# NEED CHICKEN ADVICE QUICK!!!!!



## Mother Hen (Jun 22, 2017)

Last year we used red plastic key ring type bands to band the older chickens so we would be able to tell them apart from the younger ones. Well, I noticed that one wasn't walking or running right and at a closer inspection the cause was the band was cutting into her leg. I was able to remove it without too much difficulty even though she was throwing a hissy fit, as I started getting it loosened up a puss like substance started leaking from where the band had been cutting into her leg. As soon as I put her down after getting it completely removed she got on the bottom roost without too much difficulty. When I opened the chickens up this morning she had a difficulty getting off the roost and she wasn't using that leg at all. I did take a look at her even though she wouldn't let me get really close to her and didn't see any signs of where the other chickens may have been picking on her.
Did I do the right thing by removing the band? Should I separate her NOW? Is there anything I could use to treat the wound that wouldn't cause harm to her?


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## Bruce (Jun 24, 2017)

If it was tight enough to cut into her leg you ABSOLUTELY did the right thing to remove it. You NEED to get a close look at it, if you can't nab her during the day, get her when it starts to get dark and she is on the roost. If she isn't using that leg my guess is she has more than superficial skin damage. You might want to put some antibiotic ointment on it especially if you can see a clear wound.


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## Mother Hen (Jun 24, 2017)

I forgot to post the other afternoon- my cousin and his wife stopped in to pick up the stakes for the party tents and my cousins wife got a good look at the leg and said it appeared to her it was only inflamed and already starting to heal.
I also got a good look at it today she's almost back to normal in her walk and running.


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## Bruce (Jun 24, 2017)

Great! Sounds like you caught it just in time. Chickens are very good at hiding health issues until things get desperate. I would check the bands on all the chickens, make sure they can slide easily.

You can always use castor oil for minor "wounds". Apparently it is "anti everything bad". Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral. I used it to get rid of a wart on my thumb that Compound W took down but it grew right back. If you are ever so unfortunate as to have scaly leg mites on your chickens, it is a far better "medicine" that coating them with petroleum jelly.


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2017)

That's good to know about the castor oil.


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## Mother Hen (Jun 25, 2017)

Another thing to add to the animal first aid kit.


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## Mother Hen (Jun 25, 2017)

Another item to add to animals first aid kit.


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## Devonviolet (Jun 25, 2017)

I'm glad you caught the tight band in time, and that it healed up so quickly.  Sometimes all it takes is for the puss to drain and it heals by itself. 

Something that I have found helpful is NuStock ointment.  It's basically sulpher, pine oil and mineral oil.  It heals infections and takes away itch.

It also works for humans.  I put it on my chigger bites and it takes the itch away almost instantly.  On really bad ones, I but a dab on the bite and cover it with a bandaid.  After a day or so, the bite goes away, and I'm not scratching it til it bleeds! UGH!  I hate chiggers!!!


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## Mother Hen (Jun 25, 2017)

She's back to limping and won't put pressure on it today.


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## Bruce (Jun 25, 2017)

Check for any swelling, could be it started draining then "capped" and now pus or infection is building up in her leg.


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## Mother Hen (Jun 25, 2017)

Her leg is swelling and her feet (talons) look kind of pinkish to me


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## Bruce (Jun 25, 2017)

Sounds like she probably has an infection where the band cut into her leg. If you can't see anything you can specifically treat with antibiotic cream on her leg you could do a course of oral antibiotic. I used Duramycin from Tractor Supply last summer when one of my hens was ill. You should isolate her so only she is drinking the water with Duramycin in it and it is the only water she is drinking.


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