Back Of My Hen's Head Is Missing!! Will She Survive? What Can I Do?

[Chicken_Noob91]

I went to feed my chicken yesterday and refill their water, and i was shocked to discover that one of my hens had been attacked! all the flesh on the back of her head is completely missing and her skull can be seen. despite this though, i she still eats and drinks and walks around, and i've separated her from the other chickens, who kept pecking at her wound. it doesnt seem to really be bleeding anymore. she does act a little bit different, she seems slower to react, and it seems she has slight difficulty seeing, but again, she still eats and drinks and walks around....i checked the coop, and there were no holes in the fencing, could my other chickens have done this to her? her name is Rosebeak, do you guys think she'll be okay? is there anything i can do to help her? (besides keeping her seperated, and well fed and watered, and warm and dry) should i post some pics?? im really worried....

 

[Gallusfarm]

The good news is that she's not bleeding anymore and eating. I guess you should be worried about infection- I don't know how to treat or bandage a wound like that on a chicken, but hopefully someone will respond. I hope she will be OK...

 

[redhen]

You need to seperate her from the other birds..if you havent already done that. As for her surviving..i dont know. I hope someone chimes in to help you out!

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I don't want to be the negative one here but this is just my experience. Last year our dog got a hold of our EE and ripped the hide off the back of her lower head and neck. Her neck bones were exposed.

I thought she was going to live because she was eating, drinking and still laying for us. By the 4th day she was panting, mouth open all the time and she eventually died. I'm not sure there is much you can do. But good luck with your girl.

 

[emys]

Birds have survived such injuries. Use neosporin on the wound, keep moist and clean. Someone with more experience in this can help.

BUMP

 

[Mahonri]

If you can keep infection from setting in, she might make it.

Neosporin, keep the wound clean.

 

[emys]

She may just be in mild state of dehydration. mix up warm water with her feed, maybe give her some electrolytes.

 

[adkchickmama]

I am amazed at how hardy chickens really are. Our 2mo old Roo had the same thing happen when the big girls got into his enclosure. They pecked the back of his head raw. He looked like he was scalped. I brought him into the house and rinsed with saline water and dabbed neosporin on it. We did this everyday twice a day for a week, I also put a bandaid lightly over the top to keep it moist for a couple days till the healing started. Then I put Blue Kote on the wound and fed him extra protein goodies and kept him in a cage in the kitchen. As much to keep an eye on him as well as keep the flys off.

He is 3 months old now and doing well. He still has a little bare spot where some feathers didn't come back in but I would say that 95% of his feathers grew back. It takes a while. He is a cuddle baby now as he gots lots of love from being in the house with us. We are just starting to introduce him(slowly) back to the flock since he is big enough to take care of himself. But he still sleeps in a seperate cage in the same coop with them , just be on the safe side.

Once you get your hen doctored up and settled somewhere safe, you should look over your coop and enclosure to make sure nothing got in. Perhaps she was picked on your other hens for some reason?? If you keep her in for a while be sure to introduce her slowly back to the flock once she is well healed. She will most likely have to start out at the bottom of the pecking order again.

Speckled Hen or someone with more experience will most likely give you some good tips as well. Good luck with Rosebeak, will be watching for your post on her recovery.

Deb

 

[Rebel Rooster]

I've seen birds survive such injuries many times... they are very resilient animals! Neosporin is wonder drug on poultry... Seperate her as the other birds will peck at the injury (I'm sure you already know that) I've seen the skin close back in completely on a wound like that on chickens and quail...

 

[horsejody]

Was the injury from an over zealous roo maybe? Like others have said, keep it clean and put neosporing on it.