# chicken sick



## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

FIRE!!!! HELP!!! My hen was in a coop fire and she has a few burns but then the other chickens attacked her when I was not home and the kids put them together. She looks bad. I have washed her wounds with bateadine and have been putting neosporine on her wounds. Is there an antibiotic that I should get for her?


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

I'm sorry but I don't know the answer to your question. I just wanted to wish you well & your poor chicken. If it's that bad just keep her comfortable in a quiet place as she prob very stressed. How is she now?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Got a vet you can go to? Because of the burns and no pics I'm going to suggest you get her in asap. Burns are much more dangerous than what the other hens did to her. She might need fluids, etc.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

Her burns look really good. Its her back that looks nasty. No vet around here that deals with chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You've done exactly right so far. The only thing you might want to add is Pedialyte unflavored to her waterer for a couple of days. 

Watch closely for infection. There should be no smell at all. And if you become concerned that there are changes you are worried about please think about posting a pic or two. That are very helpful when we can see what is going on.

And would you relate to how extensive her burns were? And where they are. Burns are a very serious concern. While her wounds may not look bad the extent of the burns could very easily kill her, even if they do not look like much to you.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

The pictures of the burns on her face and head.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What you need and don't wait to get it, is some antibiotic eye ointment. You can get it from the feed store or co-op or if your vet trusts you can probably get it from them. Explain the situation. You need to put that in her eyes and apply some to the lids. 

Put a 325 mg aspirin in a one gallon waterer, it will help reduce the pain and inflammation. 

I never dreamed it involved her face and could compromise her eye sight. 

I hope this resolves without permanent damage that affects her quality of life. Her eyes are what I'm most concerned about and her respiratory system if she inhaled any of the fire or smoke.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

I did contact my dogs vet and they did give me antibiotic eye ointment for her and her back looks so much better today. Thanks for all the information. You guys have been helpful. She is perkier today. I will keep you updated.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Please do. You've done very well with her. 

Since you've got her in the house I wouldn't put any more antibiotic ointment on the burns. That can hold heat in. But do put the new ointment in her eyes and on her lids. 

Did they give you any other tips?


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## alayane (Jun 16, 2013)

Get some vetrcyn. It is a spray that works wonders. My rooster was involved in a dog attack and I cleaned his wounds and used the vetrcyn. He is doing ok.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A wound from an opening in the skin and a wound from a burn are very different injuries.

I've looked at this product in the past and while I see testimonials from users and many, many references to it by the company, I found nothing from any other agency that can back up the claims.

The fact a friend used the product on one of her birds without improvement makes me even more skeptical.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

The closest place that has it around here is over an hour away.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Which is good. Burns are way different than a puncture/tear kind of injury and needs to be approached cautiously when treating.

The Betadine you used on her was absolutely the right thing to do.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

She is doing great and is laying eggs. The eye ointment worked wonders. She is a happy hen. Ill post picks later.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She is doing far better than I thought she would. 

Great to hear the ointment has made things easier for her. 

Most of this is being able to stand back and assess. I make it sound easy but that is your greatest tool. Chances are you would have gotten to the ointment idea, if you knew it existed.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)




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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Amazing how much she's improved in such a short time. 

Watch to see if she can close her eyes completely, if scar tissue forms that could end up being an issue.


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

You did a great job!!


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

I am amazed she is recovering so fast. She is a very loved chicken. She is looking so good and her plucked back is looking good also.


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## GratefulGirl (Sep 10, 2012)

Oh my goodness poor girl! What did you end up giving her for pain? Her improvement is remarkable you have done a fabulous job nursing her along. She looks like a sweet buff orpington.


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

I ended up giving her 100 mg aspirin in a half gallon of water. Just 2 days and now she is on nothing and doing great


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you see her beginning to lose the sparkle in her eyes it might be a good idea to put her back on the aspirin.


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

Sorry, but curiously why the aspirin? 
Your chicken looks really good for what she has been through bless her!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Because she was still healing and could still be dealing with quite a bit of pain. Remove the pain and they are more willing to fight to get better.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

Jmalli great job on fixing that hen rite up

may i ask what started the fire?

i know plenty of coops have been lost because is a heatlamp

i myself have stopped using them 

my new brooders are of a different design so no heatlamps are needed (safer that way)


good luck
piglett


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

robin416 said:


> Because she was still healing and could still be dealing with quite a bit of pain. Remove the pain and they are more willing to fight to get better.


Oh ok I didn't know you could give them aspirin.. Can you give them paracetamol? 
Just so I know for future but hopefully wnt need! Thanks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, you can't. From what I just read it appears it could be quite toxic to them.


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

Ok thx. That's good to know! New to chicken keeping, 4 months in I think...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't be afraid to ask if you have questions. Its always better to ask if you don't know. Very often wrong choices are made and it just messes everything up.

Well, I guess you weren't afraid since you asked already.


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

Sometimes I don't want to sound completely stupid lol but we are learn what we know from somewhere  thanks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

None of us, not a single one truly knew what we were getting ourselves in to when we brought these things in to our lives. Chances are you'll ask a question that has been answered many times in the past for us by people who had been raising them for years.

I'm a reader and curious so I end up reading stuff that is pretty obscure when it comes to the birds. And amazingly, every once in a while the situation pops up.

This bird was a first. But having a medical background I knew that this situation could be very serious for the bird. Even if her burns had been less than what they turned out to be.


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

This is very true. Also people have different answers & people do what they think is best at the time but we all learn. I love hearing from different people & am grateful for all I am taught! 
Recently I had a bird that didn't go to bed with the others, sat floppy in the dark in the run. I brought in my home to die, which I read wasn't good to do as stess them more but I couldn't kill her & I couldn't leave her there. I made her a home in my bath to die basically out of the cold. she took a sip of water every half hour a mouthful of porridge rarely, 3 days later she was roosting on the edge of my bath, happily running around & fingers crossed has been back with the rest since the weekend & is doing well!


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## jmalli01 (Dec 19, 2013)

That is weird that you said that because I had a friend that had a chicken that did the same thing and she also brought it in to die and about 4 days later was completely fine.


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## profwirick (Jan 24, 2013)

amazing! power of love?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sounds like birds that got in to something toxic and were able to rid their bodies of it.

This is why I hesitate to tell anyone to put a bird down that is down. I've seen some incredible things with these guys.


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

It was amazing. She was so floppy & lifeless & about 30 hours later started eating & drinking alone. I had her from Thursday day & put her with the rest Sunday, I thought it might be to soon but her poo was lot healthier & she was flapping around the bathroom & starting to get jumpy around me, (she is the least tame & hates human interaction, wnt eat from my hand or anything when outside & well!) any so I guessed I was just stressing her now she was better so put her back. 
When we brought her in the house It was like she had given up, I could hear a slight wheeze when she breathed but with some fluids & rest she was fine! I read so much people just say kill them, I'm glad I didn't! 
Good story about your friend too! 
It's lucky I was off work!


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## Sarah10Chickens (Sep 2, 2013)

profwirick said:


> amazing! power of love?


I like to think so! ........


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