{"id":1766,"date":"2019-05-03T08:43:31","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T13:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chikchikchicken.com\/?p=1766"},"modified":"2021-01-30T11:00:56","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T17:00:56","slug":"wound-care-for-chickens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chikchikchicken.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/03\/wound-care-for-chickens\/","title":{"rendered":"Wound Care for Chickens"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chickens are curious creatures and sometimes get into things that cause injury. You may also have birds picking<\/strong><\/a> on one another or face a predator attack<\/strong><\/a>. Knowing some basic wound care treatments to treat your chickens can be helpful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"chicken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to find a vet that will treat chickens and it never fails that our birds have been sick or injured either in the evenings or on the weekend when the vet\u2019s office is closed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When something is wrong with our birds, my stress level skyrockets. Having supplies on hand helps, especially if I need to act quickly. So, I put together a <\/strong>chicken first aid kit<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not a vet and only have experience dealing with our chickens. I do have children and have attended to many injuries during the last 25 years. If you have kids, especially boys, you\u2019ve probably cleaned a few wounds yourself. My best friend was a registered nurse and the lessons she taught me about wound care have been invaluable. This post is for informational purposes only and should not take the place of veterinarian care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I may earn money from purchases made at no additional cost to you. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wound Care<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If your chicken is injured by a predator or even another chicken, assess the wound. Start with cleaning it so you can get a good look at it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For cleaning the wound, I like using peroxide. You may have to flush several times. Dilute with water and use a 1:1 ratio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To clean, I\u2019ll use a syringe to get the hydrogen peroxide solution on the wound. This helps keep the entire bird from getting wet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your bird is panicked, wrap its head in a towel. It should calm them down. You may need to trim the feathers to get to the wound but only cut what is needed. Birds need their feathers for warmth and protection and usually, they won\u2019t grow back until the next molt.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trimming feathers is similar to cutting your fingernails. Just be careful, feathers could have blood in them if they are new or not finished growing. The quills should be white or clear and look hollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the wounded area\nis large, you may need to bathe the bird to clean. I only do this if absolutely\nnecessary. Have you heard the saying \u201cMadder than a wet hen!\u201d Seriously y\u2019all! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if I have to bathe the bird, I\u2019ll use regular soap and water instead of peroxide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you have\na good look at it, do you feel you can treat it yourself? If it\u2019s minor, you\nprobably can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a minor injury, laceration or a puncture wound, you will need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n