Wounded chicken wandered into our yard, what would you do for it? (wound pictured) Breed? Ro

[amama]

We haven't seen any close neighbors with chickens, but 2 days ago the kids told me a wounded chicken was on our property and when I went out to check on it, it had wandered off into tall grass and we couldn't find it. Then last night my husband found it in our barn. I have put it into an animal cage with water and food. I haven't seen the chicken drink any water (keeps spilling it), but today is eating some pellets/scraps. It definitely has watery/yellowy diarrhea, probably because it's been without food/water for a while?

The wound is pretty bad, and has a few small gnats or something flying around it. It's pretty scabbed over, and I don't think I should try and wash it out at this point. It's pretty bad and seems like a leg is hurt too, but I can't really handle the chicken well without grabbing the wounded part to check it out. The wound continues down it's side/back by the vent. It's comb is also either bloody or blackened for some reason.

If you found it in your yard, what would you be doing for it? I don't know if we should just put it down, with how bad the wound is? I don't know that my hens will take to it very well, although even my bossiest/meanest, biggest hens almost seem scared of it I also would need to treat that hen for lice/mites and have the wound healed before introducing it.

Is this a Buff Orpington? I have Black Australorps so am not familiar with chickens this color. Is it a hen or a rooster? I also don't know if there is a way to tell the age?

Thanks for advice

 

[amama]

Sorry, won't let me edit the first one. I looked up breeds and it's probably not a Buff Orpington from what I see, maybe a Red Sex Link, or Golden Buff?

 

[MichelleL64]

I would definitely try to clean the wound and apply vetericyn or Blu-kote. Do you have any animal sanctuaries near you that would take in a chicken?

 

[amama]

I doubt it, we live out in the country and there aren't even vets that deal with chickens around here, no animal shelters either for at least 30 miles and they don't take chickens.

I don't own vetericyn or Blu-Kote, can probably get some tomorrow at the farm store when I'm in town but is there a point to cleaning it if it's all scabbed like that?

 

[CluckerCottage]

yes, a gentle cleansing with mild soap is necessary, especially since you say there are gnats buzzing around.
I use unscented Dove bar soap when cleaning up my birds' rear ends.
My concern would be that there are maggots eating away at the flesh.
I would also clean with a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution.
As for the hurt foot/leg, I'd be looking for bumblefoot.
That bird looks like a hen, and she looks just like Ducky, my Golden Comet hen.
The black area on the comb could be fowlpox.

 

[amama]

Thank you, I'll use my soap, it's fragrance/dye free, and some diluted peroxide then. Thanks for the breed suggestion, I had found Red Sex Link (which I think is similar or the same as Golden Comet) and it looks just like this one.

 

[CluckerCottage]

I hope you keep her and I hope she flourishes under your care.
My Golden Comet is insanely funny and she is a great egg layer!
God bless you for helping your new chicken friend.
Please keep us posted on her progress.

 

[amama]

I will, thank you. She seems sweeter than my chickens, she has let me clean the wound a bit without pecking me My hens are awful about being handled (although I didn't get them as chicks so it's not entirely their fault

I probably need to fully bathe her instead of spot cleaning, but we were gone today and it was actually a bit cooler with the wind/clouds so I didn't want to chill her. (Our hairdryer doesn't blow warm anymore).

She definitely has bumblefoot on the one I can she, she lifts it a lot.

 

[amama]

We let the hen forage a bit and our chickens actually tolerated "Goldie" well. I feel badly for her though and still wonder if she should be put down, while bathing her I saw that her wounds were much worse than I though, all around her neck, down her side/vent area, and down a leg. She limps pretty badly getting anywhere. I also need to treat her for lice/mites since she's around our chickens, and can't quite handle her yet without causing a lot of stress/touching wounds.

 

[junebuggena]

Chickens have amazing healing abilities. If she's eating, drinking, pooping, and is otherwise healthy, give her a chance. Her odds of making it are pretty good.