Wounded Chicken

[PeterB94]

Hi,

New poster to BYC however have read 100's of threads and the site is always my go to...

I had to isolate my 30 week old pullet Elsa the other as she had a very nasty wound just under her vent. The other chickens were obviously pursuing her and how much of their pecking is to blame I'm unsure.

She is eating and drinking very well (not touching layers pellets thought) and I've been bathing her in Epsom Salts daily and then spraying with Leucillin. I've been debating whether to put Vaseline on the wound to keep it moist or not?

Does anybody know what could have caused this injury and what the chances of her recovering are. Will the feathers ever grow back over scar tissue?

(The picture of me holding her is a few days after treatment)

Any advice is really appreciated.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Has it improved since you started treating it? Did you see any maggots when you first found the wound?

 

[PeterB94]

Has it improved since you started treating it? Did you see any maggots when you first found the wound?

Hi, thanks for posting.

It does definitely look better than when I first found her although the way the tissue looks black seems concerning to my untrained eye?

No maggots, I thought it looked like fly strike too.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Sure! Can you smell the wound and see if you can smell anything rotten? Do you see any pus? Is she inside?

Can you trim the feathers around her wound so they're not getting into it? Then bath her and let the wound dry and then put the leucillin spray and then put triple antibiotic cream on it. Do that once a day for a couple of days, then you should see nice new tissues growing. Her feathers should grown back anywhere where the other chickens didn't rip the skin off.

 

[PeterB94]

Sure! Can you smell the wound and see if you can smell anything rotten? Do you see any pus? Is she inside?

Can you trim the feathers around her wound so they're not getting into it? Then bath her and let the wound dry and then put the leucillin spray and then put triple antibiotic cream on it. Do that once a day for a couple of days, then you should see nice new tissues growing. Her feathers should grown back anywhere where the other chickens didn't rip the skin off.

No I can't smell anything bad and there seems to be no pus.

Shes inside yes in her own little bit I've made.

I will start applying the ointment too as you suggested. Of the picture you can see do you think it will just be the hole where feathers won't grow back? I just don't want her to be vulnerable again.

Thanks for the advice.


I'll put some update pictures in the next few days.

 

[SmiYa0126]

You're most welcome! I'm glad to return the favor from everything I've learned on this site for my chicks!

The color red attracts them, if she's missing feathers it shouldn't attract them to peck them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It does look like she may have suffered Flystrike.
It looks like it's healing o.k. The area that is bulging is a bit of a concern, but it may eventually close over and she feather back in.

 

[PeterB94]

Hi @Wyorp Rock

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't find any maggots although as you say it does look like a lot of the pictures I've seen on various sources. I have been trying to deal with the flies I've had in the run and we're luckily coming into the Autumn here in the UK so we should see a decline. Is there anything you do to prevent flystrike?

In regards to the bulge, what do you think that could be? I assumed it was just the next layer of muscle or something.

 

[PeterB94]

Hi.
Just an update today after her 3rd bath and Leucillin spray.

She seems in good spirits considering how mind numbing it must be for her to be in the isolation although I have tried to make it the best I can for her and have fed her some grass which is her favourite as well as some scratch snd a few mealworms. She isn't eating much layer feed though.

Shes also not laid for two days now which is good and I assume is down to her being in the dark ?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Looking good! That's healing really well! Yes if she's not getting light then she won't lay an egg, at least that's what I've read here.