skinned alive -update 18/4/2011 the update we didnt want :(

[spish]

if i try to save her, it has to be for her, not for me..i have hundreds of chickens out there....very few are 'precious' to me. but theres just something about the look in her eye, i dont know what, but its as if shes screaming gimme a chance, it aint that bad! if she was sitting down or looking in severe pain i would cull immediatly, but shes now stood in her cage bok bok bokkking and scratching the floor picking at the sunflowers i just popped in. shes no longer shaking or panting, and its been what..half an hour since i found her out there?
oh god i dont know what to do. shall i give her a few days and see how she does? she doesnt even have a name! ive not got the money for a vet visit but have enough local old men who've donated things to my first aid kit over the months so have a good supply of 'tools'

my biggest worry is the open flesh.....what do i do with that?? i dont keep it moist do i? how do i clean it if she flicks food or sawdust on it? i have kiddy pain relief here (liquid paracetemol - calpol) can i slip her a bit?

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I would not cull her. But you need to keep that area moist (maybe with blukote) so that it doesn't scab and get hard to the point that she can't move her neck. I would rinse it a couple times a day with saline solution or a betadine solution. Look and smell for infection daily. I've seen much worse than this. You could also give her a penicillin injection (I think it's 1/4cc) once a day for 4 days. I had to do this once. Just called the vet and he gave me a syringe full with 4 needles. It can be given in the breast or thigh muscle.

 

[spish]

if i keep the wound moist isnt that going to go rotten or never heal?

 

[blefky]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I have to put in my 2 cents. If this accident happened very recently, the bird is still in shock - nature's merciful protection from the pain of trauma. Once that adrenalin rush passes that poor bird will be in horrific pain. You are almost guaranteed to see infection in that wound, and would, at best, have a long and difficult road to recovery. Mercy and compassion are not always about saving life at any cost. Sometimes compassion is about helping to provide a good death when a good life is no longer obtainable. Again, I understand that I'm in the minority so no need to rag on me - I get it. Just my thoughts. It's a very difficult situation to be in, a terrible decision to have to make. Sending good thoughts your way, whatever you do.

 

[spish]

Quote:
blefky, i do believe many more will say cull so you are not in a minority, im still toying with the idea myself....she just looks so alert and....well...healthy! if there was more blood and guts i think i would have already culled...but...seeing as its not bleeding, and shes eating...and clucking, and moving...well i dont know. im fighting with myself here over what to do.

 

[CMV]

Spish I sent you a PM.

 

[spish]

Quote:
received and replied thank you

 

[spish]

ok neosporin.......i see its an antibiotic cream? i'll ask in the pharmacy if they have something similar.....do i just smother this on all over the wound?

 

[Endur50]

If you do decide to try and save her-
A couple of months ago one of my horses ripped a 3 inch by 3 inch flap of skin off her fore leg all the way down to the muscle. I was out of town, and my DH gets home very late, was feeding in the dark, and didn't see it for a couple of days. When I got home and found it, the skin flap was no longer viable to be stitched, and I had to leave it open. (Because of the location it probably wouldn't have held stitches anyway). I ended up packing the flap pocket with triple antibiotic cream for the first couple of days, as well as doing a sterile saline irrigation 3-4 times a day for 10 days. (I was waiting to start my new job so luckily I was home). I also left in open to air so it could drain constantly, not just during irrigation. I was really worried about it, but after the initial few days, the healing rate was great. The flap pulled back, dried up, fell off little by little, and the healing started from the outside and worked in. People that saw the wound at day 4 and day 15 couldn't believe it was the same wound, the vet included.

A lot of the vet grade antibacterial ointments/sprays are bacteriocidal, but also cause the healing rate to slow down. This article is about horses but it lays out some of the beneficial and harmful things you can do. http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/first_aid/wound_ointments_062909

The ratio to make 0.9% (normal saline) is 1/4 teaspoon to 8oz of water. I made mine with well water boiled to ensure sterility. I did make mine a bit more concentrated than normal saline (I've always noticed that during a week at the beach, the seawater doesn't sting open cuts too badly, and the healing is much faster than otherwise), but with such delicate tissues as you are dealing with, I would be careful about going too strong.

Those tissues should stay moist between irrigation as well. I've seen KY jelly used in the past on large horse wounds with good success.

If you decide to put her down, I don't think you should feel guilty about that either. You want the best for her, which may include a quick and dignified death. Best of luck.

 

[schellie69]

A simple wash using a syringe and just squirt the water around the wound would keep it clean you can mix water and betadine to wash it I think that by using an antibiotic ointment and covering it would help keep it clean and moist so that new skin can grow. I would watch her for now, you will know if she is ready to go. I am surprised that she is scratching around and eating does not sound like shock to me. I know you will make the right choice for both of you. Good luck.