EMERGENCY BLEEDING CHICKEN 10 week old chicken attacked by flock, bleeding, warning graphic

[Farmerbetsy]

Based on advice from the group, we moved our 8 week old chicks into an enclosure inside the coop. We put hidey-holes in the coop then when the youngsters seemed excited to go out, we let them out. The big chickens went after them very aggressively and this one didn't figure out how to hide
We brought her inside and applied antiseptic. It looks like her comb is heavily damaged and all her head feathers are ripped out.
I know from previous experience that this is a many-hundred dollar vet visit if I can even find someone to treat her.
Can I support this girl at home, do I need to put her down?
She's droopy and sad, not keeping her eyes open.

 

[Farmerbetsy]

We put her in a safe place with towel, fresh water with some booster in it, and feed. I tried to dropper some water onto her beak and she got indignant and stood up. There's only one emergency vet in the area taking chickens and they will only accept 3 chickens at a time due to avian flu.
She did stand up and move around. I think she's gonna be ok on her own, she'll just be ugly.
What would you all do?

 

[nuthatched]

Did you introduce them behind a fence or section off part of the coop for them for a week or two? I'm not sure how much can be done, is all the meat off her head and is that her skull?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there any damage to her eyes? This is a common type of injury. It will take time to heal, and she will need to be kept separated inside a dog crate or pen with food and water. Vetericyn wound spray or saline cannbe good to use on the wounds. Follow that with plain Neosporin or Triple antibiotic ointment to keep it moist. Eventually the skin will scab over. Make sure that she is drinking and eating, and offer moistened feed often. When I introduce new pullets, I place them inside an inclosure inside the coop where the older birds can see them and become used to them for a couple of weeks.

 

[Farmerbetsy]

Did you introduce them behind a fence or section off part of the coop for them for a week or two? I'm not sure how much can be done, is all the meat off her head and is that her skull?

Based on advice from the group, we moved our 8 week old chicks into an enclosure inside the coop. After they had acclimated for a few weeks, we started letting them out for brief times, making sure they have access to hiding spots. I think the feathers all got pulled out and we are looking at her tissue.

 

[Farmerbetsy]

Is there any damage to her eyes? This is a common type of injury. It will take time to heal, and she will need to be kept separated inside a dog crate or pen with food and water. Vetericyn wound spray or saline cannbe good to use on the wounds. Follow that with plain Neosporin or Triple antibiotic ointment to keep it moist. Eventually the skin will scab over. Make sure that she is drinking and eating, and offer moistened feed often. When I introduce new pullets, I place them inside an inclosure inside the coop where the older birds can see them and become used to them for a couple of weeks.

Thank you. We kept them in an enclosure inside the coop for two weeks, then let them out.

 

[coach723]

You might need to make the space larger when you let them out with the older birds, so they have more room to get away. I'd wait a few weeks and try again, and be ready to step in if needed. I usually put mine out in a parallel run to the big birds somewhere between 5 - 8 weeks, weather permitting. They stay in the parallel run for several weeks to let everyone acclimate to each other with a fence in between, and wait til all posturing by the big birds has pretty much stopped. Then I let them range together, supervised, in increasing lengths of time until all is calm, then they stay together. Once it heals it will likely not look as bad as you think it will. I had a hen get pretty scalped, the picture below was about 5-6 weeks later, starting to get new feathers in. Eventually you could not tell it had happened. I kept it covered in plain neosporin, reapplying several times a day as needed, the scab may be very thick, and will eventually come off on it's own. Once it was well scabbed the others left it alone so I let her back with the flock. Make sure it's not a risk of pecking before putting her back with the others.

 

[Farmerbetsy]

OK. The other two chicks are back in their enclosure inside the coop until we can build them a separate run inside the coop. I found Vetericyn and sprayed her; she is up and about in her little box, looking wan and sad but functioning. No idea if she is drinking but she has pooped which is a good sign! I force fed her some booster solution last night but today she got really feisty when I tried to do it again so hopefully she's drinking on her own. I don't know how to tell.