Help! Rooster picked my hens hesd and comb!

[chicchic84]

So my Rhode Island Red rooster really
did a number on my sweet Buttercup. He pecked so much on her head and comb I don't know what to do. We washed it off the best we could and put iodine on it and she is hanging out out with us watching tv. I'm afraid to put her back outside. What do I do to treat this kind of injury

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So my Rhode Island Red rooster really
did a number on my sweet Buttercup. He pecked so much on her head and comb I don't know what to do. We washed it off the best we could and put iodine on it and she is hanging out out with us watching tv. I'm afraid to put her back outside. What do I do to treat this kind of injury

Welcome to BYC.


How old is this chicken?
Has it laid any eggs?
Can you post a full body photo of it?

You did the right thing.
Keep her separated, since you already cleaned her up, you can apply some plain neosporin or Vetericyn to the wound. Leave the wound uncovered. Watch for any signs of infection like pus or odors.

Make sure she is drinking and eating. You can offer some vitamins/electrolytes in the water if you have them. Give some extra protein like scrambled/hard boiled egg, tuna or mackerel.

You will want to make sure the wound is healed before you start re-integrating.

Keep us posted.

 

[chicchic84]

She is laying. Layed one yesterday and is drinking and eating fine just seems very tired. We have her in a cat carrier now resting. It looks like the rooster pecked her so much last night that a flap of skin is cut baddly. She is so sweet and Im afraid once healed the rooster will attack her again. :-( how do I clean the wound better? She tolerated the warm cleaning okay but then became distressed.

 

[chicchic84]

Oh and I'm not sure how old she is

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is laying. Layed one yesterday and is drinking and eating fine just seems very tired. We have her in a cat carrier now resting. It looks like the rooster pecked her so much last night that a flap of skin is cut baddly. She is so sweet and Im afraid once healed the rooster will attack her again. :-( how do I clean the wound better? She tolerated the warm cleaning okay but then became distressed.

You can clean it up more by flushing with some saline or diluted betadine. If you don't have those, some warm soapy water and rinse well. Then apply your antibiotic ointment.

Leave the flap of skin, it may re-adhere or fall off once scabbed.

If she is stressed and you don't have any electrolytes, mix a little sugar in some water and give it to her. Keeping hydrated is the #1 thing, food is second. Chickens seem to love wet food, so offer some wet feed to see if she will eat as well.

There can be many reasons why she was attacked. Has she seemed "off" lately or is she new to your flock?
Sometimes a rooster may attack hen that is sick, so keep a close eye on her.

 

[goosiesnougs]

vetericyn or microcyn work wonders! I use it on my kids

scrapes and cuts too. It's expensive but worth it. You can get it at tractor supply. Best of luck!!

 

[chicchic84]

She is not new to our flock. The rooster is young....we got it as a chick thinking it was a hen. The rooster is only 6 months old. There wasnt an issue before but I know my sweet Buttercup used to stand up to him all the time and grab food from him. Maybe he is asserting his dominance? We will wash her again later today. She loved being held in the towel and watching tv with us. She rested well. Would diluted pedialyte be okay to give her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is not new to our flock. The rooster is young....we got it as a chick thinking it was a hen. The rooster is only 6 months old. There wasnt an issue before but I know my sweet Buttercup used to stand up to him all the time and grab food from him. Maybe he is asserting his dominance? We will wash her again later today. She loved being held in the towel and watching tv with us. She rested well. Would diluted pedialyte be okay to give her?

A young rooster can be brutal. Yes, he was most likely trying to dominate. You may want to separate him until he matures for a few more months, then try it again.

If she is eating and drinking, then the Pedialyte would not be needed. You can add a small amount to her water if she seems like she is still in shock. Electrolytes are good, but should only be given when stressed and for a short period of time due to the sodium content.

I'm glad to hear she was alert and watching TV

Give her some time to heal, chickens can recover relatively well as long as no infection sets in.

Keep us posted.