THANK YOU!!!! THis website is a Godsend!! Dealt with an injured hen!

[lisalisa1969]

Yesterday,I noticed my smallest hen (a buff orpington) had a tear under her wing -near her back area. She was missing some feathers. I think it was from our Faverolle rooster's spurs - since she seems to be his favorite! So Since it was last night, I just covered it with vasoline, hoping the others would leave it alone until I could research today and figure out what to do. After ready many, many previous posts, I made the decision to clean the shallow wound with peroxide, then warm betadine/water solution, fill up with neosporin(without any "caine" ingredients) and stitch it up with dental floss. I held her in my lap and had her head covered with a towel and my 10 year old daughter was my "surgical assistant". I left an opening at the bottom for any drainage and cooked her up some scrambled eggs -- which she loved! I have her separted from the others til she heals up. She is still in an outside pen for now, so they can still see and "talk" to each other, and the Roo is keeping a close watch on her. She was a wonderful patient and I would have had no idea what to do, without this site!!! I called a farm vet, and have yet to hear back from them, and since I only paid $5 for her, I really did not want to pay for a vet visit anyways, just wanted some advice. The big decision was to stitch or not to stitch -- we will see if I made the right decision!!

Thanks to all the wonderful chick owners for advice! )

 

[Miss Lydia]

sounds like you did a wonderful job. and I hope she is healed and back with the flock real soon.

 

[schellie69]

 

[lisalisa1969]

UPDATE!!

My "Gilda" hen seems to be doing well. Some of the posts I read said that they may quit laying eggs for a few weeks after being injured. Well, after stitching her up this morning, she laid an egg this afternoon! She seems to be eating a drinking and staying alert and active. I have only had my chickens since September, so this is all new to me! I went to TSC today and got "Wonder Dust" and sprinkled it on her tonight before putting her in a cage in my sunroom, with a blanket over her. She seems quiet and content!

The rooster is very sweet and docile (faverolle) but he has huge spurs, and I need to get advice or search posts to see how to trim those bad boys down! I did see a sew free chicken saddle, and I have made one and will put it on her once she is healed up.

My flock consists of 1 black cochin "Paco", 1 barred cochin, 1 golden comet "Comet", 1 americuana"Libby Loo", 2 buff orphingtons (Gilda and Goldie), 1 young, little buckeye rooster "Brutus" and my big boy "Gimper" Faverolle rooster. They are all so sweet and docile and I really enjoy having them!

Now my barred cochin "Pepper" is broody and has been in the nesting box all day! My 10 year old daughter wants to let her hatch some chicks, but again, I need to research and see how I need to take care of that situation!

Any advice on any of the above subjects will be appreciated! This site is awesome!!

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

Great job on the wing repair

She may still stop laying though, the egg she laid today was already in the works yesterday.

 

[lisalisa1969]

True! I forgot about that! Thanks for the heads up!! ;o)