Blood Spatter

[TallJ]

So, I am locking my girls up last night and discover THIS!!! Yep, that is blood. Spattered everywhere. I am freaking out, double and triple head counting. Everyone is there, everyone lets me pet her, no one is acting weird. I noticed yesterday one of my buffs (Meg) looked 'dirty' when she was out rooting in the yard. They free range and have been digging like mad women at every patch of dirt not snow covered, so I wasn't overly concerned. Meg is letting me pet her, and I can't see any open wound, but there is some dry blood on her head.

My question - is it normal for them to bleed a lot if they get a small wound?? (Particularly at the comb?) Is it ok to let her heal naturally? I don't really want to wash the area as it is below freezing, and going to get colder. Even bringing her in the garage to do it wouldn't help - it is only 28 in there!! I can't even really clean the coop - my rag was freezing on me!! I feel badly because this must have happened late morning or early afternoon yesterday. The other girls seem to be leaving her alone - ie no one is pecking at her head. I suspect one of the guineas got a hold of her, they will grab and not let go for a bit, but no unusual bullying today.

 

[Eggcessive]

She probably got pecked on the head, and then shook her head a lot slinging the blood all over. Combs and blood feathers on feather-footed birds can bleed a lot. Just dab on some plain Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment.

 

[dawg53]

Time to seperate the guineas, dont you think?

 

[Michael Apple]

Comb injuries tend to bleed like head wounds on humans. So long as there's no bleeding now, and other chickens aren't picking at her comb cut, the situation is good. You can add a well balanced poultry vitamin powder in the waterers for a few days, and a small dab of triple antibiotic ointment on the comb to help healing. I don't like mixing species of birds either. Geese, guineas, and turkeys tend to take advantage of their size and could easily kill a hen if they wanted.

 

[Michael Apple]

By the time I posted, two posts were here. Hey Dawg and Egg. I'm sure the OP got it now, lol.

 

[TallJ]

Everyone free ranges outside. There really is no way for me to separate them The guineas tend to keep to their own group. When it isn't so gosh darn cold outside they roost in the trees, but lately they've been going in the coop. This is the first injury we've had.

 

[Michael Apple]

Everyone free ranges outside. There really is no way for me to separate them The guineas tend to keep to their own group. When it isn't so gosh darn cold outside they roost in the trees, but lately they've been going in the coop. This is the first injury we've had.

If there's no way to keep guineas and chickens separate, expect the same thing to happen again.