Rooster rescued from a coyote, using Manuka honey

[Sunshine Flock]

Change of heart about removing Henry's scabs.

When he pulls at the scabs, he could tear his tender, healing skin and the periphery of large wounds. So I've started trimming them with scissors, just down to within a quarter inch of where they're attached.

He already pulled off some sizable scabs, probably because they're itchy. But I have a feeling the air flow to his wounds is part of the healing process. Maybe he has chicken intuition and heard a wee little voice whispering in a feathered ear flap, that said, "Get them things off of your skin, boy!"

Most of the deep reddish brown edges around all of the wounds in the above photos are scabs. Only the outer edges of the large wounds are scabbing; the smaller ones are completely covered and starting to break open and peel off.

And the depth of his wounds is really beginning to fill in with new tissue. Remarkable is the word of the day for me.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

On the previous page I posted six photos of Henry.

Please be sure to take a look. They're getting buried behind my more recent comments.

Henry pulled off another large scab. This one surrounded the wound on the top of his back where the air cavity puncture is located. The scab is in the shape of a B. The other two large scabs are in the shape of a Y and a C.

Together the three scabs spell BYC.

I'm so not kidding, folks. It's gross but also made me giggle. He's a very itchy bird right now, with lots of scabs pulling loose for him to grab and new feather tubes growing in all over his skin. You can see some of them in the photos where the skin looks shadowy or gray.

On another note, I've stopped shredding the greens into small pieces for him. He has to swing his head back and forth to shred them himself, and this challenges his balance a bit but also requires muscle usage for stability. It doesn't seem to present any problems for his injured right leg.

He came down from the sling and a leg soak an hour ago. I just now found him with his beak tucked inside the feathers on his back, peacefully sleeping. I'm learning so much caring for this wounded soldier of a rooster, and I can't thank you and BYC enough for letting me post updates here. It helps keep me going.

G'night.

 

[Birdinhand]

wow, I'm impressed. from the looks of those pics you have a recovering Henry!! those leg shots are hard to be certain about, they could be signs of deep infection but more likely it's surface from what I can see. fingers crossed for Henry, he's looking great, good job mamma hen!

 

[Birdinhand]

also, one more thought, if the paralysis to his leg is due to puncture wounds, the further down his leg they are the better a chance they can reconnect and heal up. I think it's **possible** he will regain use of his leg.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I woke up to some miraculous healing. Let me tell you about it.

Earlier in Henry's recovery process, I gave him Arnica Montana (30c pellets) for his pain. I've heard a lot about homeopathic medicine over the years, but I've only ever just barely dabbled in them.

Last night I was poking around in the forums and came across a comment written by @biophiliac. She mentioned some homeopathic remedies she recommends for injuries involving the situation that was being addressed in that discussion, and a lightbulb went off: I totally forgot about the arnica. For some reason I stopped giving it to Henry.

So I popped an arnica pellet into his mouth and went to bed.

And holy beating hearts, people. This morning I could see right away, without even trying — no squinty eyes, a headlamp aimed in just the right way, etc. — Henry's chronically swollen and horribly red leg has noticeably improved.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

And now I have a rotating chicken, minus the rotisserie.

I place Henry facing the door so he can monitor his flock, and he rotates west to look at the closet door. I switch things up for him and face him toward the east, and he rotates south.

Freshly cooked egg in front of the glass door, with his hens on the other side snacking on their eggs, and Henry rotates north for some egg and a hen viewing.

I no longer find him chest down, beak down. He sits upright a lot, and yesterday he started putting more weight on his good leg.

And as of a few hours ago, I swear he moved the hip on his lame leg. The whole leg adjusted in the towel cradle I made for him when he's in his sling. No foot or ankle movement, but the entire drumstick shifted ever so slightly up and then over on its own.

Unless he's Henry Houdini and overrode the biomechanics of a serious injury, the dang hip actually, for reals moved.

I'm one of those people who don't think the glass is half full or half empty; I think we've all been fooled into thinking that this mystical glass even exists!

So it's one teeny day at a time with Henry and his healing. But I'm telling you, there's no denying what I'm witnessing with these simple, affordable and science proven remedies.

Manuka honey (or locally raised); epsom salt soaks and baths; Arnica Montana for pain, swelling and fear of being touched; comfrey poultice; Bach Rescue Remedy; and @biophiliac recommended I also give him Hypercium to help mend any nerve damage in his leg.

One arnica pellet in the morning, one Hypercium in the evening.

I'm also now using T-Relief arnica gel (includes twelve homeopathic remedies) for both legs, and I'm still applying honey directly to the leg wounds and the largest of his other wounds. I couldn't find The Arnica Rub locally that Hen Pen Gem recommended.

