Wounded Buff Orpington. What to do?! PICS

[andythescot]

Today while I was waiting for the girls to go up to roost, I noticed my BO had wound right behind her comb. She was not bleeding, but it appears to be a very deep gash. It isn't very clean looking, not in terms of germs, but more like how the slice was. It looks like something/the other hens were pecking her. This is unusual to me because she was never at the bottom of the pecking order. It seems since they have been confined to the run and coop, the entire pecking order has been re-arranged.

What do I do to help her?!

 

[crtrlovr]

if you have any betadine, mix some with warm water until it looks like iced tea. You won't need a lot; maybe just 1/4 cup or so -- just enough to pour over and wash out the wound. Put some antibiotic cream or ointment on it, but MAKE SURE the antibiotic cream doesn't have pain reliever in it -- I don't have firsthand experience but have heard that it can be immediately fatal to some chickens, and personally I wouldn't take the chance. You may have to keep her separated until it heals; otherwise the others may keep pecking at the wound. It would also help if you can separate her with a buddy (watch carefully for pecking at the wound, though); it will make reintegration back into the flock easier.

 

[maple]

Seperate her from the others to avoid further injury. It will heal...I've had worse wounds than that that have healed. They are amazingly resiliant. You could also put on some blue Kote--avoid her eyes---and apply to wound.

 

[tinychicky]

try wrapping her in a towel and washing the wound out-be carful not to get anything in her eyes! if it helps, you can trim bac some of the feathers to see the wound better. once it's clean, put some neosporin into the wound and, if you can, cover it with a little piece of band-aid. keep her seperate from the rest of the flock and check on, clean out, and redress the wound every day as needed. in a week or two, if infection doesn't set in, she should be well enough to rejoin the flock. good luck!

 

[jmc]

nature is a very amazing thing. I have seen wounds as bad heal just fine on their own. at times we can make alot of unnecessary work for ourselves, esp. if 'ourselves' are in the beginning stages. again, nature is a very amazing thing. but you might want to separate her at least, so she can heal up---and at least be able to SEE the other flock members, if poss.

but keep an eye for bad changes in her behavior..........

your choice.
good luck.

your neighbor in Petersham

 

[Miss Lydia]

since their closed up more now because of the weather, you might want to give them a flock block or a head of cabbage hanging in the coop, if you throw some boss or scratch on their floor that will keep them busy for a while, once they start the bad behavior it can get out of hand fast. She should be fine just try to disguise the wound with blue kote so the others won't go after her again.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Clean the wound, put neosporin on it, and put her with a buddy in her own little area. (or an area where she can see the others, but they can't get to her) I had a pullet with a far worse wound puncturing her thigh and she healed perfectly.