Concerned that a person attacked chicken - see pics

[ChickenPeck2000]

Hi Everyone

I have 6 hens and one rooster and have had them for almost a year. They all behave very friendly.

This past Sunday morning we discovered one of our chickens had a brutal wound to the back of the head. The picture doesn’t do full justice, but there is a large gash of a hole that exposed some of her bones. As you can see there is also noticeable greenish bruising that suggests trauma. A local vet said that the chicken has a concussion.

I was thinking it may be one of the flock members. It definitely was not an outside because of the way the coop is constructed and located. However last week we had issues with a bipolar live-in babysitter that we had to kick out where her options are to go to another state to work or go back to her country of origin. The problem is she developed a boyfriend here, and both her and the boyfriend are extremely pissed at us because the situation isn’t working out, and he lives locally, so he isn’t moving. They also knew this was my wife’s favorite chicken.

Anyways, I’m looking for opinions of you think this was a chicken that caused this, or if it’s likely a person broke into the coop at night and inflicted harm on the chicken in a retaliatory way.

blood is splattered all within the coop. None of the other chickens beaks or faces had blood on them. Some did have some on their feet but I imagine the injured chicken was maybe shaking her head and rubbing off the blood within The coop, or it’s just splattering.

 

[MysteryChicken]

An unknown trespasser, wrung the neck of one of my favorite chickens recently. I'm still mad about it. Hopefully you get your situation figured out.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is a common place for serious pecking sometimes from mating. Is it possible that your rooster was ignored by her, and went after her? Was there any way a predator got inside. Most hens usually recover from these head wounds. Spray the wound twice a day with Vetericyn hydrogel. Neosporin can be used if you don’t have a hydrogel spray. Keep her separated in a wire dog crate inside the coop with the others until her wound heals.

 

[dawg53]

I agree with @Eggcessive. Perhaps installing a game camera or two around your pen/coop will help. I'd thoroughly inspect the perimeter of your pen for a breech somewhere, maybe something dug under the pen. An apron of field fence attached to the base of the pen laid on the ground outside and around the pen will deter predators that dig.
It's also time to lock your birds up in the coop at night. I do.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree with @Eggcessive this is a common area on the head that hens can suffer from rooster.
I have witnessed it first hand 2 times, from the same rooster. I foolishly let him have a second chance and he ended up injuring my hen again. Lesson learned the hard way by me, now I share so others may learn and not make the same mistake I did. (see photos below of the damage the rooster did the first time, the second looked similar and yes a day or two later the surrounding tissue was swollen and green. Thankfully this hen healed very well and thrived. The rooster was culled).

I'm sorry that you are facing a struggle it must be upsetting to you. A very good idea to have cameras installed. They come in handy to see what happened. The second attack on my hen I saw it on video, disturbing and heartbreaking as it was, there was no question about what happened.
I realize your situation is different and you have reason for concern, but it would also be a good idea to consider investigating a bit more, keep a cool head and don't jump to conclusions - watch your rooster and how the hens act toward him. While my hens did interact with him, they were "cautious" - hindsight is 20/20. Go back and look at the photos of your injured hen - she has scabs on her comb similar to what mine had - scabs from a rooster grabbing her. Skin is ripped...literally on video I saw my rooster grab this hen by the back of the neck and throw her.

My Krissy.

 

[Abriana]

I would be absolutely livid if any human touched my chickens. Predators I can deal with, they have to eat, but a malicious intent to injure is different. I don’t live in a place where that has ever happened or probably would ever happened, but I’ve thought about putting combination locks on my coops so it would be doubly secure from both animals and humans. Definitely when I have my own coop and chickens I’ll be using combination locks. Maybe that would be a good idea to try on your coop and I would put up cameras as well.

I hope your girl gets better

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be that the chickens sensed a problem and became upset or acted up. They may have been neglected or not been getting fed or watered. But this is a common location for pecking injuries.

 

[My Pretty Pekins]

I can't help I'm afraid but am sympathetic anyway... hoping all goes well!
My girls send love to yours

 

[mamajos]

As far as chickens sleeping all night, since I put a camera in the coop, I have witnessed that they have awake times throughout the night. They preen, walk along the roost, stand, sit, etc. I have no lights on in there in case you are wondering.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That is so scary. Yes we are definitely getting more cameras. I was thinking that maybe she was shaking her head for the splattering to occur, but then I thought if there is severe pain she may not want to shake her head. Further I had thought chickens go into some weird trance at night when they sleep so I dismissed late night fighting, but perhaps they fought right after sunset when they went up into their enclosed area before going to sleep. Or the chicken was in its "trance" making it easier for the person to grab her and beat her over the head with a tool very easily and quickly. All speculation I guess. If I didn't have issues with the sitter/boyfriend I would just straight up assume it was chickens/rooster fighting.

They don't go into a trance when sleeping, they just can't see very well in the dark.
Fighting can occur while roosting.
Blood spatters are common and yes - they shake their head slinging blood everywhere, they feel the blood dripping or in my case it was getting into her eyes too. I cleaned her up in the bathroom and I had to clean up blood off the wall and surrounding area, she kept shaking her head.

I do understand you have domestic issues that you are dealing with and of course your thoughts went to that. Unfortunately people can be mean and hurt and animal. Roosters (and hens) can be mean and hurt one another too.