Significant comb damage - help!

[Tandia]

One of my girls has been attacked by a fox through the wire of the run and her comb is half ripped off.

It was a beautiful big comb, and it is now only attached by about a centimetre at the front, and is flopping in her eyes. I've given her a bath and got off as much blood as I can, although the bit around her eyes is difficult. I've got her in with me asI know I need to separate her from the others.

I have a violet antibacterial spray, which I will try to put on when she is dry enough. I am not sure what to do about the hanging comb though. It is in her eyes and is clearly bothering her, she keeps tossing her head to move it, which isn't going to help with healing, and already seems to have drawn fresh blood since her bath. Do I have to cut it off? I can't bear the thought of hurting her more. The end of it which is ripped away is already a funny dark colour :-(

I wondered about trying to bandage it so it stays still? I can't see how it can heal where it is completely detached though. Any advice?

I have attached some photos but I haven't got the best angle.

 

[chickens really]

That will heal. Apply some antiseptic cleaner with a cotton ball and she will be fine.
Try and get some liquid bandaid Too from the pharmacy.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I'm sorry that happened. Such a pretty girl. If it was my bird I would try to bandage it but keep a close eye on it. Make sure it's good and clean. It may fall off but it may not it'll just be detected. I recently had a young roo rip his comb in the back and I thought for sure the torn part would die and fall off and you cant even tell after cleaning and saturating with vetracycline(sp) that stuff Is amazing for chickens booboos!

 

[Tandia]

I've just tried bandaging it, but one toss of her head and it came loose. The problem is where to wrap the bandage without covering her eyes! There is a lot of blood from her moving it around. The ripped off part is a bigger area than the part that is still attached - do you really think it will heal?

She looks awful now with the purple spray, but this was the only product I have here and is at least anti-bacterial.

 

[staceyj]

Hi there.
You are having an awful morning!
So’s that poor chicken!

 

[staceyj]

This spring I had a similar injury with one of mine.

 

[staceyj]

I went so far as to stitch it but didn’t have any suture material, so I subbed upholstery thread. And the next day she scratched it with her toenails and tore out two of the stitches.

 

[staceyj]

Then that night she got another one out.
I don’t think it was the stitches that were bothering her but the pain in that area and the sensation of the comb just being swollen and sore and flip-flapping all around.

 

[staceyj]

Wound up removing the stitches and let it heal in the position it wanted to.

It healed fine with no infection whatsoever.
I kept her separate though, because her injury was caused by a case of bullying.
It took a fairly long time.
6 weeks-ish

 

[Tandia]

Wound up removing the stitches and let it heal in the position it wanted to.

It healed fine with no infection whatsoever.
I kept her separate though, because her injury was caused by a case of bullying.
It took a fairly long time.
6 weeks-ish

Thanks for the story with the positive ending!

I wish I could secure it so it doesn't keep flipping about as it is opening the wound up more. But is detached right where it joins her head, so I couldn't stitch to anything. I'm thinking I could use an open mesh bandage over her eyes and that way she can stlll see through, but I think she'll hate it!