Chicken pecked nearly to death - help

[typeonederful]

Just went outside to check on the chickens and found one lying on the ground, still enough that I thought she was dead at first. Went back out a few minutes later to make sure she was dead and found her up and eating food. I picked her up and found a huge wound on the top of her head that looks like it's from other chickens pecking at her. Brought her inside - she was extremely light - and now she's in the garage drinking electrolytes. She's not interested in the food we put out. It's late and the other chickens are all asleep, and she's ready to go to bed. For tonight, should we put her back outside or leave her in the garage? We're planning to section off part of the coop for her, but not sure if we should do it tonight or not. Any help is welcome.

 

[typeonederful]

 

[AGeese]

For tonight, should we put her back outside or leave her in the garage? We're planning to section off part of the coop for her, but not sure if we should do it tonight or not. Any help is welcome.

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what your set up/situation is.

 

[MysteryChicken]

She's scabbed up really nicely, so she's probably been like that for at least a couple hours.

This type of this is easy to treat. Just gotta keep it clean, & moist. Make sure it has a great amount of dry time in between each application of a moisturizer such as Non Pain Relieving Triple Antibiotic ointment. It heals up pretty fast too.


Keep her penned up with the flock.(Like in a doggy crate) they improve better with the flock.

 

[Happy hen lover]

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I wouldn't put her with flock until wound is healed. Separation/ protection from flock is a great idea while you're treating her. If it's stopped bleeding I'd let her sleep in dog grate tonight . Then clean up and add ointment and set her up near others like you said tomorrow.

 

[AGeese]

I wouldn't put her back with the flock without being able to monitor her. She's at the bottom of the order and will probably continue to get beat up if there's not enough space and separate feeding stations.

 

[SwampQueenChick]

Just went outside to check on the chickens and found one lying on the ground, still enough that I thought she was dead at first. Went back out a few minutes later to make sure she was dead and found her up and eating food. I picked her up and found a huge wound on the top of her head that looks like it's from other chickens pecking at her. Brought her inside - she was extremely light - and now she's in the garage drinking electrolytes. She's not interested in the food we put out. It's late and the other chickens are all asleep, and she's ready to go to bed. For tonight, should we put her back outside or leave her in the garage? We're planning to section off part of the coop for her, but not sure if we should do it tonight or not. Any help is welcome.

Personally, I would keep her separated until the bleeding subsides and give it a chance to scab over. From my experience, the other chickens will continue to peck on the wounds and worsen the situation.

 

[ProudRedneck]

@Eggcessive
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's scabbed up really nicely, so she's probably been like that for at least a couple hours.

This type of this is easy to treat. Just gotta keep it clean, & moist. Make sure it has a great amount of dry time in between each application of a moisturizer such as Non Pain Relieving Triple Antibiotic ointment. It heals up pretty fast too.


Keep her penned up with the flock.(Like in a doggy crate) they improve better with the flock.

Good advice that I would follow

 

[azygous]

The wound is going to heal, but this hen is being badly bullied, and she is likely starving from being kept from the feeder. Since she didn't dive right into the food you gave her, she is probably too weak from starvation to eat, and needs tube feeding to give her the strength to start eating again. Or hand feed her with a syringe and finger food - scrambled egg, applesauce, boiled rice, cooked cereal with Poultry Nutri-drench.

Then there is the matter of her rehab back to getting self confidence to hold her own in the flock again. Fortunately, her wound isn't so bad that she can't go right back to the run in a protected enclosure so she doesn't lose what little social standing she has. My article on rehabbing a bullied chicken has all the details. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/