Please Help - Day 3 after attack ~ Roo has open wound we just found :(

[david182]

It is the 3rd day after our attack - I have my black barred rock that has survived and one rhode island red...they have been sequestered away from the uninjured part of the flock in my makeshift "hospital" in the garage.

My red has no visible injuries on her body but walks with a limp, does not try to fly, and rattles some when she breathes. She has ate and drank on her own though from day one. I feel with time she will be ok....(I hope....)

My HUGE question is what to do for my ROO? When we found him he was swollen and had chucks missing from his cone. His eyes were swollen completely shut and his feathers were matted. He refused to try to walk/drink/eat. I have been giving him water for the past 2 days. Last night when we returned home (we had to be gone for about 5 hours yesterday) his eyes were open and he was eating and drinking! Halajuah!!!

BUT this morning as he has began to walk in his ""hospital" (a rubbermaid tote) we have discoveren a new problem! He has a puncture injury to the chest! What appears to be bone sticking out and at some points I see what looks like intestine or the equivalent... OMG what do I do for him? Is there anything I can do? He is eating, drinking, walking... and has lived this long... and seemd to be recovering and now this HELP ... Apparently he fought the good fight with whatever attacked the coop!

Any help will be greatly appreciated! It hardly seems fair that roo not make it... obviously he is a fighter!

 

[bj taylor]

i am no chicken vet by any means. if there were a wound i could close (skin to skin)- i would close it with super glue (they use it in the hospital all the time) leaving a little section open on the lower end of the wound for any drainage that might occur. i would use a topical around it like blu-kote that is antiseptic. i would try to keep him in a cleaner than normal environment while the wound is open.

again, take my advice with a grain of salt. there are people on here much more knowledgable. sorry for your attack. i too had one. it is so upsetting.

 

[Lollipop]

You can do as BJ suggests and I'm sure that will help. My experience for many years is with gamefowl and as you can imagine, that wound is very common in my fowl. Usually, if there is no more bleeding, the bird will heal up on his/her own, just fine, with being confined and away from others that may peck at the wound.

I wouldn't be as concerned for that wound as for the rattle in the red bird. A rattle means the lung was punctured and usually the end is near. I wouldn't keep them together. Keep them really calm and perhaps it will come together for them..........Pop

 

[Sylvestor12]

Wonderful news but check it every day if flies are in the area because flies might get maaggots into the wound. I'm glad he's getting better, chickens are truly resilient creatures!

 

[david182]

You can do as BJ suggests and I'm sure that will help. My experience for many years is with gamefowl and as you can imagine, that wound is very common in my fowl. Usually, if there is no more bleeding, the bird will heal up on his/her own, just fine, with being confined and away from others that may peck at the wound.

I wouldn't be as concerned for that wound as for the rattle in the red bird. A rattle means the lung was punctured and usually the end is near. I wouldn't keep them together. Keep them really calm and perhaps it will come together for them..........Pop

The rooster seems VERY protective of the red hen... he stands/sits over her much of the time... he has done that from the very beginning even though his injury seemed more severe. They are both eating/drinking and moving around in the makeshiftt "hospital" ... They are not picking on each other... Do you really think I should split them up? I will definately do whatever is best for them both! They have come so far from the day I found them!

Also what is the best type of bedding to keep them on? Right now they are on pine shavings... and FINALLY... should they be getting any kind of antibiotic orally or should I spray the Roo's wound with one? I am making a run to the farm supply store tomorrow and can get whatever is necessary to help them! ~ Thanks!

 

[Lollipop]

The rooster seems VERY protective of the red hen... he stands/sits over her much of the time... he has done that from the very beginning even though his injury seemed more severe. They are both eating/drinking and moving around in the makeshiftt "hospital" ... They are not picking on each other... Do you really think I should split them up? I will definately do whatever is best for them both! They have come so far from the day I found them!

Also what is the best type of bedding to keep them on? Right now they are on pine shavings... and FINALLY... should they be getting any kind of antibiotic orally or should I spray the Roo's wound with one? I am making a run to the farm supply store tomorrow and can get whatever is necessary to help them! ~ Thanks!

If she doesn't start pecking his wound, they can stay together, but keep a close eye on both of them. Sylvester brought up a good point about the flies. Antibiotics for their water and Blucoat spray for their wounds are good ideas, both should be available at your feed store. Shavings are OK as long as they aren't getting in the wounds. Be carefull with the Blucoat spray as it is nearly impossible to get off your hands or anything else. Teramycin is the eye ointment of choice, but since his eyes are open, don't bother. Good luck........Pop

 

[david182]

Thanks so much for the great advice guys... Day 4 and both are still hanging in ... eating, dringing and walking about their tempoary home even more. Today they are both "talking" tons... they seem more lively than they were yesterday... Hoping this is a good sign. Gonna take it one day at a time and watch the babies!

 

[shell3]

I'm so sorry to see what has happened to your birds! It truly awful. How many did you loose? I can't give much chicken advice as I only recently got mine but I have always had animals (cats dogs cockatiels and small animals) and in my experience keeping wounds clean is a must, just warm water with just a dash of salon wound wash or similar on cotton wool has always worked for me. Good luck , hope to see a post soon that they are both fighting fit xxx

 

[david182]

We have a small flock, only had 6. We lost 1 and had 2 injured though so that meant 1/2 our flock.... it has been sad BUT we are very optimistic about our two injuried babies so far.... keeping hope! Thanks Shell!

 

[shell3]

Yes good luck, we have lots of cats and foxes around so that's my worst fear, I had my husband I case our whole coop in galvanised wire mesh even under ground! He is done in but my chickens are hopefully safe! Seems this happens to so many! It's a scary thought and we have two children as well who are madly in love with the chicks I don't want to know how it would upset them!