[3Bluebelles]

Hi,

My husband is currently working in the garden, and we have the chickens out roaming the garden. He has just noticed some splashes of blood around, and when we have checked the girls, one of them, Josephine, has a cut on the pad of 1 foot. She doesn't seem to be in any paid, and is jumping up for corn, and scratching around with the rest of them. It's not actually bleeding any more. Is there anything I should put on it to stop any infection, or should I just let her get on with it? I wondered whether some germolene would be OK?

Thanks,
Jacky.

[3Bluebelles]

It is still bleeding actually, and 1 of the other chickens had started to peck at it, so we have separated her, and we have also cleaned it with some warm water, and put a little antiseptic cream on it. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks,
Jacky.

[joyfull]

keep it clean and dry, if you have any wound powder you could put that on or cornflour would do, if not then keep on with the antiseptic cream.

[3Bluebelles]

Thanks.

I don't really know how to keep it clean. The run they are in has wood chippings in, and I can't stop her scratching in it. When she was on her own she seemed quite distressed, so I have let 2 of her best friends in with her, keeping away the older three that do bully them sometimes. I have given them all some corn, and they have now settled down together on a perch to snooze. It seems to have stopped bleeding, so hopefully this will give it chance to start to heal over. I'll have another look when they go to sleep later and maybe clean it again and put some more cream on it then, as they get less stressed when they are sleepy.

Jacky.
 

[Kazoo]

Hi Jackie

One of my Black Rocks cut her foot on glass last year - like you I noticed splashes of blood around the garden and run.  I just checked her foot a couple of times a day to make sure it was as clean as it could be and was healing.  She didn't seem to notice it herself and it certainly didn't hold her back!  It healed very quickly without any intervention from me - I tried to put cream on it but this made it a dirt magnet.  I think a salt water wash would be good if it got dirty but just keep doing what you are and I am sure she will heal quickly.

[TeaPots]

"purple spray" is a must in the first aid box of all chookie keepers. OR you can use savlon spray...it sprays well deep into cuts, is antiseptic, and hides the red colour of blood that chooks seem to peck at in such a frenzy.  It  also works for feather pecked areas, and any wounds.

Perhaps most important is to find what she cut her foot on. My lot regularly scratch up broken glass, I swear I dont know where it all comes from!........My garden must have been  a huge greenhouse that was demolished in the 20's 

[dizzylizzie]

Hi, after cleaning the wound, try one of those spray on plasters, germoline and savalon do them. It acts as an antiseptic and dries to form a clear 'skin'. i would then spray with purple spray to disguise the redness from the wound.

[3Bluebelles]

Thanks for all your replies.

We let them all back together late afternoon, as we only have one house for them to sleep in. It had stopped bleeding by then. This morning she seems fine. There is no blood on the perches so it obviously didn't start again, and she's behaving as normal, so doesn't seem to be in any pain. I will keep an eye on her in case of infection, and will get some spray in the meantime.

Thanks,
Jacky.

[Elcie]

This thread just cost me £39! 

Well, it reminded me that I need to get some purple spray, then I decided I could probably do with the new diatom puff, then the apple cider vinegar, then the cute little 4-egg boxes for giving eggs away, then the..... Oh well!

Hope your chicken is better today and her foot is healing.

[3Bluebelles]

Yes she is thank you. She is showing no signs of being in any pain, has laid an egg today, and is eating as normal. I can't really see if the cut is healing as her feet are covered in mud, which is just the way she likes it as she has been digging up the flower borders!!!!

I will keep checking her though in case of any signs of inflammation or infection.

Thanks every one. I know you can read books, but it does help to be able to contact people in the same boat and have them say you're doing the right thing.