UPDATED (Feb 3, 2012): Injured young hen [Warning: Graphic images.]

[terrilhb]

That is what I am waiting for.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

My hen was attacked by my dog. He ripped a huge chunk out of the back of her neck. About 5 or 6 days ago. She spent about 3 days in the recovery coop. That was when she laid her first egg.She is now in with the other 2 hens and not a single problem. I doctor her wound every couple days with some scarlet oil. You are doing a wonderful job. She is a very lucky hen to have a protector like your self hun. Keep up the good work

I know she will do just fine with you to take care of her

 

[Prairie Orca]

I replaced the camera's batteries, so now I can be more flexible with how many pictures I take.

She's doing very well. Eating well, drinking well, defecating well... pecking well.

I have scratches on my hands.

No egg today, which is what I hoped for since I wanted her to stop laying until she recovers.

The wound looks good to me. I sniffed it (what?

) and it smells fine. Any tiny bits of blood that were still present last night have since clotted. The flesh is already healing, and it looks like there is skin forming around the bone. Overall it looks much darker, and I think that's what's supposed to happen (I don't usually watch a severe injury healing day by day).

She ate some yogurt earlier. I'll be giving her some moistened hardboiled egg yolk soon.

Up to this point I've been letting the wound sit in the air so as to discourage bacteria from visiting (as they thrive in moist places). Now I'm thinking of wrapping the area so that she can't accidentally aggravate her wound and so it doesn't dry out completely. Which means I'll have to run to the city because I know for a fact that I'm lacking the proper supplies (and amount of).

Some pictures I took about an hour ago:

Watching me come in. I ruffled her crop feathers some ten minutes before when I was checking to see if she had eaten, hence the dark spot on her chest.

She's not as red as when she was healthy, but she is no longer deathly pale either.

You can see the bone here.

The black stuff isn't really black - it's more of a really dark purple. Is it the result of all the blood clotting? I think so, but I'm not 100% sure.
I see some dander. I'll remove that when I do the saline cleaning.

Look, she still has a tail! Nowhere near the former magnificence, but it's there.

How does it look, everyone? Is she healing properly?

For the next few days, does washing with saline then adding Polysporin once per day sound like a good routine, or should I do more/different?

I'm going to get antibiotic as soon as possible as today didn't work out and I'm not sure where to find some during the weekend. I'm also running low on the Polysporin (most of the tube was used on the chicken!

). I'll phone my cousin tomorrow to see if she has anything I can use (antibiotic, medical wrap, iodine, etc.; she runs a hobby farm) and failing that I'll start running around the city.

Thank you everyone, again, for the advice and kind words. I've started a list on Notepad to keep track of all the advice.

 

[RioLindoAz]

Great job. She's on the road to recovery.

 

[CapricornFarm]

wow, she looks a lot better. Good for you!

 

[Desert Rooster]

Just keep doing what your doing, she'll be fine. i had the same thing happen to a 3 month old EE, but it was a bit worse, now she's 9 months old, her back feathers have grown back, and she's doing just fine.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Shes looking wonderful!!! You are such a good chicken mommie? Sorry i cant remember but does she have a name? if not you should name her Hope or Grace lol

Or something like that lol because she has survived!! Shes a BEAUTIFUL bird thats for sure

Keep up the good work

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

I.. feel... sick....


That why, despite my love of animals, I could never be vet. I get sick to my stomach too easily..

 

[chickenzoo]

It is healing good and she looks a lot better. You might want to get some Blu Kote, as it is a spray wound dressing and it might feel better on her skin to be sprayed vs. pressure from applying... other than that just keep doing what your doing. Becareful with the bandaging, as she might start pulling at it and cause more irritation.

 

[Geckochick]

WOW! She looks so much better. I started reading this thread and I was sure it might not end well... So glad to see her looking better and keep it up!