*Update - Injured pullet - need advice - *PIC

[robin416]

Trust me on this, its impossible to bandage the head. My little girl was half scalped with no way to put any kind of covering on it. She will be fine as long as you keep the neosporin on it.

 

[chick2good4u]

Will her sister still remember her in a couple days?

 

[knittychickadee]

This same type wound happened to one of mine. I have a bit of a different situation, as mine was with over 50 other birds. I put him in a wire cage, right in the coop.
I started letting him go outside with the others in small increments 3 or 4 days later when the wound was drier, but only when I could watch. They had grass etc to forage around in, so they didn't pay him much mind. I thought the fresh air and sun would be beneficial on the wound.
Once the wound was dry and feathers fluffy again, a little over a week later, he was able to go back with the others without me babysitting. The feathers covered pretty well by then.

The wound will ooze for a few days and then scab over. Sometimes it will ooze around the scab if it gets dry and cracks. It will shrink up daily until there is just a thin scar line after the scab comes off- took about 2 1/2 weeks to heal completely. I used Neosporin 2 times a day at first, then once a day til scab was off.

Since you only have the two, it won't matter as much if her sis did forget her I wouldn't think. It's worse when you put 1 stranger in with a lot of them, and the one gets ganged up on.

 

[robin416]

The idea of for keeping the wound covered with the ointment is to prevent a scab. If a scab forms then its less likely feathers will return to that area.

 

[knittychickadee]

A scab forms over the naked part, feathers wouldn't grow there anyways. The feathers will be normal, because the skin will rejoin. The injury shrinks up until the two skin edges meet. It looks as neat as if you had stitched it together. 4 weeks later, I can't even find the scar.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
If a scab forms over it the feathers will not grow back, is that what you meant to say. Because that's correct.

Imagine a chick with half of its skull exposed. Now imagine that chick with full head feathers and no sign of such a terrible injury. That's what happens if you prevent a scab from forming and are dedicated to keeping the ointment on as healing progresses.

 

[purpletree23]

Up her nutrition and keep her inside. This time of year maggots will be on her in hours. You did a great job of fixing her up. Good work!

 

[chick2good4u]

Quote:
what should I use to up her nutrition? Se's only had chick starter.

 

[robin416]

As long as she's eating and drinking, doesn't seem depressed she's probably OK. But depression could also be from missing her sis.

 

[chick2good4u]

Quote:
she has been eatting and drinking ok, just a little less active then usual. I just picked her up to check on her and I think it's looking a little better. Right now she is sleeping in my arm. I guess the whole ordeal has worn her out!