Chick got scalped (GRAPHIC PICS)

[Eggcessive]

I have had a polish hen scalped as well, and a large scab formed which eventually fell off, the new feathers started growing back a month later. I would give it time, since every case is different. I used plain neosporin for several days, then BluKote spray every other day when she was back with the others.

 

[DyingPhoenix]

I'm so sorry this happened! I want to share my experience in case it helps.

I had a cockerel also get scalped last year and it was horrendous but not QUITE as bad. His was also to the bone but he had a couple chunks of skin left here and there between bloody bone.

I seperated him and put ointment on it and kept it clean and after a time, he healed and was completely normal. I couldn't believe he actually grew feathers back.

 

[Jus1]

Judging by the pictures I would be worried she is suffering. If you can take her to a vet it shouldn't be too expensive. I just had 1 of my quail at the vet, check up and antibiotics 42.00 total. If not honestly I would consider letting the poor baby go.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Judging by the pictures I would be worried she is suffering. If you can take her to a vet it shouldn't be too expensive. I just had 1 of my quail at the vet, check up and antibiotics 42.00 total. If not honestly I would consider letting the poor baby go.

I disagree, as bad as it looks it's only flesh wound and not like say, a broken back or neck or whatever....... it will only sting for a few days, but it will eventually heal and she will go on to live like a normal hen would! So, take it back!!

 

[Jus1]

I didn't say it couldn't or wouldn't heal. I gave an opinion based on suffering. We as people can take pain meds. I suppose a chicken can too, but if not, personally I'd hate to see it suffer. My opinion is based on that alone, not anything medical.

 

[AceWeasel]

I had one of my silkie/Orpington girls get scalped by one of the other chickens recently (we think it was one of the roosters, one's a horny little crap and she's the most passive of the hens). she wasn't quite that bad (but it was still pretty bad) but I took her in, put her in a pet carrier for a while, treated the wound with some salve for the first few days, switched over to a wound spray, and after a while she started perking back up and looking better, it even looks like her skin is at least trying to grow back.

she's managed to perk up enough that I had to move her into my bedroom so she doesn't fuss about not having company. and starting tomorrow she's getting blu-kote instead of the other wound spray and I'm going to start slowly working her back into the flock.

so there is some hope, just keep an eye on her and make sure she's not suffering too much from it. chickens can be pretty resilient. heck, I had a chick years back that had most of the skin off their neck and upper back pulled off by a blue jay that managed to survive and thrive before.

 

[XanderWiFi]

Definitely recoverable. The left eye simply appears swollen and bruised from trauma and you really will not know anything further until the swelling goes down and she starts opening them.

With her head essentially "degloved" her primary defense and temperature maintenance (skin) is compromised. As mentioned previously, keep her comfortably warm. Granulation and skin regeneration will occur from the surrounding area. It may take some time but she will heal. The wound is a bit too advanced for blue kote in my opinion. Thoroughly irrigate with soapy water to remove the surrounding blood and smear generously with a triple antibiotic ointment with NO lidocaine and add more as it melts off to provide barrier defense and a moist environment for regrowth.

Plan to house her in the tote for some time. She will not be able to return to the flock until fully healed. Integrations take some extended supervision and is a slow process. Sometimes, even with escape doors, they simply cannot get away in time. Look up some of mine or Aart's posts where he teaches about integration techniques to hopefully prevent this again. But even following them, one of mine got her scalp torn up pretty good as well. Can't fight mother nature in the long run.

 

[Sam_purch17]

I didn't say it couldn't or wouldn't heal. I gave an opinion based on suffering. We as people can take pain meds. I suppose a chicken can too, but if not, personally I'd hate to see it suffer. My opinion is based on that alone, not anything medical.

Yeah I was too but she actually seems pretty happy given the circumstances. We've given her asprin for the pain, she's a fighter though.

 

[Mach 1 Padilla]

If you have a rooster then it was him. Whenever i got a new rooster for some reason after a few days he didnt except one of my old hens and beat her up.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I had one of my silkie/Orpington girls get scalped by one of the other chickens recently... she's the most passive of the hens). she wasn't quite that bad (but it was still pretty bad)...

For the life of me I can't phantom why someone would try to reintroduce an obviously trouble making pullet back into a flock or situation where she is not wanted. Isn't that cruel?