Yikes! Large wound on hen.

[FlyingNunFarm]

@cindiKS I think reintroduction depends on the birds. You know them best. With the bully gone the whole flock should be less stressed. With him having company I don't think there any reason to rush it. The more you introduce at the same time the easier it is. The comb could be white because of lack of blood flow. It may just be that his body is concentrating on healing. As long as it doesn't turn black I think it will be ok. Chicken eyes do see different then ours and they pick up on red. So if his injury is still red and looks like an injury they may pick at it. You can put Blu Kote on it. It literally makes it blue. It has other healing properties too. "Blu-Kote is a germ-killing, fungicidal wound dressing and healing aid that works to protect animals against common infections and pus-producing bacteria. It penetrates the skin and dries quickly, reducing pus formation and drying up secretions of pox-like lesions." (from Dr. Naylor website) I have heard it can sting when applied but better then being pecked in the head.

You can ask around for other opinions. I'm no expert. Keep us posted. So glad he's doing better. And he and his friend are so cute together.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

And THIS is when you need new stockinette!

She's missing her bandage too. I checked everyone late and found her sans bandage with strings hanging. I just took the stockinette off and put her saddle back on. I'll replace everything in the morning. Clearly she feels fine.

 

[mobius]

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I still haven't found the bandage from yesterday. But here her wound is today. Scab came off again. You can see how dry the edges were. She's back out foraging and happy!

 

[mobius]

Almost there! Very nice job!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

About a day and she shredded another piece of stockinette and ditched her bandage. I took the hint and put some oil on under her saddle and let her go. Her wound is about dime sized so she should be ok with no bandage. Clearly she's done with treatment.

 

[mobius]

Truly amazing and hilarious how she lets you know she is done and good to go! Quite a bit of wisdom-by-chicken there!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Well I'm not sure she will ever have feathers on her wound.

It is baby butt smooth in the area that's reddish. It also changes color like that frequently. I thought maybe she was getting sunburned but I'm not so sure. It could still be healing underneath. I'm sure the skin in thin and sensitive. Her rough wing feathers could be irritating it too. She's not bothered by it in the least so I keep an eye on it. She's really rather bossy so I'm thinking she's fine.

 

[abbzgrl]

This thread is very helpful! One of my girls got attacked yesterday sometime. Possibly by a neighborhood dog. Dog is sweet but has playfully chased her once before. This time th dog must’ve got her. Her back is pretty bare and some superficial scrapes. I did find a small puncture hole near the base of her wing by her neck. She doesn’t like getting handled much so it was tough to take pictures. I did spray her wounds with veterycin and kept her in the crate for most of the day to chill. She seems ok. Eating and drinking ok. But I think she’s in shock and scared. She didn’t want to come out of the crate and when I put her out side she just made her way back to the coop and settled in the nest box.

So my question is.... what should I be putting on her bare skin and scrapes? And should I just leave the puncture hole open to air since it’s so small or should I be bandaging it up. Also, what kind of sugar are you using?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

SUPER LONG POST!!!
I question this area. I know how hard it is to get pictures so I'd rather ask. I labeled the picture with my questions.
Most of the pictures her skin (or lack of) looks like this. Is it dry? It looks like she's forming scabs.
If that is the case I would put some Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) on it. If you think it seems tight like its pulling that's when I use VCO. You don't want it to be gooey but moisturized.
When it looked like this I used Vetericyn then sugar.
This is when I would use VCO. The edges are dry and starting to pull away from healthy skin.

As the scabs get smaller don't be surprised if they fall off. When you have fresh open area use the Vetericyn then sugar. When scabs form use the VCO. That's the best way to describe what I did. I went with what it looked like and my gut. Sorry to say it's not a science. LOL

If she isn't oozy and it won't stick to her you can use just stockinette. If it gets a little stuck spray it with the Vetericyn to loosen it up. If she's really putting off moisture I would put gauze or something over the wounds under the stockinette. If you don't have a rooster she should be fine in just stockinette. People have also mentioned using toddler shirts over their birds. Same idea. Cover her bare skin to keep it protected from dirt and other interested parties.

If the puncture is small I'd make sure it clean and leave it. You can flush it with a syringe with no needle. Put some VCO on it if you want. As long as it's not deep and didn't damage more then skin I would think it would be ok.

You can always give her extra goodies to help her feel better. Cooked eggs are a chicken favorite. Extra protein gives them a boost. I added nutri drench to some water or wet pellets. If her wounds are mostly superficial she should be ok. I'm sure she's scared. Keep an eye on her in case there is anything internal going on.

I use plain old table sugar. I put some in a covered bowl and left it in my hospital area. (Also my laundry room)

I think I answered all your question.
Keep me posted on how she's doing. Good Luck.