Should I remove her comb? Pecking injury with pics

I posted about this chicken in https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/940223/post-molt-chicken-is-skinny-and-antisocial . I haven't gotten the results of the worm test yet, but after keeping her in a pen in view of the others but without access to them for two days, I let her out today. This is how I found her hiding under a bush. Her comb normally stands up straight, and there's about 1/2 inch of it cut off and 1/2 inch still attached. The 1/2 inch cut off part is attached to the rest of the comb, but not to her head, and unless I can sew it back on (HA) it's going to stay that way. So should I cut it off perpendicularly to her head? I've read about them bleeding to death, don't want to do that!! How would I do it? It bothers her I can tell the way it flops around and I'm sure it's painful. I washed it and sprayed it with Bactine, and have put a powder antibiotic into the drinking water, but I don't know if she's drinking. It's also getting dark and so she'll be going into her chicken-sleep-coma. I don't normally have problems with pecking, in fact she and my other Barred Rock were the ones who gave my rooster the most trouble when he was introduced. I have isolated her in my garage to the unhappiness of my husband, who said, after we had 17 chicks living in there, NO MORE chickens in the garage.

Bactine should not be used in chickens since it contains lidocaine, a pain reliever that may be toxic to chickens. Anything ending in -caine probably should be avoided. I would stop the bleeding with flour or blood stop powder. Pressure for 2-3 minutes at the site of bleeding make also help it clot. You can separate her in a cage or dog crate for a day or two, and see if the comb really needs to be trimmed off, but I would tend to leave it unless it was just hanging by a small bit of tissue. Iodine, betadine, or antibiotic ointments such as Triple Antibiotic ointment may be applied once or twice daily.

Thank you. I did not know that about Bactine--will not use in the future. She's in the garage in a dog crate so she's safe and warm, and I'lll keep her isolated. Poor girl!!! The comb is about half gone. I'm afraid she's not going to make it, not because of this wound but because of her preexisting issue.

I didn't know about the Bactine either until I looked it up for someone else. I remember seeing an article once before where a vet had recommended Bactine, but anything with pain reliever usually contains lidocaine or benzocaine. Even some of the Preparation H creams that are recommended for prolapse contain Pramine or pramocaine. Most chickens have worms of one kind or another. Many use fenbendazole which is in SafeGuard and Panacur Equine wormer, and Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer, but Valbazen , which is more expensive , will treat all possible chicken worms. Dosage is 1/2 ml given orally to each chicken, and repeat in 10 days. Here is a link for small volumes of Valbazen for $14.75 and regular bottles of 500ml:
http://www.kvsupply.com/valbazen-su...3&cadevice=c&gclid=CIzfrcWrusICFewF7AodsF4Ayw

She made it through the night, and is eating. I hope to hear from vet about what sort of worms she has. I hated to have to throw out all the eggs and worm all the hens if that's not the problem, so that's why I got the test, and then I didn't know what sort of worms I might be dealing with. Can I get wormer at places like Tractor Supply? Poor girl she looks so pitiful!

You can find SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer at most TSC's, but it won't be in the chicken aisle--look in cattle, goat, sheep aisle. I prefer Valbazen since it gets all worms in the 2 doses 10 days apart. With rarer worms such as cecal, capillaria, or gapeworm, the SafeGuard should be given 3-5 days in a row to make sure that they are killed.

One of my hens had a similar injury to her head and all I needed to do was separate her from the flock. I put her in the brooder box with clean shavings, her own food and water. Mine had part of her head torn too, the feathers never came back on her head, but she healed up nicely and I returned her to the flock. Chickens are so resilient. A vet explained to us that they (chickens, ducks, etc.) have a higher body temperature than other animals that prevents infection. He said that cuts etc. usually heal up fine. It's broken bones that are a real issue. I had a hen that survived a fox snatching, her back was completely torn. I could see her bones! I thought for sure we were going to lose her. She healed and is still doing fine 2 years later!

If yours is eating and drinking that is a VERY good sign!

Good Luck!!!

Coccidiosis is caused by eimeria--there are 9 kinds in chickens. Corid would really be a better drug since it treats all 9 varieties. SMZ will only treat 2 of the worst kinds. SMZ is Sulmet, but I would get Corid. Dosage is 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Corid powder dosage is 1.5 tsp per gallon of water. You can make smaller quantities, but change the water every day.

I read that Corid will treat it? Does that sound like a good idea?