissue does not give that is why burn patients have to go threw so many skin graphs, the more it opens the bigger the scared area will become and if it is at the joint she may always tear it, if this is the case it may be best if she were kept penned where she will not have to extend her wings that much to get up higher because in the end she may not be able to fly at all if it keeps happening

Congratulations on the wee pea

we do love photos here so post some up on show off your peas if ya can.
can you post photos of the area?

 

[PeaChick C]

We are old school and barter farm eggs for honey from a bee keeper down the road. So our honey isn't ruined by 'the man'. I am going to inspect her better after lunch. I will see what her wings look like. I will try to get some photos too. We have a shorter cage that we keep chickens in after they hatch. I could move her in there if I have to.

 

[zazouse]

 

[PeaChick C]

I have good news. After a thorough exam, I can tell her left wing is all healed! And her right wing, the one I saw dripping some blood last night, has a few crazy looking ingrown feathers in the scar tissue area. I think she was bleeding out of one of those spots. The wound smells good and looks MUCH better than before she went broody. I didn't put anything on it today, just gave her a shot of Pen-G. I will see what it looks like in a few days. I think she is healing pretty good!

I forgot my camera. But I will be sure to shoot some pea photos, and some of my 16 guinea keats later today.

 

[zazouse]

I have good news. After a thorough exam, I can tell her left wing is all healed! And her right wing, the one I saw dripping some blood last night, has a few crazy looking ingrown feathers in the scar tissue area. I think she was bleeding out of one of those spots. The wound smells good and looks MUCH better than before she went broody. I didn't put anything on it today, just gave her a shot of Pen-G. I will see what it looks like in a few days. I think she is healing pretty good!

I forgot my camera. But I will be sure to shoot some pea photos, and some of my 16 guinea keats later today.

Blood feathers are very delicate and are easy to rupture, every once in a while when I find lots of blood droppings and no foot injurys I look at the tail feathers cause they are very attractive to the other birds when they are coming in.
this may always be an issue but that is better than having to pen her if you want her running loose.