bad feather loss

[samantha]

just got home from hols to find a west of england balk on one side of the chest and part of the head, totally! like just skin, part from that looks healthy good wieght, she lays well, gut reaction is stress from a different person feeding?

 

let me know what you thing guys this is a new one for me  

[REDCHEQHEN]

 

 

http://www.pigeonbasics.com/forum/blah/m-1143722192/s-new/#num11

[Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS]

could be feather rot

[Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS]

any pictures??could help us? :-/

[samantha]

just got home from hols to find a west of england balk on one side of the chest and part of the head, totally! like just skin, part from that looks healthy good wieght, she lays well, gut reaction is stress from a different person feeding?

 

let me know what you thing guys this is a new one for me  

 

 

OK OK , im gonna blame this on the jet lag, when i got home, (after a night flight) i obviously didnt inspect her well enough, cause when i went round to pay and thank my nieghbour for looking after the birds, she said, what do you think to the bald one, i said well it seems it could be mites, she laughed and said you didnt see my note then??

 

apparently they let them out for a fly and the weekend and a sparrowhawk took her landed in the field and started to pluck her, she saw it and ran out to chase it off, if tried to fly away with the bird, but dropped her again, after a few seconds they thought she was dead she got up and flew straight back to the loft!!    

 

i couldnt belive it, sooooo ive been out for a closer inspection of my poor baby who must have been thoroughly terrified, and she had a wet scabby cut to her wing but other wise seems ok (apart from being bald! in patches)

 

should i give her some antibiotic to be on the safe side?? or leave it to heal on its own ??

 

thanks anyway guys    :

 

[Guest]

'Wet scabby cut' worries me, Sam. Wondered how old the wound is?

 

Have always made a point of cleaning wounds as soon as the bird got home. That includes gently breaking scabbed-over wounds by dabbing with cotton ball soaked in antiseptic and dipped in warm water, and washing the wound out with warm water, (unless its really deep when I just fill it up with antiseptic.) Then I pour neat antiseptic over the wound and seal it with a healing paste, leave nature to do the rest.

 

Antiseptic yes, antibiotic, I'd say no.

 

 

[REDCHEQHEN]

I have a spray antiseptic, they're great......aim and fire !!

 

Get them from the pound shops  ;D

[samantha]

great willdo thanks guys and gals ! :K)

[edthekid]

i use salt or honey............ideal healing powers........................

[jimmy white]

one lucky bird ;D ;D ;D  a handy tablet for freshly wounded birds is arnica ,,from boots,,, seems to heal quicker

[Guest]

i use salt or honey............ideal healing powers........................

 

dont think i would put salt near an open wound ?

[pigeonpete]

good old fashioned savlon sam ;) will heal in no time, got antiseptic in it also  

 

works on my hawk casualties :-/

[Wiley]

 

dont think i would put salt near an open wound ?

 

myself the same salt would have thought would have irritated the wound and was used years ago as a preservative. But he is right with honey the powers of honey is marvellous and over last few years has been used in band aids

[samantha]

good old fashioned savlon sam ;) will heal in no time, got antiseptic in it also  

 

works on my hawk casualties :-/

 

 

thanks for all the advice, i actually cleaned it up with savlon diluted in cooled boiled water, then a little neat, then i put a little savlon on, savlon does seem to be my answer to all medical problems lol

 

[stevebelbin]

Oooow ive just cut my finger, can you rub some savlon on for me  ;D ;D

[mac1]

if any of my animals cut them selfs i use germalene spray you can get it in any chemists its great stuff

[samantha]

Oooow ive just cut my finger, can you rub some savlon on for me  ;D ;D

 

 

Steven! its not like you to be cheeky !  

 

[stevebelbin]

LOL - Sorry thats what being single does to you  :B :B !!! I must have done something wrong, because only my mam calls me "Stephen", when ive done something wrong  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D   :P   :K) :K)

[edthekid]

re: salt is a real healer.........ever had a cut and swam in the sea....cleans infections

[Guest]

re: salt is a real healer.........ever had a cut and swam in the sea....cleans infections

 

I agree with you, but I think what you were actually talking about in your original post was a weak saline solution to wash and clean the wound, and not  as it may have appeared to others who responded to your post, sprinkling salt straight into an open wound.

 

I'd be interested to know tho, how do you use honey?  and if possible, if you would provide references to its healing powers. Again, sounds like you are saying put honey into an open wound, so it would help if you explained it a little more..

 

[stevebelbin]

Ive had a few hit the wires, where they rip their front right open, and have found doing nothing was the best solution. Pigeons seem to have an amazing ability to heal quickly, which mine always have with no interference from me  ;D

[mO]

I agree with Steve, unless they cut wide open and require stiches I leave them well alone. There are pics on my site showing what Razor wire does to mine, as my neighbours have a 14ft high fence with Razor barb wire on the top.

mO.

[Guest]

Thankfully never been involved in stitching; razorwire???  are your neighbours an industrial estate? Thought razorwire was illegal for use in a domestic setting.

 

Point about wounds is that they are a gaping hole in the bird's immune system and a way in for infection. Think its safer to wash them out and seal the break, then leave nature to get on with it.

[samantha]

feathers growing back nicely, wound healing, the sun is shining , couldnt be better really

 

lifes good  

[samantha]

left it a couple of weeks, let my birds out again , sparowhawk pinned my best brown fantail down in niegbours garden, fortunately my fantasic niegbour brought her home hardly damaged but its worrying  :-/