Beak injury

[chicksurreal]

One of my cockerels, Cal, has injured his beak. It looks like he rammed it into something at a high rate of speed. Part of the outer covering of the beak is totally gone and the end is pushed in a little bit. He can still eat and it's not cracked or broken off, but I'm also concerned about his eye. It looks like the tissue in the corner of his eye is swollen, is this normal with this type of injury? It just happened this afternoon, so it's very fresh.

I'm wondering if there is anything I can or need to do about this, as I said he's still able to eat, but I can tell it's very tender and I'm sure it's causing him pain. There's a small amount of blood, not much at all, pretty much what you see in the picture.

 

[GodofPecking]

looks not too serious. If you want to or later need to disinfect either injury, you can use honey. It's the best anti-septic anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medication that exists. The bees have been around so long they know how to deal with anti-bacterial resistant bacterias. Doctors and scientists seem to be only just working out that honey is better than their meds.

You dip your finger into some honey and dab it on. A few weeks ago one of mine got a husk stuck fast in their eye. I removed it and dabbed on some honey. She moved and it hit a mark a little above the eye. That was ok because it dribbled in. She reacted to that for two or four seconds then settled down. She doesn't like me to pick her up quite as much as she used to ( wonder why ? lol ) but she is in perfect health with a perfect eye.

 

[chicksurreal]

looks not too serious. If you want to or later need to disinfect either injury, you can use honey. It's the best anti-septic anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medication that exists. The bees have been around so long they know how to deal with anti-bacterial resistant bacterias. Doctors and scientists seem to be only just working out that honey is better than their meds.

You dip your finger into some honey and dab it on. A few weeks ago one of mine got a husk stuck fast in their eye. I removed it and dabbed on some honey. She moved and it hit a mark a little above the eye. That was ok because it dribbled in. She reacted to that for two or four seconds then settled down. She doesn't like me to pick her up quite as much as she used to ( wonder why ? lol ) but she is in perfect health with a perfect eye.

Thanks!

I have used Manuka honey in the past for infections, didn't think of using it in the eye.

I've had chickens lose half of the top part of their beak before and it grew back, so this beak injury is not too terrible, but I was wondering why the tissue around the eye is swollen, maybe just part of whatever happened to him. He's fairly young, around 22 weeks old and a bit rambunctious, so who knows what he might have done to himself. I'll see what he looks like in the morning, if the tissue around the eye is still swollen I'll apply the honey, can't hurt. Thanks again!

 

[GodofPecking]

Thanks!

I have used Manuka honey in the past for infections, didn't think of using it in the eye.

Thanks again!

Manuka honey is just regular honey with added advertising. A beehive is a good thing to have in the backyard though.


you're welcome

 

[chicksurreal]

Manuka honey is just regular honey with added advertising. A beehive is a good thing to have in the backyard though.


you're welcome

The Manuka was a gift from a friend, we usually just buy raw honey from our local bee-keeper. We have talked about getting hives of our own, but don't have the set up right now. I thought Manuka was a brand, Lol! I just looked it up and I see what you mean. I love the honey we get from our local guy.

ETA - Cal looks pretty good this morning, the swelling is down around his eye and the beak is a little banged up, but he's eating and running around like he usually does.