(Infected?) Leg Wound on Hen - GRAPHIC CONTENT

[LivvyChicky]

Help! My hen has been limping for a few days now so I decided to take a look at her leg. I eventually found (after removing the dirt), a massive & gruesome wound on her leg. Her spur was gone and beside it was this creamy-looking stuff in her leg [that I assume is infection]. I don't know whether it is actually infected, how long she's had the injury for or how she got it. After rinsing her leg, I took a gauze pad, put some antibiotic ointment on it and wrapped her wound up with some vet-wrap tape.
I'd like to clarify, with my situation at the moment, I am unable to take a visit to the vet - can I treat her or will she have to be put down?
P.S. If I can, I may upload a photo of before I wrapped her wound up, later.

 

[Pork Pie]

Cleaning the infected area with saline solution, then iodine, followed by the antibiotic cream may give her a better chance of fighting off the infection. Other members will disagree, but giving antibiotics in her water could also help (kinda like throwing the whole kitchen sink at the infection). We all approach treatments differently, so its a case of doing what you feel comfortable with.

A photo would be helpful in terms of seeing exactly the extent of the infection. I'm sure others will be along to help you out.

 

[Ravynscroft]

CTKen gave some great advice... a pic would definitely help...

Poultry infections tend to be a bit different than what we are used to... pus turns into a hard or cheesy substance that is whitish or yellowish... if that is in the wound, it needs to be pulled out before it will heal... soaking the wound in warm epsom salt water or using a warm, wet epsom salt compres to soften up the scabs and infection first makes it easier to clean out... then the steps CTKen advised would be a good plan...

 

[LivvyChicky]

Thanks so much to both of you for the advice.
I've managed to take pictures, so here they are:
*** WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT, PLEASE USE DISCRETION ***

Like I said, it is very gruesome. I'm wondering if I leave the creamy infection(?) stuff in the leg and hope it goes away or try to remove it myself?

Thanks in advance

 

[LivvyChicky]

Thanks so much to both of you for the advice.
I've managed to take pictures, so here they are:
*** WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT, PLEASE USE DISCRETION ***

Like I said, it is very gruesome. I'm wondering if I leave the creamy infection(?) stuff in the leg and hope it goes away or try to remove it myself?

Thanks in advance

 

[Pork Pie]

Thanks so much to both of you for the advice.
I've managed to take pictures, so here they are:
*** WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT, PLEASE USE DISCRETION ***




Like I said, it is very gruesome. I'm wondering if I leave the creamy infection(?) stuff in the leg and hope it goes away or try to remove it myself?

Thanks in advance

I'd advise following what RavynFallen suggests and removing as much as possible (even if you have to be a bit brutal about it)

 

[LivvyChicky]

Right, not looking forward to it, but I'll have to do it as soon as possible.
Thank you - I really appreciate it

 

[LivvyChicky]

UPDATE:
So it's been weeks and during then; twice a day I have been spraying the wound with saline solution and putting iodine on it. The wound has gotten larger and now has yellowish coat on it. I have absolutely no idea what to do. I'm beginning to think this may have to be the end of my chicken's time?

 

[Pork Pie]

I'll ask Ravynfallen to take a look - she is much better placed to offer advice.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Spraying it and then applying iodine? Not soaking it in warm epsom salt water?

I don't like how the foot looks purple now, nor the chunk of yellow... I would soak her leg for minimum 15-20 minutes, if not longer if needed... see if once it is softened to pick out that yellowish chunk...

If the infection has gotten into the leg bone, without a good antibiotic it will continue to eat away her leg and spread...