Chick's head pecked to the bone!!!

[Chicken George]

Today I found a chick dead with it's head completey bloody in frount of a broody's nest. One of it's step siblings has his head pecked to the bone in some areas is thereany treatment fot it?

 

[Judy]

Mostly, separate it, then figure out who is doing the attacking. The wounds will probably heal if he is by himself. A little Neosporin might help but mostly they just need time, and protection. Once a chicken has a bloody wound, any chicken is drawn to peck and attack the wound.

It might be you have a broody mama who is attacking her chicks -- it happens now and then. Obviously you will have to remove them all and raise them in a brooder if this is the case.

 

[Chicken George]

Thanks I found out that it was my sweet little hen. I can't believe she would do that. She was my most friendly hen.

 

[chicksinthewood]

Here is my experience. June 4, I had a 6 week old chick who flew over the 4 ft divider fence between the chicks and hens. (Shade cloth is now hung top to bottom to keep anyone else from 'crossing the line'). When I found her, she was bloody and her scalp was gone. Horrifying and traumatic for all of us! Based on all I have read here, I cleaned her up at various times with soap & water, bactine, iodine, and hydrogen peroxide. Then I would add the neosporin. I did make her an electrolyte solution (found here) and gave her antibiotic in her water. I had her in towels, but then moved her to a tub with pine shavings, waterer, feeder and mirror (so she wouldn't be lonely) and her environment would not be so alien. One the third day, she started eating chick feed mixed with lactobacillus (whey from yogurt) and molasses. This was a special treat when she had pasty butt. I have also added Rescue Remedy, putting a drop on her beak. I was interested to read elsewhere that the yellow/green on her head might be the healing process - I have been trying to scrub it off, but causing more bleeding (and peeping!). I also started putting Blu-Kote on her head when the yellow/green started drying up. She is now in a dog kennel, inside the chick's run. It has been 2 weeks to the day and she is healing quite well and spends a few minutes mingling with the other 7 chicks each day - supervised since a couple want to pick at some skin on her neck. However, she was the boss before, and I think she has a good chance of regaining her status!

My question now is, how soon to let her mingle freely? (I was actually here looking for a chicken helmet when I saw your post.) Regarding your little chick - you will be surprised how fast they bounce back. The day my chick was attacked, I was here on the forum looking up when/how to cull and injured chick - so glad I didn't have to do that!

Best of luck to you and your little chick - please keep us posted!

 

[Chicken George]

Thanks guys I have her away from the others, cleaned the wound and put a bit of neosporin on it she's doing really good though she's sort of traumatized.

 

[mondotomhead]

This same thing happened with one of my new (2 months old) chicks I put in with an established flock of 9......a classic newbie mistake. He healed but still has a large bald spot behind his comb one year later. We call him Peckhead

 

[Chicken George]

This same thing happened with one of my new (2 months old) chicks I put in with an established flock of 9......a classic newbie mistake. He healed but still has a large bald spot behind his comb one year later. We call him Peckhead

:

Poor guy

 

[happima]

I've got another scalpless chick. I've been treating her two weeks with topical antibiotics and she's healing quite nicely, though living separate from the other chicks and hens. The bird vet told me to be sure to use topical antibiotics that did not have any pain killers in them - as those painkillers are not good for the chick.

I'm wondering when I can move this sweet chick out of the bathroom and back outside. Her sister tried to peck her wound yesterday when I let her out in the yard for playtime - so definitely will be some time yet before I can integrate her back into the flock.

 

[happima]

My chick lost its scalp to head pecking one month ago. It is now almost healed with just a teeny scab on the head. No feathers have grown back. The problem hen is no longer with us (we put her in another part of the yard fenced away from others and she disappeared). However, this chick's sister (previously her bestest buddy in the world) will not accept the injured chick back into the flock. The two times I've tried to mingle them (supervised, of course) the injured chick's sister goes straight for the head and pecks.

What to do? Will I ever be able to reintegrate this injured chick back into the flock. She's in a coop with run alone during the day and in the bathroom over night.

Any advice on how to integrate the bald headed pullet is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jen

 

[chicksinthewood]

To Happima, have you tried blu-kote on your chick's head? It seems to camouflage the scab.

It has now been one month since my chick was injured and 2 weeks since she was integrated back with her sisters. I put her in a dog kennel inside the run for 2 days and increased her supervised mingle time, but she was in the bathtub at night. One evening, she attempted to enter the coop after the others. I stopped her and she squawked! So, I said, okay, let's see how you are in the morning. She was fine! She has been with her sisters since then! Sometimes she gets pecked, but generally gets away. If her scab is broken, I reapply the blu-kote.

When this happened, I was so frantic and traumatized! Everyone with a similar experience, have hope! We have all seen this, so I feel okay posting Chubs' before and after pictures. The first is the night of the attack. The second and third are today, with the last being the back of her head. You can see she looks like a monk, but is doing fine!



My only complaint is that when she was hurting I could easily pick her up and cuddle...now she wants nothing to do with me!