2 Injured Chickens

[AnchoredHomestead]

Came home to find none of the 5 chickens in their run. All of them were in the coop. After looking them over one has a crack on the right side of her beak. The second has a injury on the back of her neck, half of the top of her comb is now missing, and she has a smaller crack on the right side of her beak and the top.

All injuries have been cleaned with warm clean water, Vetericyn plus, BLU-KOTE, and Neosporin. The most injured chicken is in a pet carrier right now, calming down and secluded. The chicken with a crack on her beak is secluded to the coop, while the other three are outside in their run.

Both are eating small bits. The one with only the crack is more hesitant to eat.

What do I do now? Seclusion for how long? Soft food? Wound dressing/care? Reintroduction…when and how? Can the one with the beak crack be with the others outside during the day as long as they are being observed?

I’m guessing this is a pecking order issue as the one with the beak crack has, in the past two days, started pecking everyone and they’ve been pecking back. They are almost 13 weeks. The one that is more injured is the quieter, more anxious of the flock.

First injury with first chickens- am an anxious wreck right now!

Following pictures: The first two are the chicken with just a cracked beak. The rest are the second, more injured chicken.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've never seen cracked beaks from them pecking each other. How secure is your set up? Can they stick their heads through the fence?

I'd probably use a wound dressing and keep an eye on them. If it is a pecking order thing that separating them isn't a good idea. How big is your set up and how many are in it?

 

[AnchoredHomestead]

I've never seen cracked beaks from them pecking each other. How secure is your set up? Can they stick their heads through the fence?

I'd probably use a wound dressing and keep an eye on them. If it is a pecking order thing that separating them isn't a good idea. How big is your set up and how many are in it?

The run uses 1/4 inch hardware cloth. It’s 10x10x10 for 5 hens and they free range when needed. The coop is 12L x10H x 8W. Two roosting bars, pine shavings for flooring.

The only different thing today is my Dad mowed the lawn and opened the run to give them some. (That’s a whole other issue I’m remedying). He could have scared them. Not sure what they would have gotten caught on unless it was the gate in when it wasn’t fully latched.

So don’t isolate any of them? Or just the one more seriously injured?

 

[AnchoredHomestead]

I have blue vet wrap and regular gauze. Since the largest wound is her comb, what would be the best way to dress that or is cleaning and putting stuff on it going to be the best route?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I am bare bones treatment here. I use bluekote on wounds, and that's it. Chickens are great at healing. I wouldn't wrap anything that small. I'd only separate them if they are being pecked at, but do what you are comfortable doing. Every situation is different.

 

[AnchoredHomestead]

I am bare bones treatment here. I use bluekote on wounds, and that's it. Chickens are great at healing. I wouldn't wrap anything that small. I'd only separate them if they are being pecked at, but do what you are comfortable doing. Every situation is different.

So if I isolate the more injured one am I looking at a big problem reintroducing her since there is also some bullying going on. When she was with everyone but before blu kite she was getting pecked. My gut says for tonight at least to keep her in solitary confinement so she can be calm and heal. I however don’t want to make the socialization aspect worse.

 

[AnchoredHomestead]

Progress this morning on her comb injury-

I dressed the wound again. She’s eating, drinking, preening and snuggling. She slept in the house last night. The crack on her beak doesn’t seem to be preventing her doing anything. The back of her neck looks ok, just stained from the BluKote. The comb doesn’t look bloody or swollen. This afternoon we may attempt her going outside with her sisters- right now it’s pouring down rain and I’m not wanting her to get wet.