Injured Rooster - what to do now?

[curly_kate]

My neighbor's dog got into our chickens on Friday, and our roo came away with a lot fewer feathers & a puncture wound from a tooth near his wing. I've been trying to keep it clean, and packing it with neosporin, but it's still bleeding. It's not much, and is not actively bleeding except when I pick him up to repack the wound. I'm afraid I'm reopening it when I work on him. Should I just leave it alone? He is contained so he's not able to move much. He's eating and drinking OK, altho less than usual. Please help!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I would rinse the wound out with saline solution only, for a few days and observe it. Don't mess with it too much. Chickens heal amazingly fast and well.

Our puppy got a hold of our roo a few years back, the poor guy was just a mess, skin missing, hardly any feathers left, we thought he was dead. I didn't even find the puncture wound on his wing til weeks later. I kept smelling this putrid smell and finally found the source. I cleaned it out thoroughly with saline solution and tweezers at that time. It left a big hole, which totally healed up in a few months. A year later you would never have know that this roo was at death's door.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Should I just leave it alone?

yep. like FD said, you'd be surprised at what they can live thru. keeping him contained is the best medicine. he might have to be in there for a week or so.

sorry about your birds
:-(

 

[Mackay]

My neighbors chicken got wounded somehow and they took just regular sewing thread and needle to it. put neosporin on top. Healed just find.

Steri strips might work.

 

[curly_kate]

We were debating stitching him up, but I read on BYC that that can cause more harm than good by trapping bacteria in it. At this point - 3 days later - I'm not sure stitches will really take. The skin around the wound has pretty much healed up. I packed it w/neosporin again, and now am just keeping an eye from a distance. He's definitely not happy about being stuck inside - he seems to be glaring at me every time I come around. But he's eating more, so that's good.