Baby chick had severe wound around neck when I went to put her away

[Chuck-n-cluck]

Hello All,

I am Chuck and new to the site.
I have had chickens for a few years now and was down to 1 rooster (very calm and nice) and three hens. (I do have a second rooster that is isolated with welded wire fencing.) My original hens have hatched some of their own eggs and raised their chicks and there was never any problems (except the last chick which is my second rooster, he is highly active and had been attacking the remaining three hens and biting their combs off, which is why he is isolated now).

Anyway... I decided to order some more chicks. I got 8 more Buff's and 8 Easter egger's. They are just about all feathered up so I decided to let them mingle with my current flock. My original rooster Chubby Cheeks (because his cheek feathers stickout) has always been a calm rooster and will stand right next to you and follow you around. The hens are the same way. none of them seemed to mind the chicks during the hour or so I was standing their keeping an eye on them. So I went to take care of some chores. I went out a while later to make sure they were getting back in the brooder and that's when I noticed that one of them had a major wound that goes from the back of her neck (the whole back) and around to under her neck. All wide open. The only thing that I can think of is that she got too close to the welded wire fence by my second rooster (Rudy, because he was rude to my original hens and attacked them) and poked her head thru and he nailed her.

Is that a likely senario? I am currently planning on culling him very soon and sending him to my frying pan (Rudy that is).

I am always up for and helpful ideas to get things done right.

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[arwoon]

Pic of the injury would help.

 

[Chuck-n-cluck]

Pic of the injury would help.

I'll try to get one posted tomorrow. I had to get to work.

 

[arwoon]

I'll try to get one posted tomorrow. I had to get to work.

Ok, keep the chick with open wound separate from the others for now.

 

[Chuck-n-cluck]

I have a small portable brooder that will be perfect.

 

[arwoon]

I have a small portable brooder that will be perfect.

Good! Just make sure that the chick is comfortable through the night!

 

[Chuck-n-cluck]

 

[arwoon]

Have you applied antibiotic cream? You can use first aid cream for humans as long as none of the ingredients end in -cain.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Even if your birds are calm, I wouldn't suggest mixing young birds and older ones, especially if there isn't a place for the younger ones to escape to if the older ones get rough. An area that's wired off with gaps big enough for the chicks but not the adults works, as long as the chicks are familiar with it as a safe zone.

 

[Chuck-n-cluck]

We cleaned it up real good today and put some antiseptic on it. We will check her in the morning and do the antibiotic cream then.
I do have a corner that is specifically for the younger birds that is completely secure from predators and adult chickens. I even have hardware fabric wired all along the bottom so nothing can reach in or out. Hopefully nothing will dig. I have some of the perimeter dig resistant but not all. These things are a work in progress.
These girls will remain in their section until they are about adult size.