Hen injured at night in the coop

I let my chickens out this morning and found one with blood and dried blood all over its head that appears to be coming from a tear/cut at the base of the comb. I am guessing this happened in the overnight but it was dark when I locked them up and I did a quick count but didn't notice anything. They are in a pretty secure
run and not free ranging so I don't think this was a predator.

I brought the chicken inside and tried to rinse and clean off the blood but it was really dried and stuck down. I applied neosporin to the wound and now have her separated in a crate.

My question is what is the best course of action to treat and return. I have 5 chickens that have all been together since chicks. Should I just continue to clean and treat with neosporin? Anything else recommended? How long should I separate and when and what is the best method to return?

I'm guessing they are getting after each other because we are in upstate NY and have had cold temps and snow and they are confined more. They have plenty of space in the run during the day but I think the cold temps limited them yesterday.

Thanks!

Combs get torn quite easily. I don't normally do anything for a comb injury. Most comb injuries in my flock occur when a lower ranking hen is taking too much time to lay an egg in the favored nest box.

junebuggena said:

Combs get torn quite easily. I don't normally do anything for a comb injury. Most comb injuries in my flock occur when a lower ranking hen is taking too much time to lay an egg in the favored nest box.

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Wow, that's good to know. I've got 5, one started laying with one nest box, should I add another?

I've got 4 nest boxes, and they all fight over the same one. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how many nest boxes there are. The dominant girls always want the box that the lower ranking girl is sitting in.

Like junebuggena said, comb injuries are common and they heal very quickly. The only thing I would watch for is somebody else picking at it, which isn't a worry if she is separated. Or flies getting at it, which isn't a worry in winter.

I think it may have started in a nest box because I found some blood on the wall. We have 3 but they only lay in one.

Do you wait until it has healed to put her back? Should I make an effort to clean all the dried blood off? Just trying to prevent a repeat injury.

I don't remove a hen for such a superficial wound.

Ok- I was having a hard time finding the source because there was so much dried blood all over her head. Guessing they are a lot like humans and superficial head injuries bleed a lot.

Do you think the other chickens will be attracted to the dried blood? Just debating how much to try to scrub her before I put her back or just let it be.

Active bleeding attracts the attention of other birds. Scabs are of no concern at all.

Lots of blood vessels going to and in the comb. As long as it has stopped bleeding I'd leave it alone and let it heal.