Pecked pullet, hanging in there day #3 - need help for infected wound

[OCchickens]

Help! My 3 month old silkie was badly pecked today & has been almost motionless with no eating & drinking. I've tried dipping her beak in vit/electrolyte water with sugar & tried offering treats. She will rouse & open her eyes but otherwise just lies there. It doesn't look like the extent of her injuries should be fatal. There's a fairly small patch on her head & a bigger patch near the tail on her back.

I know it doesn't sound good, but I'm hoping maybe she's just in shock and will perk up tomorrow. Has anyone seen that happen?

Any tricks for getting fluids into her? Do chickens get IV's?

 

[Laskaland]

Do you have any syringes or baby medicine droppers? She is probably in shock. Please put her somewhere darkened with warmth. If you have boiled eggs or can scramble up an egg, do that for protein. If you have some apple cider vinegar, you could add that to the dropper also.
give her time, as long as she has no internal injuries, should be ok?
Good Luck

 

[allisojo]

I agree with everything the previous poster said. A few years ago, I had almost the exact same thing happen to me with a young pullet. I mistakenly figured she'd get over it on her own in a few days. Well, she didn't. The other ladies didn't bother her any more, but she never perked up. She died about three days later. Of course there might have been other factors involved that I don't know about, but at a minimum, the pecking put her on a downward spiral. Good luck. With some TLC, I bet she'll come back to normal.

 

[OCchickens]

Well, my little silkie has suprised me by making it 3 days. She's somewhat more alert & has been drinking some & eating a small amount when we present the food to her. Also scratching herself & chirped a few times for the first time today.

The wound above her tail smells infected now. I have done my best to clean it up - doesn't seem deep. I've alternated letting it dry out & covering it with antibiotic ointment. Also putting the heat lamp on it.

I think I'll try a little poultice of garlic juice (diluted) & honey tonight. Wondered whether people had other suggestions.

 

[FarmerDenise]

To clean the wound use warmed up saline solution. Use a syringe so you can really squirt it in. Or you can also use betadine tea. Mix betadine or iodine with warm water so it looks like tea. Make sure you dry her off well after wards. I use a blow dryer set on low on my chickens. I have never tried honey or garlic on chickens (unless I was cooking it), but I would think it would work on the infection.
I used treat my daughter's ear infections with garlic oil. She didn't smell so good, but it helped her ears.
I use neosporin and aloe vera to promote healing.
Chickens recover remarkably well from injuries, it just worries me that she is not eating or drinking that well. She is probably in shock.