EMERGENCY! Pullet's head pecked open, hanging a by a flap of skin.

[QueenofKings]

We're removing her from the flock and dusting her with cornstarch but I'm not really sure what to do wit the flap of skin. I'm no vet/doctor and its thanksgiving to boot! I don't think there's a vet in town that even caters to chickens.

 

[QueenofKings]

Update: apparently, there's also a gash on her side, right under her wing. The edges of it seem to have crusted over and we get a peek of whatever is inside of her at the moment.

Should I cull her? We did a emergency procedure on her, cut off the flap of skin, staunched the wound and applied violet on it, so it would harden to scap ASAP and she wouldn't lose anymore blood.

 

[EggresiveAli]

Oh sort about her. Keep her in a dark place, dress wounds daily good luck!

 

[QueenofKings]

After deliberating for a day, we decided to cull her. The gash on her side is so deep we can see her insides. Yes, chickens are quite hardy, but seeing as how she has been in too accidents so far, we'd rather not risk her being in pain for much longer. I chcked for lice and mites, but there are none, so either, she or another hen pecked right through the flesh underneath her wing or she trapped somewhere/attacked - which is odd, since we haven't had any problems with our chickens being attacked for a few months now.

Unable to eat to boot, since she has open flesh wounds, who knows what might have wiggled in and made a home in there.

 

[idreamofsilkies]

You had to do what you had to do. I'm so sorry for your loss I think you did the nicest thing possible. Especially if you could see her insides. She was probably in a lot of pain. Sorry again that you had to cull her.

 

[chicken pickin]

Do you have a rooster in the flock? It could have been a mating accident. I had a turkey hen with a deep gash on her side under her wing. It was due to the toms mating her(either their claw or spur). The head wound on your chicken could have been from the rooster grabbing her head and not her neck and if the hen was struggling he could have ripped the skin. Just a thought, Im not sure what else could have caused both those wounds.

 

[QueenofKings]

I have two roosters in my flock. The pullets and cocks all turned 6 months yesterday. I saw the two roos tear at the gash on her head, but it had already been there before I stepped in - it was an old wound, so I assume she was the favorite of theirs. She's out in the back, we are culling her tomorrow. I'm not sure what to do with her exactly, I just checked up on my flock and they all seem just dandy without her, the roos aren't competing with each other or with me for dominance as much anymore. Both of my roos do not have spurs, so it might have been their claws.

They are JGsxSilkies so they are HUGE beside by Gold Sexlinks

 

[chicken pickin]

How many hens do you have in your flock for the 2 roosters?

She might be savable if you wanted to try to keep her my turkey hen healed with no assistance from me and her gash was HUGE I just didn't notice it was there until it was partially healed.

But culling her is a good idea too if you feel like she will get ganged up on once she returns after healing. You know your flock better than anyone.

 

[QueenofKings]

Gah, long story time. I originally got the two roos from a project at school. (Incubators!) We bought several chicks to keep them company. As it is now, it was our bad luck to have the two roosters. Several of the chicks that were bought died due to cats picking them off (all said to be pullets.) The roos got along fine with the hens until recently, a little before they started laying. At this point, we only had 4 pullets.

Due to several issues, I can't incorporate any more pullets, I live on a half acre in a residential area.

She was ganged up yesterday when she tried to get into the coop. The roos barred the door and attempted to mount her and began drawing blood. Obviously, we need to cull or rehome one of the roos, the only problem is, my family is not willing to cull the roos at all.

 

[loveourbirds]

if you still have 4 pullets, can you separate them as 2 trios? triming the beaks and toenails on the roosters will help