Chick pecked to skull

[ospiee]

My (a little over) one month old chick got pecked to the skull by our older hen. We lost 3/4 of our chickens to raccoons and we got some chicks for our last remaining hen. At first when we introduced them when they were old enough, she pecked them a bit, but over time she’s been bullying one particular chick. Tonight we went out and saw the chick laying down and she’s been for a lack of better words, scalped. She had been out in the cold for who knows how long and was still breathing so we’re giving her a chance.
- Her eyes are kind of rolled to the back of her head, but I can’t really tell (she’s keeping them closed)
- She’s “moving” (more flailing around at certain times)
- My dad got a bit of water into her with a syringe
- I put her in a small dog kennel with paper towels and a heat lamp to warm her up.
- My sister tried to clean the wound but she couldn’t do much (we’re very squeamish)
- There’s also two little tendrils? sticking out of the sides on the back of her head? they move when she moves her mouth. Does anyone know what these are?

What can we do? I’m hoping if she makes it through the night she has a chance. I’ve read on putting Neosporin on the wound to keep it pliable so the skin can stretch and heal. Should we keep trying to keep her alive or just cull her now? I think she’s fighting.

We also put the other chicks in the building we have the injured one in. They’re in a separate pen, but I don’t want our hen to turn on to another chick because she thinks she killed this one.

Thank you

 

[AidKD]

Can you by any chance get a picture? Keep the wound covered in neosporin. He's probably in shock, so make sure to keep the heat lamp on him, but be mindful of making him too hot. Get him some sugar water asap. Maybe mix a little salt in too.

 

[ospiee]

Can you by any chance get a picture? Keep the wound covered in neosporin. He's probably in shock, so make sure to keep the heat lamp on him, but be mindful of making him too hot. Get him some sugar water asap. Maybe mix a little salt in too.

Here’s a picture of her, I’m gonna try and give her some water now. She’s moved around a bit, but just won’t open her eyes. She’s peeped a little too, but is overall very quiet and lethargic.

 

[kabs]

That poor thing needs to be put down asap.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That poor thing needs to be put down asap.

Unfortunately I agree. I've had some pretty dang severe scalpings (one self inflicted, several from quail and a few from hens deciding they didn't like chicks they were around prior to) but never as bad as this. It looks like the brain is exposed. Was this a crested breed?

 

[AidKD]

View attachment 3709944
Here’s a picture of her, I’m gonna try and give her some water now. She’s moved around a bit, but just won’t open her eyes. She’s peeped a little too, but is overall very quiet and lethargic.

Poor thing. I do think she has a good chance of pulling through. I would feed her a tiny bit of egg yolk and then some plain water. If you can, I would get up every hour or so tonight to check on her and give her some electrolyte water every couple of hours. Do you need a recipe? And make sure the wound stays covered with neosporin.

 

[AidKD]

Also, that was a good call to separate the other chicks from the mom.

 

[kabs]

Unfortunately I agree. I've had some pretty dang severe scalpings (one self inflicted, several from quail and a few from hens deciding they didn't like chicks they were around prior to) but never as bad as this. It looks like the brain is exposed. Was this a

Poor thing. I do think she has a good chance of pulling through. I would feed her a tiny bit of egg yolk and then some plain water. If you can, I would get up every hour or so tonight to check on her and give her some electrolyte water every couple of hours. Do you need a recipe? And make sure the wound stays covered with neosporin.

It's obviously in pain, it's selfish to keep it alive.

 

[MysteryChicken]

View attachment 3709944
Here’s a picture of her, I’m gonna try and give her some water now. She’s moved around a bit, but just won’t open her eyes. She’s peeped a little too, but is overall very quiet and lethargic.

Can you get a view from the side of her head, for another angle?

Scalpings are very common, & aren't hard to treat, & heal fairly quickly.

 

[MysteryChicken]

If you have electrolytes, warm electrolyte water, or Gatorade will help cure shock.