Badly bleeding chicken

[pdblake]

I have managed to stop the bleeding for now but one of the chooks has been bleeding really badly. It seems her backside, or the bit where the tail feathers grow from was, for want of a better word, rotten. It just fell away when I checked on her.

I've took a photo of the bit that came off:



I've isolated her in my brewing shed for now but can anyone tell me what is wrong. Should bits of chicken just fall of like that? Is it some kind of growth?

I've noticed blood in one of the nest boxes before, a couple of weeks ago, and wonder if this is anything to do with it?

Can someone help please.



Just checked on her and she's clucking away, walking around the shed. She's been at the food and is doing her business alright.

[mr darcy]

As far as I can tell your hen has had a wound that has at some point become infected and necrosed,the tissue has died. You must check that she doesn't have any maggots eating the live tissue that's left. I would take your girl to a vet as soon as poss to get the area thoroughly cleaned and remove any more dead tissue that remains so that she can heal up.Because chickens bleed so profusely it might be better to get the vet to clean it in case removing the rest of the dead tissue if any remains, causes more bleeding. I'm sure one of the more experienced hen people here will know more, re first aid to stop the bleeding,perhaps you should purplespray the area and apply cornflour? Good luck and I hope she gets better, poor girl...

[Suechooks]

It looks awful. I can only agree with Mr Darcy. If it was one of mine I'd have it to the vet in the morning. Keep it as clean as you can (salt water is a good antiseptic if you've nothing else) and away from the other birds.

[pdblake]

The area is clean now and has stopped bleeding. Mr Darcy, you can say that again about the bleeding, the back garden looks like someone's been murdered.

It's like a giant scab has been knocked off. Underneath she is clean and I've put some antiseptic on her. I haven't got any of the purple spray though and can't get any until tomorrow, so I'll have to leave her isolated until tomorrow night.

She seems lively enough, not happy at all at being stuck in the shed on her own though.

[mr darcy]

Ok, but I think that you must thoroughly investigate, especially what I said about maggots (sorry but I had it happen with a rabbit once and now I'm very careful to say the least) still think the vet is perhaps a good plan. good luck!

[pdblake]

Thanks all. I'll keep a good eye on her.

I've checked the wound and she's definately clean. Not over happy with me poking around in there, but clean.

[pdblake]

She seems much happier today. She's even laid an egg and is now back in with the other birds, albeit with a purple bum.

[Suechooks]

Goodoh! Glad she's ok.

[mr darcy]

that's cool

[BUFFS]

i think i will check mine in morning,that looked terrible,glad shes okay now..

[pdblake]

i think i will check mine in morning,that looked terrible,glad shes okay now..

I check mine every weekend, religiously, and still missed this one. Looks like I might have been missing it for ages


Anyway, she's out and about with the others now.

[HayleyB]

It looks a bit like a sarcoid (growth that horses get like a wart that eventually falls out taking the root with it) looks like you've done the right thing as that's how I also treat my nag's sarcoids (we've tried all other vet methods), purple spray and anything to dry up the area.

This time of year is not such an issue for maggots but with horses flies are a problem in Summer for this type of injury.

[mr darcy]

It looks a bit like a sarcoid (growth that horses get like a wart that eventually falls out taking the root with it) looks like you've done the right thing as that's how I also treat my nag's sarcoids (we've tried all other vet methods), purple spray and anything to dry up the area.

This time of year is not such an issue for maggots but with horses flies are a problem in Summer for this type of injury.

Hayley I've got some interesting french sarcoid remedies which I'll post to your profile thingy.You can get it UK too I imagine

[HayleyB]

Gawd I even tried the Liverpool cream and the ties and still every Summer, poor Lenny really does suffer but I found after the last few years if I keep my nerve and let them fall out (pretty scary and holding nerve is not easy) then just treat them like a gelding, let them bleed out while keeping clean tends to work.

Last year he had only a couple so finger's x'd maybe even none this year...

[mr darcy]

Gawd I even tried the Liverpool cream and the ties and still every Summer, poor Lenny really does suffer but I found after the last few years if I keep my nerve and let them fall out (pretty scary and holding nerve is not easy) then just treat them like a gelding, let them bleed out while keeping clean tends to work.

Last year he had only a couple so finger's x'd maybe even none this year...

pm in your post box!!