Better than a hole in the head... or not...

[Ehlena99]

So, I went out to feed my chickens some scraps a few minutes ago, and sat on the edge of the coop watching them. I saw one pullet pulling something out of the neck feathers of the other...I assumed she had been pooped on or something. Finally she came running at me- I'm assuming being chased by a rooster. That's when I saw that what was on the back of her neck was not poop, but blood. I scooped her up and looked and there is a hole in the back of her head... literally. I'll try to attach a picture in a second post...

Basically, I'm assuming this came from the roosters.... right now I have 2- I'm trying to get rid of one by selling it/giving it away, but that hasn't happened yet. I think it needs to happen soon. What can I put on it to try to make it better, and what can I do with her? I don't know how old this injury is, but I'm afraid to put her back in the coop.

Help!!
Holly

 

[tdayman]

Separate her so the roosters (and other hens can't peck at her). Use some neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment. How big is the hole?

 

[Ehlena99]

Okay, Sorry If It's Graphic.....

 

[tdayman]

You can use some hydrogen peroxide to clean it out, just the first clean. It can damage new tissue growth. I know its gross but try to clean away some of the dead tissue from around it and cut away the feathers that overlap/ drag in the wound. After the first clean you can use bactine. Make sure you get the neosporin WITHOUT pain relief. You can also get some Blu Kote or BluLotion it is antibacterial and turns the area blue so the others won't peck her anymore (they are attracted to red). I would keep her separated for a week then introduce her back in, just make sure you supervise her visits at first to make sure the others won't pick on her. If you free range them at all that is probably the easiest time to try to reintroduce her. Hope this helps! And btw chickens are a lot stronger and heal up far better and faster than you would think.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes it is easy enough to separate inside the coop with a dog crate. That way, she may keep her place in the pecking order if they can still see her. Get the roosters out if they are doing that much damage.

 

[Ehlena99]

I have her in a dog crate in the coop right now.... I will say (this is my first group of chickens and especially roosters) that the roosters were very worried when they could see her but she was outside the coop. I spread some Neosporin on it, and cleaned as much as I could. She fell asleep on my lap with a cool cloth over it to soften the dried blood up a bit to help clean it. She handled it pretty well! And my dog was loving the fact that she could lick a chickens foot- hopefully trying to make her feel better.... not taste her.... um, yeah, that's what we'll go with, lol.

I checked over the rest of the hens and no one else has any damage at all. I don't know if she just happened to fight back, or twist to get away or whatever, or if something else happened. I'm going to watch them all and maybe be having chicken for dinner if no one wants this rooster in the next couple of days. We have a poultry auction every Friday in town.... I missed it tonight because someone said they knew someone who was looking for a rooster. Argh!!

 

[Ehlena99]

Thanks for the help everyone! It's great to know that if I have a question an answer is just a few minutes away!!