Chicken's head/neck completely pecked by older chickens--What care should we administer? Graphic pic

[Shawnna R]

Hi...I put on my note to Underwood that I needed it asap. They called me this morning, and gave me a dealer closer to me that could get it shipped faster. Instead of 5 days, it will be here tomorrow or Saturday!

 

[Shawnna R]

Does Anyone know what those protrusions are coming out of her head? They are tubular, I have googled this and find nothing in chicken anatomy, and and concerned because they do move in and out as she eats. I'm wondering if they are severed tendons possibly? BUT, bonus, she did eat an entire bowl of mashed banana mixed with her crushed up feed!!

 

[DraigAthar]

They look like exposed cartilage or something like that.

 

[ten chicks]

Does Anyone know what those protrusions are coming out of her head? They are tubular, I have googled this and find nothing in chicken anatomy, and and concerned because they do move in and out as she eats. I'm wondering if they are severed tendons possibly? BUT, bonus, she did eat an entire bowl of mashed banana mixed with her crushed up feed!!

Looks like muscle/tendons,if you look at a cat,dog or human when eating,you can see muscles/tendons moving when they chew. As healing progresses,skin will grow over muscle/tendon.

 

[Buttercup1979]

I'm so glad your chick is eating. Mine is too! I drove down to pick up the Underwood this morning and have already applied it with the baking powder. Wear old clothing because my Ethel shook her head and of course brown staining liquid went everywhere! She didn't mind it either. I sprinkled the baking powder, which I had to get a new can at the store because I only have the aluminum free kind and I was worried the aluminum was a necessary agent in this "scabbing." Didn't bother her at all. I just feel so relieved, like we're now on the actual road to recovery! The amish man I bought the Underwood's from was very kind and even had his own pictures of his horse's wounds and how it healed and grew back hair. I didn't dare tell him it was for my chicken, as the Amish are very "practical."

I'd be the talk of the community, the crazy English lady who is trying to save her chick

! What can I say, I love my girlies! I'll keep updating and I want to hear about your chickie too!

 

[jh1013]

I'm glad everyone's chicks are doing Ok. Shawnna I agree its probably tendons, but as long as she can move her head she will be ok, glad she's eating well, means she's got a strong will to get better. Buttercup glad u got the underwood so fast, it is kinda messy to use, looks like a powdered donut exploded every time I use It haha. Glad both of you are putting updates on how they are doing..you should see the look I get from my bf when I say I have to get on the chicken forum and see how those injures chicks are doing LOL

 

[Shawnna R]

Glad you got your underwoods so quickly...mine did not come today Our girl is doing well, and those protrusions, at least one of them has sunk down into her head, and is healing over already. I'm concerned about a whitish patch on her head, but am thinking it a mixture of the antibiotic cream, and muscle....her skin is reattaching around the neck---and the she it totally eating on her own without prodding...she still doesnt want pellet, but her head is probably really sore! Thanks to both of you for responding back. I'm actually going to call our local post office and see if that shipment came in after my carrier left this AM...you just never know...and the blessing of a small town is if I ask, chances are they will tell me

 

[Shawnna R]

OK ladies...feeling concerned...my girls whitish patches are yellowish patches this morning. I'm not sure if it's trying to heal or infection. It does not smell (I know, gross) does not wipe off--although I've done nothing more than blot her with a cotton pad and some peroxide/water mixture, as I don't want to disturb anything that is healing. I refrained from using antibiotic ointment this morning, in hopes that when I get home the Underwoods will be in my mailbox. She is having some vision problems, and they get better each day, but she was pecking an inch to the right of her food bowl--and when we move it, she again moves to the right. Worried she has either some vision or maybe still some issues due to her head trauma. She certainly knows the difference between my daughter, myself and my husband when we approach her simply by her actions, so I know she's aware, but the pecking and depth perception worry me. Buttercup...how is your chick today?
Was your girl as severe as ours??

 

[Buttercup1979]

Shawnna, yes my girl was ALMOST as bad as yours. The difference being no tendons sticking out. But my Ethel didn't stop eating or acting normal. It was really odd, like she didn't know she had been scalped. I was more worried that her adrenaline just hadn't stopped pumping and she was going to wear herself to death rather than resting. I do notice she gets tired very often and that's fine. I would be too after such an injury. I also noticed her right eye closing randomly when she's up walking around, but it doesn't seem to bother her. Both my babies, Lucy and Ethel, regularly peck just outside the feeder, and I think that's just their instinct to forage. My other girls did that too. And they scratch right beneath the feeder. Another thing I noticed that was wierd was she now falls asleep standing up and her head just falls, when before she would roost or just sit on the ground. I've checked her over and haven't found any other injuries. I wonder if it's just her naturally worried about having to skedaddle in an instant. I have her separated from the older girls but I couldn't separate her from her brooder mate. They just screamed and chirped madly when separated. I am about ready to go administer more Underwood's and I'll take more pics for progress. I'm not going to lie, I would definitely be worried about yellow stuff. I too smelled my girl to make sure I didn't smell infection when I first put the underwoods on. Did you take pictures of the yellow? Maybe it's something somebody else might be able to help with on here!

 

[jh1013]

When I got home yesterday pm dogs had killed half of my flock : ( my two favorites were found alive but all but one good laying hen had disappeared. Out of 5 missing chickens only one body was found. Feathers everywhere but bodies, it was strange.guess its my turn to use the underwood on the survivors.