Silver campine injury not healing correctly?? Pics included.

[megg902]

About 3 weeks ago I had to remove my little campine from the group because some of the big girls had started picking on her. They had pulled out all her tail feathers and (forgive my language) but they basicly ate her rear-end off. It was very raw and bloody all right around the area where she evacuates. It looked as though it had healed up fairly well though and once i put her back in with everyone she was fine. They pretty much left her alone. I watched her closly to make sure she was eating and pooping regularly and all was good. It wasnt until tonight I noticed a problem. She keeps squatting and fluffing her feathers. At first i thought she might be getting ready to lay(she is coming up on that age), but I picked her up just to check on the old injury and make certain everything was ok.

Now I know very little about chickens and this whole post may be ridiclous but Im just not sure what I was looking at. Is she swollen? Could it be backed up poop? or is there an egg in there making its way out? You can see she still has no/few tail feathers, but the wound is healed up completly. No rawness at all. Any advice would be great, even if its just to say Im crazy for worring! LOL!!

Sorry its turned!! tilt your head to the left to see correctly!!

Another turned wrong...

 

[mljohnson05]

if you say you see her pooping, then she may not be backed up....you can feel if she is egg bound.
She still looks pretty sore to me.
Not sure what you are doing for the sore, but if it was me, I would soak her in warm Epsome salt water for 5-10 minutes (TWICE a day)
Then dry her off really really well and put Antibiotic ointment on her bottom.
Watch her to make sure she is pooping and that it is not runny. If she appears to be trying and nothing is coming out...then post it and I can help you with some suggestions

 

[megg902]

I have been putting antibotic ointment on it pretty regularly. She is pooping and its not runny, just a typical poop. And I re-checked my math. She is not anywhere near ready to lay. Only about 10 weeks.....I got her confused with a group I had purchased earlier. Since she is pooping ok Im not too worried, but do you think the tail feathers will ever grow back??

 

[mljohnson05]

I would still do the epsome salt soaks as i described in the last post....I will really really help her, and epsome salt is also a natural way to help with pain too that she may have.
as far as the tail feathers..it is hard to say, but here is a little info.
If the shaft of the feather was broken and not pulled all te way out then she will not grow feathers until she molts in a year.
If they were pulled all the way out (shaft and all) then they should start to come in in 2-3 weeks.
HOWEVER...what first grows in is blood Pin feathers....theses pin feathers attract the attention of her and the other birds she is around. And a lot of timed this will cause them to continue to pick and eat the pin feathers. If this happens it will either slow the growth down or cause her to become permanently bald

I would give her some scrambled eggs and buttermilk mixed in to help give her system a little boost

 

[megg902]

Thanks for the info! I will pick up some epsome salt today and start the soaks for her. And I will be sure to watch for any additional pecking on the pin feathers if/when they come in. I love this forum!!! So much great information and help! Thanks again!!

 

[megg902]

ok, just got home and caught the little girl. Her rear looks identical to yesterday but larger. Looks as if she is backed-up. And if that is the case it could have been that way for a while..... Im pretty concerned. I have no idea what that can cause (other than pain) or how to fix it. Would be great to hear those ideas you had about now mljohnson05!!!

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Go ahead and soak her. If she is backed up it may help with loosening her muscles. Anyway, my girls love a good spa day and they love to be blown dry after their soak.

 

[mljohnson05]

I you think she is backed up you can put molasses in her water (acts as a laxative for birds)
you can also take olive oil on a q-tip and rub it around her vent and inside a little bit too.
even warm vasaline put inside the vent can help her (after you have soaked her in the warm water)
Also make sure that she is not egg bound at all.
Do you feel anything hard in her bottom, like a doll that has sand in its bottom? Is her vent protruding out?
Hope this helps for you

--Laura--

 

[megg902]

I tried the warm bath and q-tip. Holy Crap!!!!!!! She was soooooooo backed-up.

Good thing we were in the sink! So should I do the molassas in her water? At the end when she was pooping by herself is was kinda runny.

 

[mljohnson05]

it will be a bit runny, she has a lot to get out. I would wait on the molasses and see if she poops tomorrow on her own ...if not, then use the molasses....i am so glad the bath and massage worked