5 week old pecked badly

[Georgiahome622]

Hi there,

Yesterday evening I went out to check on my girls and close up the coop. I have 12 hens that free range and have a large coop and run. I have a smaller adjoining coop with (5) 5 week old chicks who are separated from the adults. They have plenty of room - a swing, 2 roosts, 36 sq feet of space.
When I looked in on the babies, one cream legbar was bloody and in bad shape. Within the span of a couple of hours, the other chicks attacked her and pecked her head so badly she has no skin or feathers from her crest to her neck. I cleaned her with saline and put antibiotic ointment on it. Made her drink some Rooster Booster. She won’t eat scrambled egg or food yet. She is in my house in a cat crate and seems content there. This morning she is more alert but still just sitting. I gave her some more electrolytes and put more ointment on her. I think she may make it.

I have never had this happen before. Will her skin grow back? Feathers? I can’t imagine putting her back with the chicks any time soon, as it will just happen again. What’s my next move? What medical supplies do I need? What is the recovery time?
Thanks for any guidance. I feel just terrible.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Photos will help

 

[Georgiahome622]

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like you are treating it like I would.
Just keep the wound moist with the triple antibiotic ointment and keep it clean.

Encourage her to stay hydrated and eat her normal feed.

I've had birds scalped before and they healed up fine and feathered back in. She's young, so barring infection or some unforeseen issue, I think she should recover ok.

 

[Georgiahome622]

Thank you. Do I need any antibiotic spray or blu kote? I’ve never had to purchase these things before - always had a peaceful flock

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I think she caught herself on something. And when the other chickens see blood, they'll peck at it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you. Do I need any antibiotic spray or blu kote? I’ve never had to purchase these things before - always had a peaceful flock

Triple antibiotic ointment is fine.

 

[Georgiahome622]

Hi, an update and more questions.

My little legbar is drinking and eating a little bit on her own. She still is in shock, though, just standing still or sitting. I'm hoping she will improve soon. I'm still using just saline and triple antibiotic.

I checked on the other 4 chicks to see if there were any new injuries and I think I have identified the culprit. 3 of the others had feather damage on their necks, broken feathers, but no broken skin. The 4th is the biggest chick, a Welsummer. No damage to her neck. Proactively, I sprayed blu-kote on the other three, to try to discourage more pecking. Should I remove the bully from the brooder? I know Welsummers are autosex, but I am worried it's a roo. No idea how to tell the difference at this age.

Suggestions? Thanks, this forum has been a life saver (literally!)

 

[Swbertrand1]

Hi, an update and more questions.

My little legbar is drinking and eating a little bit on her own. She still is in shock, though, just standing still or sitting. I'm hoping she will improve soon. I'm still using just saline and triple antibiotic.

I checked on the other 4 chicks to see if there were any new injuries and I think I have identified the culprit. 3 of the others had feather damage on their necks, broken feathers, but no broken skin. The 4th is the biggest chick, a Welsummer. No damage to her neck. Proactively, I sprayed blu-kote on the other three, to try to discourage more pecking. Should I remove the bully from the brooder? I know Welsummers are autosex, but I am worried it's a roo. No idea how to tell the difference at this age.

Suggestions? Thanks, this forum has been a life saver (literally!)

It' might not be a bad idea to remove the offender for a few days. Sometimes stopping behaviors is not so easy to do with chickens once they have learned them.

Could that bird mix with the adults if it's that aggressive? Maybe...

 

[Georgiahome622]

It' might not be a bad idea to remove the offender for a few days. Sometimes stopping behaviors is not so easy to do with chickens once they have learned them.

Could that bird mix with the adults if it's that aggressive? Maybe...

Maybe. I don't want to hurt her, too, though. I hope it isn't a roo.