Severly Injured Hen - What would you do? (warning, contains very graphic pictures)

[mountain chicken]

hope it heals well with no further complications . clean bandage daily lots anti bionics . stronger man than me stomach curdles
just thinking about it .
keep us updated with the birds progress

 

[micstrachan]

Wow, poor girl. We have seen some pretty seriously injured chickens recover on these forums. I would keep it very clean and apply antibiotic ointment. Watch for infection, as she nay later require and antibiotic. Supportive care (warm, quiet, comfortable place, complete grower feed, and poultry vitamins in her water) should help. I would also consider pain killer. I have read one baby aspirin twice a day issace for chickens. Good luck and please keep us posted. Does she have a name?

 

[Peeperscreepers]

Wow you are awesome to be able to do that for your bird! I can't help but wonder how you went about doing that? I would be nervous beyond belief about doing a amputation.

 

[majormagic]

Wow you are awesome to be able to do that for your bird! I can't help but wonder how you went about doing that? I would be nervous beyond belief about doing a amputation.

I was nervous too, but once I had flushed it and removed all of the maggots, it was very clear that the wing was dead. One thing I forgot to mention was the smell, she smelled like an animal that had been dead for days!. Anyway, the wing is off now, and so is the necrotic tissue, and she no longer smells. Her appetite is great, and she seems to be in great shape so far.

My biggest concern now is how do I deal with the exposed bone. Cutting the wing off was easy, just not sure about the bone. Should I cut it back to just below the skin and hope it heals or something else?

 

[Kiki]

I think keeping her wound area clean and letting it air dry will help it heal faster than keeping it wrapped up.

 

[majormagic]

Well I failed on bandaging. Did a beautiful wrap, but I must have done something wrong because she couldn't walk, so for now I think I'm gonna see how she does without a bandage.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I love stockinette. You can use it to hold a bandage on the wound but cut a slit in the other side to slip her wing through.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/yikes-large-wound-on-hen.1141144/#post-17736677
That is a thread I started when I had a a hen with an injury. There are pictures that show stockinette and how I used it on her.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Wow! That took guts to cut off a chicken wing, even if it was dead!!
Hoping she pulls through

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

wow... i hope she gets better!!!

 

[Mylied]

So, you cut the bone? I guess it's not possible for you to remove the joint? I can tell you when my goat got a leg amputated, the closed up the skin around it. So if you have stitches and enough skin to work with, that's what I'd do. You can get sutures on Amazon. Probably need a 20 or 22 gauge for chicken skin. I think that's what I used on a chicken I did crop surgery on. Don't suture too tight so it can drain, but so the skin is touching and can heal together. Then lots of antibiotics. Wrap it for the first few days until it starts to scab and then unwrapped. I'd keep the chicken indoors in a very clean cage. Electrolytes and probiotics in her water.