G'day and glad tidings, folks.

 

[biophiliac]

First, thank you for keeping us updated. We are reading and learning from Henry's horrible incident with the coyote.

I always tell people how great herbal medicine can be. The only issue is that herbs have a cumulative value. Meaning you are against the clock. A strong immune system and will to survive are crucial. Henry has proven he has both. At this point an injectable broad spectrum antibiotic, like Baytril, would help. But, if you cannot do this and have chosen the herbal route, that too can work.

His leg issue needs to be addressed, I have had much success with Comfrey poultice.
I have used Comfrey for smashed fingers, deep bruises, twisted ankles etc. While I have not applied a poultice to an animal, I would definitely do so if they needed it. Comfrey was widely used in rural communities to heal broken bones when doctors were not available. That's why it is also referred to as Knit Bone. Poultices need to be changed every 12 hours. Improvement should be noticed the first day, with a decrease in pain. As long as there are no open wounds or sign of external infection where the poultice is to be placed, it can be done.

You are doing things in a timely manner, not even doctors will perform certain procedures till a patient is stable.

Anyways, there you go...something else to think about.

Agree with you about the use of comfrey in poultices. If there are fractures of the bone I do like to use the homeopathic pellets in 30C potency called Symphytum(latin name for comfrey) Officinalis. Just easier than applying a poultice and quickly absorbed via the mucus membranes of the mouth. The pellets can also be diluted in distilled water and dripped into the mouth using a clean syringe.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

And now I have a rotating chicken, minus the rotisserie.

I place Henry facing the door so he can monitor his flock, and he rotates west to look at the closet door. I switch things up for him and face him toward the east, and he rotates south.

Freshly cooked egg in front of the glass door, with his hens on the other side snacking on their eggs, and Henry rotates north for some egg and a hen viewing.

I no longer find him chest down, beak down. He sits upright a lot, and yesterday he started putting more weight on his good leg.

And as of a few hours ago, I swear he moved the hip on his lame leg. The whole leg adjusted in the towel cradle I made for him when he's in his sling. No foot or ankle movement, but the entire drumstick shifted ever so slightly up and then over on its own.

Unless he's Henry Houdini and overrode the biomechanics of a serious injury, the dang hip actually, for reals moved.

I'm one of those people who don't think the glass is half full or half empty; I think we've all been fooled into thinking that this mystical glass even exists!

So it's one teeny day at a time with Henry and his healing. But I'm telling you, there's no denying what I'm witnessing with these simple, affordable and science proven remedies.

Manuka honey (or locally raised); epsom salt soaks and baths; Arnica Montana for pain, swelling and fear of being touched; comfrey poultice; Bach Rescue Remedy; and @biophiliac recommended I also give him Hypercium to help mend any nerve damage in his leg.

One arnica pellet in the morning, one Hypercium in the evening.

I'm also now using T-Relief arnica gel (includes twelve homeopathic remedies) for both legs, and I'm still applying honey directly to the leg wounds and the largest of his other wounds. I couldn't find The Arnica Rub locally that Hen Pen Gem recommended.

G'day and glad tidings, folks.

Ha, I had to come back here and make sure I didn't write T-Rex arnica gel. Several pages back I said something about a T-Rex dinosaur hunting down my chickens.

Okay, that's all.

 

[sbhkma]

Agree with you about the use of comfrey in poultices. If there are fractures of the bone I do like to use the homeopathic pellets in 30C potency called Symphytum(latin name for comfrey) Officinalis. Just easier than applying a poultice and quickly absorbed via the mucus membranes of the mouth. The pellets can also be diluted in distilled water and dripped into the mouth using a clean syringe.

biophiliac, you are a wealth of homeopathic info and I'm taking notes in my ever-growing file of not just chicken care, but dogs, cats and horses (and YES I have had not just a chicken in my house, but a horse - my mare and her foal from 30 years ago. I still have the foal although I lost her mom at almost 34 yrs old). CarolinaSunshineFlock, you would have loved to see the expression on visitors when they heard Misty or her foal, Tiffany, whinny. Hilarious doesn't even begin to describe it!

 

[biophiliac]

Just finished reading. I would read your thread no matter what the topic, you are that good a writer!!
The advice you have received is superb.
Your nursing skills are inspiring as is Henry's will to live.
Earlier on you wondered if anyone was reading ... did you notice your thread has 3,330 views
Possibly in the near future some physical therapy in salt water to strengthen his atrophied muscles in both legs ... seems like the bath gives him an opportunity to exercise/move the legs. Like people exercise in a pool to build muscle without too much pressure on joints.

And finally, I will ask ... In my next life, can I come back as one of your chickens???
Eta IMO your attention to his psycho/social needs has been as important as everything else.