I read a post about using Vicks on wounds/injuries to prevent the flock from picking a the area, and - without thinking - tried it on my little Polish rooster's head where my larger breed pullets had begun picking at him until he was bloodied (which is apparently not uncommon). Bad idea! I know that mentholatum is toxic to little kids if ingested, even in fairly small amounts, and that it shouldn't be used on wounds, or under occlusive bandages. I just didn't THINK, and put it right on his poor bloodied head and he got sick really quick. To where I thought he was going to die. I shampooed it back off, and then pulled all his crest feathers up into a topknot secured with a few little horse-braid rubber bands to keep the area covered up - he recovered, though is deeply humiliated about his hairdo... Anyway, thought I'd remind people to use caution with this remedy, birds are very sensitive to seemingly benign substances!
