Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens (46 page)

For a deep or really dirty wound, squirt the saline or clean water into the wound, using the pressure to wash out imbedded debris. Saline first-aid wash may have a pressure applicator. Otherwise you’ll need a syringe without the needle to squirt the solution. The foaming action of hydrogen peroxide may also be used to lift out debris, but use it only if you absolutely have to, as it is harsh on delicate tissue. Pick out any stubborn debris with a pair of tweezers.

Once the wound is clean, disinfect it by pouring or gently squirting Betadine into it. Then let the wound air dry before dressing it. While it dries, check for feathers that might cling to the wound and inhibit healing. Clip back or pluck out feathers growing at the edge of the wound or tending to hang into it. When the Betadine has dried, liberally apply Neosporin.

Unless the wound is in a place where the chicken picks at it, leave it open, and keep an eye on it to make sure it stays clean; continue applying Neosporin until it heals. If the chicken picks at the wound, cover it with a gauze pad and first-aid tape, and fashion a body wrap with tape to hold the dressing in place and keep the chicken from picking it off. Exactly how to body wrap the tape depends entirely on the location of the wound. Regularly change the dressing, and examine the wound to make sure it is healing properly and doesn’t get infected.

If the wound becomes infected,
you’ll need to remove the scab so you can treat the underlying infection. An infected wound might drain pus or a murky fluid, develop a yellow scab or a scab that gets larger as time goes by, becomes increasingly more tender to the touch, is surrounded by increasing redness, or doesn’t heal in 2 weeks or less. Repeatedly coat such a wound with a thick ointment such as Desitin or Ichthammol for a few days until the scab softens and comes loose. Clean out the infection and retreat the wound as if it were fresh.

If the wound is really deep,
or is the result of an animal bite, you’ll need an antibiotic to prevent infection. A vet should be able to advise you, but if you can’t find a local vet who is knowledgeable about chickens, your next best option is to use a relatively safe broad-spectrum antibiotic, such as Terramycin or Aureomycin, according to directions on the package.

If the animal’s wound remains dry, continue applying Neosporin until it heals. A wound that is wet, weepy, and failing to heal should be treated with an antimicrobial powder such as McKillips so air can get into it to promote proper healing.

A wound that’s deep enough or wide enough to require stitching is best attended to by a veterinarian or another person experienced with sterile needles, sutures, and numbing medication and who can determine whether the wound needs a drain tube. However, lots of chicken keepers have successfully stitched up wounds with a sharp sewing needle and thread. A wound that needs stitching is generally one that goes beneath the skin, is too wide to be easily held closed, and occurs in a part of the chicken’s body that stretches whenever the bird moves.

Depending on how seriously the chicken is injured, it may go into shock, and the more you handle it, the deeper into shock the bird sinks. The best treatments against shock are working gently, then letting the chicken recover in a quiet, stress-free, warm environment. Clamping a low-watt bulb at one side of the hospital cage allows the chicken to maintain its own comfort level by moving closer to or away from the heat.