Severely injured chick from fox attack, then pecked by flock

[3H Homestead]

Sugar water can help with healing. I used it on my scalped quail. His whole back of his neck and much of his head was scalped. Did a salt water rinse first, then rinsed that off, then sugar water, and then blukote. But the one I find that helps keep wounds moist is actually vetrycin

Just the regular Vetericyn spray? I have some Puracyn spray, which has the exact same ingredient list, but is labeled for human use (same 0.012% Hypochlorous Acid). Thank you for that! It looks like she has hardly no skin on her neck poor thing.

 

[Anime2lover]

Just the regular Vetericyn spray? I have some Puracyn spray, which has the exact same ingredient list, but is labeled for human use (same 0.012% Hypochlorous Acid). Thank you for that! It looks like she has hardly no skin on her neck poor thing.

Yea. It's like a gel instead of a full liquid so it lasts longer.

 

[coach723]

Veterycin is good. In a pinch, honey or vaseline.

 

[3H Homestead]

Chick is doing great. Eating, drinking, singing to herself in the mirror everyday. I started noticing yesterday this orangish, bumpy coloring to her injury. It doesn't smell bad, it hasn't grown... yet, but I'm not sure what it is. I clean the area everyday with Vetericyn, but when I spray the bumps, they don't move, ooze, or anything. I'm nervous it might be the start of an infection, but that's not typically what infection looks like. Any ideas?

 

[coach723]

It may be scabbing. It actually looks pretty good to me. No bad smell is a good thing. If it gets infection the smell is usually unmistakable. Do you have plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment? Using a petroleum based ointment on it will help keep it moist and help the healing process. I would apply it several times a day as needed to keep it covered and moist. The behavior of the chick is also a positive sign. A wound this size may take some time to heal, but it looks positive right now. This thread has some pictures of healing wounds, to kind of give you an idea of how they may look:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wounds-pictures-of-how-they-heal.1325817/#post-21627607

 

[3H Homestead]

It may be scabbing. It actually looks pretty good to me. No bad smell is a good thing. If it gets infection the smell is usually unmistakable. Do you have plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment? Using a petroleum based ointment on it will help keep it moist and help the healing process. I would apply it several times a day as needed to keep it covered and moist. The behavior of the chick is also a positive sign. A wound this size may take some time to heal, but it looks positive right now. This thread has some pictures of healing wounds, to kind of give you an idea of how they may look:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wounds-pictures-of-how-they-heal.1325817/#post-21627607

Thank you for the reassurance! I even tried wiping it and it is solid on the area. It really does look like it's just part of the wound. Unfortunately, I have no neosporin and the only TAO I have has a pain reliever in it, so I know I can't use it on her. I put her outside for about 2 hours today and I think it sunburned! I may have to head into town tomorrow (Walmart is 40 minutes away from me), so I will pick up some neosporin for it tomorrow. I'm doing my best to maintain moisture to it with the Vetericyn. Any suggestions on protection from the sun when I put her outside (in a pen by herself) with the rest of the flock? She was such a happy chick today, being outside with all the other chickens!

 

[coach723]

I think keeping the tissue moist is the priority. You may not want to put her out on the ground just yet, if she dust bathes it's going to get that wound very dirty. I would wait until she's more healed up, personally. You might put her out in the run in a crate, so she can see the others and they can see her, they can socialize some, but she won't get dirt in the wound. I use a sun shade sail to provide some shade, many are not terribly expensive, just depends on the size and shape you want. None of mine have been over $30, some much less if I find them on sale. Mine are out year round and I can usually get several years out of one, even in the Florida sun.
Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Artpuch-Tria...3523666&sprefix=sun+shade,aps,390&sr=8-6&th=1

 

[yardranger]

Me, too. I feel like such a fool for leaving her with the flock today. She was doing so good yesterday and even made it through the night! Lesson learned. Thanks for the suggestion, looks like I'll be looking for an antibiotic as a backup, but my hope is I can keep it clean and prevent infection.

So sorry this happened.. How is your young one doing these days?

Going through this now too, unfortunately. We had a long three years with zero predator issues so I got complacent and didn’t organize timely coop closure - a fox killed my momma hen and took one of her 3m olds. I posted in Emergencies for some advice on her uninjured but traumatized and bullied orphan. I’m also caring for injuries - a young one plus a hen, the hen might not make it bc she seems to have nerve damage and can’t walk yet…seemed slightly better this morning so fingers crossed! They can be pretty resilient. Hoping all is well with yours

 

[3H Homestead]

So sorry this happened.. How is your young one doing these days?

Going through this now too, unfortunately. We had a long three years with zero predator issues so I got complacent and didn’t organize timely coop closure - a fox killed my momma hen and took one of her 3m olds. I posted in Emergencies for some advice on her uninjured but traumatized and bullied orphan. I’m also caring for injuries - a young one plus a hen, the hen might not make it bc she seems to have nerve damage and can’t walk yet…seemed slightly better this morning so fingers crossed! They can be pretty resilient. Hoping all is well with yours

Turned out my chick was a cockerel I cleaned his wound every day for about 2 weeks, then finally put him outside to become a chicken. He was in my temp run for almost a month before I let him out with all the chickens. His neck finally grew skin back, but just as his feathers started growing back in, he became sexually mature and was a little aggressive, so when he'd finally dismount a hen, the hens would peck him right where his neck was bare. it was really heartbreaking to see him continue to struggle to learn to be a chicken - he seriously thought he was a human. When we harvested our meat chickens, I had to make the tough decision to keep only 1 rooster with my laying hens, and he was not the lucky one The life of farming. I wish you the best of luck with your hens.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Turned out my chick was a cockerel I cleaned his wound every day for about 2 weeks, then finally put him outside to become a chicken. He was in my temp run for almost a month before I let him out with all the chickens. His neck finally grew skin back, but just as his feathers started growing back in, he became sexually mature and was a little aggressive, so when he'd finally dismount a hen, the hens would peck him right where his neck was bare. it was really heartbreaking to see him continue to struggle to learn to be a chicken - he seriously thought he was a human. When we harvested our meat chickens, I had to make the tough decision to keep only 1 rooster with my laying hens, and he was not the lucky one The life of farming. I wish you the best of luck with your hens.

I was gonna comment id cull it because its a cockerel anyways but seen this post was months ago lol