Infected Pecking Wound

[lmadeline146]

My chicks started picking on each other a few weeks ago but they have since stopped. They were just integrated into the flock but they’re doing better now. This chick is the only one that still has a wound. I’ve tried seperating him many times but every time I put him back with the flock, they peck and re open his wound. When I went to put Neosporin on it today, I noticed that it was oozing pus. I’ve never dealt with a wound like this before, so how do I clean it and dress it daily? It’s not a deep wound from what I can tell.

I feel so awful. I thought it would get better as I put Neosporin on daily but I was wrong.

 

[Bobbiejocoop]

Maybe an epsom salt compress to remove the pus. If I remember correctly, the pus won’t remove itself and it will need to be removed in order to heal properly.
@Eggcessive
@azygous
They should offer more help!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Can you get closer to it and take a good sniff? Does it smell bad? I agree with @Bobbiejocoop , a warm compress repeated and debrid the wound as much as you can. If you can get an irrigation bottle that would make it easier. After you clean it, let dry and then slather with plain antibiotic ointment. Repeat twice a day until you see the swelling go down and a scab from over his wound. He'll be a greasy mess but it will go away quickly after you stop putting the plain antibiotic ointment on it. Alternatively you could also use comfrey beeswax ointment, it's actually cheaper where I live and works great on wounds. Add dried echinacea to his feed and brew a strong cup of enchinacea tea and give him to drink. This will boost his immunity. Alternate between echinacea tea and plain water so he has to drink it.

Tagging @MysteryChicken for anything additional.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would apply a warm wet compress on the wound for 5 minutes while holding her in your lap, and then try pressing out the puss. Then I would clean the wound with chlorhexidene and rinse it off. Then apply plain Neosporin twice a day. You could get someone to help you before hand, and wrap her in a towel with the wound exposed. Leave it open to air.

 

[lmadeline146]

I would apply a warm wet compress on the wound for 5 minutes while holding her in your lap, and then try pressing out the puss. Then I would clean the wound with chlorhexidene and rinse it off. Then apply plain Neosporin twice a day. You could get someone to help you before hand, and wrap her in a towel with the wound exposed. Leave it open to air.

Thank you for the help. Should it be an Epsom salt compress or is just warm fine? Are there also any alternatives that would work the same as chlorhexidene?

 

[azygous]

The wound is healing, but badly. Notice the raised tissue around the wound. It's called granulation. the black scabby tissue in the center needs to be removed. It's called debriding. Under the scab, as @Bobbiejocoop mentioned, is pus and bacteria.

Here's what you do to remove it. Run a dish of hot water, not so hot it burns. Take Dawn detergent and squirt it right from the bottle over the scab. Then take a small rag and dip it in the hot water and use it as a compress, changing it to keep the compress hot. Do it for ten minutes.

This should soften the scab so it peels off. Lightly scrub the wound with a wash cloth to get the pus and bacteria off. Rinse well. Dry and coat with triple antibiotic ointment. Clean with saline or a soapy rag each day and keep the wound moist with the antibiotic ointment.

If you do this every day, not letting the wound dry out, the new tissue will grow from the outer edge toward the center. When the last bit in the middle closes, the wound is healed.

 

[lmadeline146]

The wound is healing, but badly. Notice the raised tissue around the wound. It's called granulation. the black scabby tissue in the center needs to be removed. It's called debriding. Under the scab, as @Bobbiejocoop mentioned, is pus and bacteria.

Here's what you do to remove it. Run a dish of hot water, not so hot it burns. Take Dawn detergent and squirt it right from the bottle over the scab. Then take a small rag and dip it in the hot water and use it as a compress, changing it to keep the compress hot. Do it for ten minutes.

This should soften the scab so it peels off. Lightly scrub the wound with a wash cloth to get the pus and bacteria off. Rinse well. Dry and coat with triple antibiotic ointment. Clean with saline or a soapy rag each day and keep the wound moist with the antibiotic ointment.

If you do this every day, not letting the wound dry out, the new tissue will grow from the outer edge toward the center. When the last bit in the middle closes, the wound is healed.

Thank you so much. I’ll make sure to do this until it’s fully healed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

My chicks started picking on each other a few weeks ago but they have since stopped. They were just integrated into the flock but they’re doing better now. This chick is the only one that still has a wound. I’ve tried seperating him many times but every time I put him back with the flock, they peck and re open his wound. When I went to put Neosporin on it today, I noticed that it was oozing pus. I’ve never dealt with a wound like this before, so how do I clean it and dress it daily? It’s not a deep wound from what I can tell.

I feel so awful. I thought it would get better as I put Neosporin on daily but I was wrong.

I'm working with a hen with infected leg wound.
Chunky pus must be removed, give one treatment of the wound with hydrogen peroxide, then triple antibiotic ointment.
Ointment on it once daily at least, but 2-3 times a day would be best.

 

[lmadeline146]

The wound is healing, but badly. Notice the raised tissue around the wound. It's called granulation. the black scabby tissue in the center needs to be removed. It's called debriding. Under the scab, as @Bobbiejocoop mentioned, is pus and bacteria.

Here's what you do to remove it. Run a dish of hot water, not so hot it burns. Take Dawn detergent and squirt it right from the bottle over the scab. Then take a small rag and dip it in the hot water and use it as a compress, changing it to keep the compress hot. Do it for ten minutes.

This should soften the scab so it peels off. Lightly scrub the wound with a wash cloth to get the pus and bacteria off. Rinse well. Dry and coat with triple antibiotic ointment. Clean with saline or a soapy rag each day and keep the wound moist with the antibiotic ointment.

If you do this every day, not letting the wound dry out, the new tissue will grow from the outer edge toward the center. When the last bit in the middle closes, the wound is healed.

Hi, today when I was treating it I was gently scrubbing and a lot of the dead tissue peeled off and left a lot of flesh showing. It barely bled but now I’m worried that I did something wrong. I was also able to squeeze pus out and I’ve been doing this since I learned about the infection and this is the first time the tissue peeled.
Is this bad? New tissue was beginning to grow on the bottom and its still there.

 

[azygous]

You did nothing wrong. You should have seen me debriding my badly burned legs every day for six weeks until new skin finally grew over the raw skin that looked wet and raw and oozing serum, defying your imagination to envision skin ever growing back. It's normal. The big secret is to keep the wound moist and never to let it dry out. It's most important to keep the wound clean and to keep the ointment on it at all times.