Hen with open wound & picking at it

[Zenbirder]

I have a RIR one year old hen that somehow got a nasty open wound on the end of the first wing bone (closest to the body, I guess it would be like the blunt end of your elbow), about a nickel in size. It looked OK for a few days and I thought it would heal on its own. Now she is constantly pecking at it, it is like she has a taste for her own blood. I have tried several ways of bandaging it, and she manages to get the bandage off fairly soon. Is there anything I can get to put on it that would help keep her from pecking at it? Anyone have a good bandage idea? I even thought of an Elizabethan collar idea, but I couldn't get one to stay on. By the way, there are NO chicken vets here, so I am on my own with whatever the feed store might have. The wing is not broken, and she is eating but looking "sad".

 

[eggsited chickens]

Could you blue kote it so she doesn't see the blood and maybe stop pecking at it?

 

[dmccann]

could you try a saddle with wing protector?

 

[musson]

I also recommend Blu Kote. It turns the wound blue so there is no visual appeal and it's an antibiotic and anti fungal too.

 

[Zenbirder]

Thanks, I just called the feed store and they have BlueKote in stock. It sounds like somthing that I should have on hand anyway!

 

[Dora'smom]

Blu-Kote works great for small injuries, but it will stain you as readily as it does the birds. It comes in spray or daub on. I got the daub on variety, and just use q-tips and gloves. I still get some on me, but less than otherwise.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Once you've used the Blue-Kote spread on some pine tar so the other birds will stop picking at it. If the feed store carries horse supplies they probably have it.

.....Alan.

 

[Zenbirder]

Well I have nice purple spots on my hands and shirt (missed the face

)

But it did not stop her from picking at the wound. She made a nasty face, then went right back at it. I hope I am now having some luck with getting a bandage to stay on. I am using cut up T-shirt material, like a bandage area with long ties still attached to either end. It is flexible enough to wind around her body and tie in knots that I can get undone, but she has not succeeded. I have two layers of this over the wound, so if she gets one off before I notice there will be a spare under it. I am glad for the bluekote to help prevent infection.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

That's what you need the goopy stuff for - Vaseline, antibiotic goo, pine tar. So long as it's gooey, sticks to their beaks, and tastes bad. A peck or two and they stop.

.....Alan.

 

[ChickScofflaw]

i too have a hen with an open wound, but i think it's from other hens pecking her (she's new to my little flock). i heard that putting penecilian (sp?) in thier water, in addition to the blue-knot, will also help cease any infection. Anyone know what kind/doseage? And, what's the best way to introduce a new bird to the flock?