# Dog bit my chick.



## N. Sims (May 30, 2020)

Hi I'm looking for advice from anyone that has had injured chicks survive. 
My neighbors dog got after my chicks today, we don't have a proper run built yet but had them in a temporary fenced area. The dog ran at the fence and broke it down and got the chicks out. We chased the dog off and caught all the chicks, but one of them has a open wound on her side/back under the tip of her wing. We kept her separate, washed it with peroxide, and she's insisting on sitting with me. She refuses to go in the bucket. Wants pet every 5 seconds. She seems alert, even playing with my buttons. She ate a little and has pooped several times. She wants to sleep with her head lower than her body, opens her beak alot, and is currently stretching her legs and wings repeatedly. 
She seems ok even with a wound, I just want to know if anyone has tips to help her through so she has the best chance at not getting an infection. She is about 6 weeks old.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A pic is very helpful, a better idea of the wound and it's location can help us help you.

Keep antibiotic ointment on the wounds. If it punctured more than the skin there won't be a lot that can be done except time and support. And hoping no organs are involved.

Bring a buddy in for peep. That's the problem it's having right now. Chickens are very buddy oriented and do much better not being stressed by being alone. Make it a place that's more than a bucket, it needs space for food and water and to move around. Put some shavings in it.


----------



## N. Sims (May 30, 2020)

robin416 said:


> A pic is very helpful, a better idea of the wound and it's location can help us help you.
> 
> Keep antibiotic ointment on the wounds. If it punctured more than the skin there won't be a lot that can be done except time and support. And hoping no organs are involved.
> 
> Bring a buddy in for peep. That's the problem it's having right now. Chickens are very buddy oriented and do much better not being stressed by being alone. Make it a place that's more than a bucket, it needs space for food and water and to move around. Put some shavings in it.


----------



## N. Sims (May 30, 2020)

It's on her right side, under the tip of her wing. It is a roundish shallow wound with a deeper cut in the middle. 

I received conflicting advice from my mom who is very knowledgeable about small animals but not chickens, and my grandma who had free range chickens years ago. 
Mom said don't do anything to it except use gauze to stop the bleeding, and then grandma said wash it with peroxide so I did. Mom then said she didn't recommend the peroxide because it can damage the good cells as well as wash away the bad stuff. 
Both said keep her separate, and I asked about triple antibiotic ointment and both said no. 
My husband suggested I put her in the cat carrier inside the chick enclosure in the garage, mom said no she'd get infected keep her on a clean spot in the house. 
The bucket I mentioned is the big tote I had all six of them in until last night when I fenced off part of the garage so they had more room, so it's plenty big enough for her to move around.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm so sorry, you're getting it from all sides. 

First Mom is right about the peroxide but the initial cleaning with it was fine. If you find you have to do it again either use saline for contact lenses or peroxide mixed 50/50 with water. Or use Betadine or Hibiclens, if you can find it. 

Antibiotic ointment will help keep bacteria from growing in the wound. Keeping her in the house until that begins to heal better would be better so flies can't get at it. 

Bring a buddy in with her so that if she begins to slide you know it's not from being lonely for her own kind. If that wound isn't really visible the buddy shouldn't notice it. 

Is the cat carrier small? Enclosed? That wouldn't really work. She would need a cage with enough room for food and water and to be able to move around.


----------



## N. Sims (May 30, 2020)

Thank you for the reply. She really wanted company, so by midnight I went to the garage to make a spot to put the tote by the other chicks, but it seemed rather chilly even with the heat lamp so instead I grabbed the other chicks and lamp and brought them in. 
I put them in the big tote and put the injured one in a smaller tote next to it. She didn't like that, and the final change was me putting the little tote inside the bigger one. They are a little cramped, but she liked that best of all and made it through the night! I'll have to let them all out for the day but that arrangement helped me get a few hours sleep without worrying too much. 
I'll get triple antibiotic ointment on her and hope for the best. She's got a big attitude for such a little thing, so hopefully that will help her!


----------



## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Hello  I'm sorry that this happened. I just went through something similar with my duck, the wound looks very similar and it was caused by racoon bite rather than dog but the result is the same.
I Recommend the antibiotic ointment for 2 days only, after that it is actually doing harm because it won't let a scab form. It will do it's job and kill the bacteria in the wound within 2 days, maybe 3 if you are really worried but after that, you are actually doing harm. Once the risk of infection is gone then it needs air to form a scab. Also, rinse the wound with distilled water, not tap water, before reapplying new antibiotic ointment. No peroxide, your mother is absolutely right, peroxide and alcohol both kill everything including cells needed to make new skin over the wound and good bacteria that her body uses to help itself fight infection. Her body knows what to do, you just need to help it a little by keeping her clean and dry until a scab forms.
Like Robin said, a buddy is going to help a lot of things, including your sleep lol. It will help her heal faster because she will be in a better mental state.

Good luck! keep us updated


----------



## Carol B (May 4, 2020)

Sorry to be late on the scene. I am new to chickens but have been a dog breeder for 15 years. You can't deal with animals for that long and not come across injuries. I have found Vetericyn spray is absolutely wonderful! It's a cleanser plus therapy...wound and skin care. It is very gentle so no stinging involved. Safe to use on all animal species. Spray it on wound 3 to 4 times a day and let it dry. It's amazing how fast they heal and how well they heal. You need to see it to believe it. Can't say enough good about this product! A lot of places carry it including TSC.


----------

