Chick Skull Not Covered

[bizzylizard]

Just had 14 unexpected babies born! I missed the pile of eggs in the back corner of the coop

Most are fine but 4 were born with no covering on their skulls. They are doing well removed from others, eating, drinking, etc. I didn't get two soon enough, they were kicked out of the nest and probably pecked. The back of their skulls is hard and not bleeding anymore. I've been using Neosporin.

Could this be from a weird cross? I have 4 bantam cochin hens and 1 Delaware (Who's never made any babies) and 1 Possible recessive Polish, he was a mix but you cant tell, doesn't look like one. Standard/Bantam cross? Help!


This picture is a few days old, they're healing nicely!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you have blue kote or some other antibacterial spray you can spray onto a paper plate then coat their heads with a q-tip or some such way apply.

I had a chick this spring jump into the incubator fan. Not as severe looking as yours but could see half his skull. It heal back quickly. Yours almost seems as caused by other hens or mother culling a few young. I'd keep them separated until fully healed.

 

[bizzylizard]

All 4 hatched that exact same way... it seems like a birth defect almost. Same area missing in the back of their heads- from their "eyebrows" back to the base of their skull

 

[allosaurusrock]

Oh my gosh. I just found this thread from a google search of chicken skulls. Did they survive?