Some background: My chicken (about 3 years old- Plymouth Rock) has self-inflicted pecking sores on the top side of both of her wings. She has had a problem with keeping feathers on the lower half of her body since I got her (over two years ago), and despite giving her additional vitamins and care, her feathers only grow back for a short time after 'molting season,' and then the bald spots gradually come back. I never see her over-preening herself, but I still struggle with reducing her feather loss.
Anyway, she has been focusing on biting at the pecking sores on her wings. They are not actively bleeding (that was a problem a week or two ago...), but the wounds look dark and irritated (hopefully scabbing over by the looks of it). I have been using Banixx spray 2-3 times a day as suggested, and we have been trying to wrap her wings (individually) with animal gauze, but she managed to get it off every time, no matter how we went about wrapping them. She has also been wearing a chicken saddle to cover the bald spots on the top of her back, but her wings are still obviously exposed. Today we took the gauze and did a full gauze wrap from the middle of her wings to the base of her neck. I wrapped it loosely enough that her crop is still able to expand, but it had to be wrapped fairly snug around her wings. The problem I have now is with her lack of balance. She is able to bend down for food/water, but seems to be struggling to lay in the bin of straw i sat out for her (hoping I could keep a better eye on her if she lays down in it), and struggling to stand/walk. I know this is something she would get used to over time, but is it okay to leave her like this for a few hours? I am hoping to find a better way to cover her wings for the next few days, giving them a chance to heal (possibly a tiny t-shirt? I am accepting alternative solutions!), but until then, I am wondering if the gauze wrap can stay while I work during the day (at home- I am still keeping an eye on her). I should also add that she seemed lethargic the last few days (and let me hold her for a while, which is not like her at all), but her comb, poop, and eating habits are all normal. She just seemed slow, but the only thing I could find were the pecking sores, so I'm assuming she's just in pain (I also checked for mites, etc.). I think that my biggest issue is that I feel bad watching her stumble around, and I don't want her to exhaust herself (I have been making electrolyte water for her).
A bit more information:
She shares a coop with one other hen, but is not bothered by her. The pecking sores were not caused by this other chicken (because most articles online ONLY suggest that you separate the injured hen from the flock 'bullies').
I just wanted to add this in case it is relevant, but these chickens have nested together for years, and the injured on is not being picked on or affected by the other (in fact, she isn't paying any mind to the injured one, despite her stumbling around the run/coop...)
In case my question isn't clear (I apologize for being long-winded, I just figured it would be better to give all information on the first go), can I leave my chicken in this full upper-body gauze wrap for a few hours? The only issue seems to be her balance (and the fact that she doesn't want to let herself lay down, even though she has been trying), but I think my guilt is making this difficult to judge. I will also accept any advice regarding the actual treatment of pecking sores (I've used Banixx, petroleum jelly, and gauze- Should I try epsom salts?)
Thank you!
Anyway, she has been focusing on biting at the pecking sores on her wings. They are not actively bleeding (that was a problem a week or two ago...), but the wounds look dark and irritated (hopefully scabbing over by the looks of it). I have been using Banixx spray 2-3 times a day as suggested, and we have been trying to wrap her wings (individually) with animal gauze, but she managed to get it off every time, no matter how we went about wrapping them. She has also been wearing a chicken saddle to cover the bald spots on the top of her back, but her wings are still obviously exposed. Today we took the gauze and did a full gauze wrap from the middle of her wings to the base of her neck. I wrapped it loosely enough that her crop is still able to expand, but it had to be wrapped fairly snug around her wings. The problem I have now is with her lack of balance. She is able to bend down for food/water, but seems to be struggling to lay in the bin of straw i sat out for her (hoping I could keep a better eye on her if she lays down in it), and struggling to stand/walk. I know this is something she would get used to over time, but is it okay to leave her like this for a few hours? I am hoping to find a better way to cover her wings for the next few days, giving them a chance to heal (possibly a tiny t-shirt? I am accepting alternative solutions!), but until then, I am wondering if the gauze wrap can stay while I work during the day (at home- I am still keeping an eye on her). I should also add that she seemed lethargic the last few days (and let me hold her for a while, which is not like her at all), but her comb, poop, and eating habits are all normal. She just seemed slow, but the only thing I could find were the pecking sores, so I'm assuming she's just in pain (I also checked for mites, etc.). I think that my biggest issue is that I feel bad watching her stumble around, and I don't want her to exhaust herself (I have been making electrolyte water for her).
A bit more information:
She shares a coop with one other hen, but is not bothered by her. The pecking sores were not caused by this other chicken (because most articles online ONLY suggest that you separate the injured hen from the flock 'bullies').
I just wanted to add this in case it is relevant, but these chickens have nested together for years, and the injured on is not being picked on or affected by the other (in fact, she isn't paying any mind to the injured one, despite her stumbling around the run/coop...)
In case my question isn't clear (I apologize for being long-winded, I just figured it would be better to give all information on the first go), can I leave my chicken in this full upper-body gauze wrap for a few hours? The only issue seems to be her balance (and the fact that she doesn't want to let herself lay down, even though she has been trying), but I think my guilt is making this difficult to judge. I will also accept any advice regarding the actual treatment of pecking sores (I've used Banixx, petroleum jelly, and gauze- Should I try epsom salts?)
Thank you!
