The Poultry Keeper

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Over the last week my cockeral has been very active and not a lot repulses me but today I came home from work an hour ago and wasn't prepared for what I've seen. I purposely seperated 2 girls from the flock as they had a lot of feathers stripped from their sides and wanted to give them a rest and I've ordered saddles for them which are on their way. Unfortunately they jumped a 3 and half foot picket fench to be with cockeral and have been all day I think. I noticed 1 of the girls turning around a lot and preening under wing so I went to have a look and was horrified. Under her wing between waist and legs there is a 2" deep cut into muscle and dirt and feathers got into wound and a little bit of puss around edge. Area around is slightly swollen and red which probably indicates infection. I immediately checked all others and 1 more girl has same cut in exactly same place. I look after my girls well and watch and keep an eye out for them every day but didn't see any of this due to the position of deep cuts under the wing. I have rinsed wounds out with only thing I have savlon spray for wounds. Worse thing is Sun/Bank hol monday and I'm at work both days. I feel sick for them it must be very painful indeed yet they eat and drink and seem very happy in themselves which is why I didn't spot any signs. They have never ever jumped this fench before but wound obviously been there few days at least. Please can any one suggest anything else I can do to help them and do you think a wound like this is likely to heal eventually. Cut 2" deep but at least 1" wide. I will take them both to vets on tues morn but if you think they need immediate attention I could call vet out but that would be very pricey indeed this bank hol and get my partner to sort it Question

Muddiwarx · Joined: 01 Apr 2008 Posts: 90 Location: Nr Manchester, UK

I am clueless but poor hens - Sad

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1825 Location: norfolk

Chickens have amazing capacity for healing. A goose once ripped the skin and feathers completely off one of my chicken's neck. Horrible -giblets on the run, the vet stitched it up with what looked like a darning needle and button thread and it was fine in a week. You have to check the cockerel's claws, but if possible keep him away from them until they heal and the saddles are in place. I think you're doing the right thing with the savlon spray - I would have used salt water but it's as good as anything.

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3204 Location: Monmouthshire

Take the cock away for a bit. He won't love you for it, but you'll also need to trim his spurs from the sound of things. The damage is far more likely to be done by spurs as they can be razor sharp. Keep an eye on the hens and see the wounds are clean. Obviously if they turn nasty you will need to do something more, but I'm a firm believer in keeping an eye and non interference.

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Thanks very much indeed I will keep a very close eye on them and keep Blue away and if large wounds look worse will immediately take to vets. I will check spurs could I just file rather than cut as I must admit that would terrify me ?? Pleased to hear your hen ok Kated !! I was so shocked and rather naive of the damage a cock can actually do and will definately not have another one Shocked

But Blue will stay with us he's part of our family and a lovely boy I learn all the time sometimes the hard way and was quite naive of cutting and filing spurs, many thanks

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

i had a turkey hurt in the same way washed and cleaned it
sprayed with purple spray and she is ok now ,hope yours is ok

NannyP · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:15 am Post subject:

I would definitely seperate the cockerel, and let the girls have a break. I have a spray the vet gave me for Trousers, it is a bit like Hydrogen Peroxide, so bubbles as it hits the wound. Mrs White is stripped of feathers and had big gashes beneath her wings...I only need to spray once, and she healed really well.

It is horrible, and I will always take the cockerel away for a while, after all, I only need him with the hens for fertile eggs.

CP · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 1:59 am Post subject:

Poor girls, Sad

I hope they heal well. Wink

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3204 Location: Monmouthshire

So long as the tips are no longer sharp, use any method you like. I find it easier to cut the tip back (wire snips work well) and then file to a 'rounded' end. It's one of the disadvantages of having an older cock - they have longer spurs.

El Pollo Diablo · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

I had a similar problem see post called Wing Trouble. All 3 girls are a bit tatty as my cockerel has been busy recently but one got a gash under her wing just as you describe. It wasn't infected though but looked pretty horrendous. I have just washed in saltwater and puffed wound powder on it and she is fine. She laid and ate and drank fine throughout. I think these things look worse than they are.

I can't separate my cockerel as I have nowhere else for him to go Shocked

But the poorly hen has discovered she is safe if she sits up on top of the house and he leaves her alone.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1312 Location: Manchester

I have heard about a method for reducing the size of spurs by holding a hot baked potato on the spur - pierce the potato with the spur and hold it there for a few minutes, the outer layers of the spur then slough off - apparently it doesn't hur the roo and you don't run the risk of cutting into blood vessels.

I'll see if I can find the article on it.

"One widely talked about method is using baked potatoes. This is done by grabbing 2 medium sized potatoes and cooking them as if you were going to eat them yourself. Insert the rooster's spur into the centre of the potato and keep it in there for a couple of minutes while being careful not to touch the rooster's leg as burning will result. Remove the potato and gently twist the spur with a pliers. There will be a small amount of blood but do not be alarmed as this is natural. Then the tip of the new spur may be trimmed just a little to be blunted. A large human trimmer can be used for this or a dog trimmer if you are careful. After you are finished, apply an antiseptic and feed the cooled potatoes to the rooster as a treat."

From http://groups.msn.com/chickenchronicles/spurremoval.msnw

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Thank you every one your replies most appreciated Wink

Blue is seperated during day on other side picket fench and I watch carefully. He can see the girls and they chat away. My young Gold Laced orp is in same end garden but I leave back door open big enough for her to squeeze through if neccessary but not him. Then at night my 2 injured go into 1 house and the rest another. Then I allow Blue in when light has faded, he comes for few treats at back door and seems happy enough then goes to bed and is seperated when let out in morning. I check my 2 very closely every day and wounds certainly are no worse but I reckon are going to take a few weeks to totally heal, but at least the swelling and redness has subsided. They insisted in dustbathing today which concerned me re: dirt so I put a sprinkling of diatom powder all over patch and thought it may keep any parasites away, don't know if that is right but don't think it would hurt ?? Wound in the middle is quite firm like dried blood and skin either side ok but am just wondering if this will knit together ?? They are eating very well, drinking, bathing and sunbathing so hopefully all will be well, they mean a lot me my first girls. Many thanks

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1312 Location: Manchester

yes, it will knit together as the new skin will grow around the sides of the open area as the scab shrinks. Eventually if they have managed to keep it from getting pulled off in the meantime the scab will fall off and the area will be red/pink but healed - eventually they may even grow feathers back in the area.

El Pollo Diablo · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject:

Mine is the same, I carefully bathed and cleaned then she dustbathed and filled it with mud Shocked

but after that i have washed and then puffed wound powder as a barrier layer before the mud gets back in but not sure how well it has worked. But the skin starts to grow back around the edges of the wound and will push the scab off eventually.

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Many thanks Wink

Can you only buy wound powder from vets or anywhere else ? Maybe some one could shed some light on this qu? I have noticed Blue boy has really red skin below his tail feathers to his bottom, could this be because he hasn't been allowed to be active Embarassed

or do you think totally unrelated ? Only treatment he has rec'd recently is frontline cat spray a little on his neck which has really sorted creepies and worming treatment. He is very well, just an observation Question