Please help! Something attacked my hen!

[ANiceKaren]

If you can, see if you can look carefully into the deepest part of the wound, kund of under the skin where it looks darkest in the pucture and make sure there are no maggots under there.

I’ll check but I’m pretty sure there aren’t any. She is sleeping but tomorrow when I can I’ll do a good check. It’s really deep and swollen towards the bottom

 

[azygous]

When you can, trim the feathers from around the wound. Then take a better photo of the wound with good lighting and a plain background behind your hen so your camera will focus on the wound.

Do you have any oral antibiotics on hand? You won't be able to buy them in Calif. without a vet prescription. But people antibiotics will work fine. Let us know what and the strength and we can calculate dosage.

Is the hen in a weak state? Or is she active and eating and drinking? If she's weak, give her sugar water, a teaspoon to a cup, and try to get her to drink it. It will elevate her glucose and stabilize her chemistry.

Here is my wound care protocol:

1. Treat for shock as the number one step. Give warm Gatoraid or mix a half teaspoon of sugar into a fourth of a cup of warm water with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Have the patient drink it all or syringe it into the beak.

2. Flush the wound well with saline. This is better than soap and water as it maintains the PH of the tissues. But warm soap and water will do. You need to wash away the bacteria from the wound.

3. Inspect the wound carefully. If it has a skin flap dangling, keep that. Do not cut it off. Look for bite, tear or puncture marks indicating a puncture wound. If you see this, the patient will need an oral antibiotic such as amoxicillin. Bacteria from the predator’s mouth can be injected deep into tissue and can kill in as little as 24 to 48 hours. You can order this https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/250mg once a day for ten days. Or you may be able to find this or something similar at TSC or a pet store.

4. Spray with Vetericyn wound treament and let dry. Use a topical antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or a generic without pain killer in it to coat the wound. If there's a skin flap, lay it across the wound that has just been coated with the ointment. Then smooth on a generous amount over the top of the skin flap to hold it in place.

5. It's useless to try to stitch a wound on a chicken. Don't even try. It's also useless to try to bandage a wound other than on the feet. The chicken will not tolerate it. It will be pulled off faster than you can blink an eye.

6. Clean the wound every day following the above steps. Keep the wound covered with the ointment. Never allow the wound to get dried out or it will not heal.

In your photos you've posted, it appears some of the tissue around the wound is dying off, necrosis. You will need to gather your hormones and put your tough girl suit on because this is going to hurt. It may also be a little painful for your hen.

You need to debride the wound. Under the black stuff is bacteria. The black stuff has to be scrubbed off. Completely off. Use soap in warm water and a wash cloth. When all the black crust is gone, rinse with saline and proceed with step #4 and dress the wound.

 

[ANiceKaren]

When you can, trim the feathers from around the wound. Then take a better photo of the wound with good lighting and a plain background behind your hen so your camera will focus on the wound.

Do you have any oral antibiotics on hand? You won't be able to buy them in Calif. without a vet prescription. But people antibiotics will work fine. Let us know what and the strength and we can calculate dosage.

Is the hen in a weak state? Or is she active and eating and drinking? If she's weak, give her sugar water, a teaspoon to a cup, and try to get her to drink it. It will elevate her glucose and stabilize her chemistry.

Here is my wound care protocol:

1. Treat for shock as the number one step. Give warm Gatoraid or mix a half teaspoon of sugar into a fourth of a cup of warm water with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Have the patient drink it all or syringe it into the beak.

2. Flush the wound well with saline. This is better than soap and water as it maintains the PH of the tissues. But warm soap and water will do. You need to wash away the bacteria from the wound.

3. Inspect the wound carefully. If it has a skin flap dangling, keep that. Do not cut it off. Look for bite, tear or puncture marks indicating a puncture wound. If you see this, the patient will need an oral antibiotic such as amoxicillin. Bacteria from the predator’s mouth can be injected deep into tissue and can kill in as little as 24 to 48 hours. You can order this https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/250mg once a day for ten days. Or you may be able to find this or something similar at TSC or a pet store.

4. Spray with Vetericyn wound treament and let dry. Use a topical antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or a generic without pain killer in it to coat the wound. If there's a skin flap, lay it across the wound that has just been coated with the ointment. Then smooth on a generous amount over the top of the skin flap to hold it in place.

5. It's useless to try to stitch a wound on a chicken. Don't even try. It's also useless to try to bandage a wound other than on the feet. The chicken will not tolerate it. It will be pulled off faster than you can blink an eye.

6. Clean the wound every day following the above steps. Keep the wound covered with the ointment. Never allow the wound to get dried out or it will not heal.

In your photos you've posted, it appears some of the tissue around the wound is dying off, necrosis. You will need to gather your hormones and put your tough girl suit on because this is going to hurt. It may also be a little painful for your hen.

You need to debride the wound. Under the black stuff is bacteria. The black stuff has to be scrubbed off. Completely off. Use soap in warm water and a wash cloth. When all the black crust is gone, rinse with saline and proceed with step #4 and dress the wound.

