ICantImSideways
Hatching
- Apr 23, 2025
- 1
- 2
- 4
Hello!
While doing our evening "chicken chores", we noticed one of our 14 week old pullets looking a little funny. Her neck feathers, almost directly under her beak, looked different than usual. Upon closer inspection, she had a somewhat severe looking injury to her neck. The pictures don't do it justice and are more to reference location. You can see that there is a flap of skin from them, but not the hole going into her neck. She was acting completely fine and pecking/drinking. Still feisty as ever and even attempted to escape our arms more than once. I rinsed the wound as gently as I could with warm water and used a mild wound-cleansing spray. We had some amoxicillin, so I followed dosing directions from another thread on here. I plan to continue that for 7-10 days as needed. I applied a small amount of antibiotic ointment around the outside, but I'm not sure what to do for the inside. It is probably the size of my fingertip, and isn't super bloody at all. In fact, I could see the tissue clearly in most places. It looked slightly pale, but still moist. No signs of infection visible, but slightly swollen (not warm). Her crop was relatively empty, but I watched her drink & couldn't feel air movement during her breaths. I am worried that if I attempt to clean the wound more thoroughly, I will somehow puncture into her throat. I will add that we don't think this was from a predator but we don't know for sure. It looks as though she has been caught on something sharp. No one else is injured and there are no signs of something getting in. I just don't know how to help my girl!! Any advice would be so appreciated. I have been a silent member of BYC since we have gotten chickens, and have so much respect for all of those who are so willing to help others.
Thank you in advance!
While doing our evening "chicken chores", we noticed one of our 14 week old pullets looking a little funny. Her neck feathers, almost directly under her beak, looked different than usual. Upon closer inspection, she had a somewhat severe looking injury to her neck. The pictures don't do it justice and are more to reference location. You can see that there is a flap of skin from them, but not the hole going into her neck. She was acting completely fine and pecking/drinking. Still feisty as ever and even attempted to escape our arms more than once. I rinsed the wound as gently as I could with warm water and used a mild wound-cleansing spray. We had some amoxicillin, so I followed dosing directions from another thread on here. I plan to continue that for 7-10 days as needed. I applied a small amount of antibiotic ointment around the outside, but I'm not sure what to do for the inside. It is probably the size of my fingertip, and isn't super bloody at all. In fact, I could see the tissue clearly in most places. It looked slightly pale, but still moist. No signs of infection visible, but slightly swollen (not warm). Her crop was relatively empty, but I watched her drink & couldn't feel air movement during her breaths. I am worried that if I attempt to clean the wound more thoroughly, I will somehow puncture into her throat. I will add that we don't think this was from a predator but we don't know for sure. It looks as though she has been caught on something sharp. No one else is injured and there are no signs of something getting in. I just don't know how to help my girl!! Any advice would be so appreciated. I have been a silent member of BYC since we have gotten chickens, and have so much respect for all of those who are so willing to help others.
Thank you in advance!