Thank you. I’m ready to clean this out. I’ll try and trim feathers as well. I’ve never trimmed feathers before.. Can I hurt her? I’d hate to do that! Do I need to cover the wound? If so how where it’s located? Gauze? Wrap around body? She is not weak at all.. eating, walking around, drinking… I think she has been hiding from the crazy hen but other than normal… I do have some fish amoxicillian.. would that work? Thank you!

 

[azygous]

Did you read through my wound treatment protocol? Trying to bandage a chicken's body is a lost cause. Keeping the wound cleaned each day and covered with antibiotic ointment like Neosporin so it remains moist will be enough to protect the wound so it will heal. Fish amoxicillin is amoxicillin. Be sure you give 250mg per day, no more. If the capsule is 500mg, look on the label, then you have to divide it in half.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Did you read through my wound treatment protocol? Trying to bandage a chicken's body is a lost cause. Keeping the wound cleaned each day and covered with antibiotic ointment like Neosporin so it remains moist will be enough to protect the wound so it will heal. Fish amoxicillin is amoxicillin. Be sure you give 250mg per day, no more. If the capsule is 500mg, look on the label, then you have to divide it in half.

Thank you. She is inside, I cleaned again this morning with saline, neosporing and a little colidial silver. It’s not as raw or red. I’m keeping her the house today and perhaps tomorrow in the run but closed off from my other girl. I’ll start the amoxi today as well.. 7-10 days? It’s 250 mg. She isn’t happy about the crate.. just standing there very confused but I assume it’s best!? Here is her wound this morning. Looking closer at her back it looks like mounting has been an issue! Any suggestions for a HEN who is doing this damage? I don’t have a rooster!

 

[azygous]

Can you place her crate in the run during the day so she can still be near her friends? She will be much more content.

Be sure to give the amoxy pill whole directly into the beak by prying it open and shoving it inside. Do not waste time or the dose by trying to dilute it or hide it in food. It's not necessary. Chickens can swallow a pill much easier than you can.

You have an aggressive hen doing damage to the others. There is no easy solution other than culling which, if you can bring yourself to do it, is the easiest solution. Trying to change the behavior may not work.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Can you place her crate in the run during the day so she can still be near her friends? She will be much more content.

Be sure to give the amoxy pill whole directly into the beak by prying it open and shoving it inside. Do not waste time or the dose by trying to dilute it or hide it in food. It's not necessary. Chickens can swallow a pill much easier than you can.

You have an aggressive hen doing damage to the others. There is no easy solution other than culling which, if you can bring yourself to do it, is the easiest solution. Trying to change the behavior may not work.

Thank you. I popped the pill in her beak and crate is in the run. Made that decision before leaving for work. I’m glad you think it’s best. I feel a bit better now. I wish I didn’t have to work! She got a few minutes of supervised free ranging with nice girls.. locked up Mildred. She ate and drank and then I put her in crate with food and water until I get home within run. As far as Mildred and culling.. that’s a tough decision for sure. Would saddles help? She only does this to two hens… for now. I hate to cull her but I will consider for sure. What are some positive signs I should look for as far as Lilac healing? When can she be put back out with rest of girls? I’m sure this area will be tender and vulnerable for a long time? Maybe Mildred needs to be separated? How many days for amoxicillian?

 

[azygous]

If the wound is not very visible, and if Mildred can't get to her, she may be okay out of the crate. The would will show signs of healing by getting smaller. You will see new tissue growing around the perimeter, developing a "rim" called granulation. The wound should be pink and not be developing scabs. If scabs are forming, it means it's drying out. That should not be allowed to happens. The ointment needs to be applied a few times a day to prevent drying out. New tissue can't form if it dries out. Sort of like a plant, it needs moisture and keeping the ointment on the wound keeps the moisture in the tissues.

Saddles are not tolerated by all hens. You can try them but be prepared for the hens to escape the garments. You cannot rely on them to protect the hens.

 

[ANiceKaren]

If the wound is not very visible, and if Mildred can't get to her, she may be okay out of the crate. The would will show signs of healing by getting smaller. You will see new tissue growing around the perimeter, developing a "rim" called granulation. The wound should be pink and not be developing scabs. If scabs are forming, it means it's drying out. That should not be allowed to happens. The ointment needs to be applied a few times a day to prevent drying out. New tissue can't form if it dries out. Sort of like a plant, it needs moisture and keeping the ointment on the wound keeps the moisture in the tissues.

Saddles are not tolerated by all hens. You can try them but be prepared for the hens to escape the garments. You cannot rely on them to protect the hens.

Do you think separating Mildred for a few days could change this behavior? She didn’t always do this…fairly new for her. She has been head hen for about a year now but this mounting is recent. Within past few months.

 

[azygous]

It might help by removing Mildred from the pecking order, forcing her down to a lower rank when she returns. You won't know until you try it.