!EMERGENCY! TW:Blood - Brutal Chicken Attack

[MysteryChickens]

When introducing my Silkie Chicks (3) to my Amberlink (4) flock one of my Silkies was attacked. They were only together for about 3 1/2 hours and I had checked up on them multiple times. I am guessing Henrietta was cornered and attacked by multiple of my Amberlinks. She has no more skin of her neck and I think her skull is showing. I have been spraying it with antibacterial spray and plan to put Neosporin on it tomorrow. She has been separated from all other chickens and I have removed that rest of my Silkies from the Amberlink run. How can I prevent infection and hopefully help this pullet heal? All she wants to do is lay down but she did eat some scrambled eggs I made her and sometimes leaves her shelter for a walk around her run.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

That is indeed brutal... but man not trying to be a jerk to you here but that is why there is something called "integration" and/or "introduction" and a whole lot of posts about it on here. They're bird brains and you threw a bunch of strangers in a pen together and left for 3.5 hours. Again, not trying to be rude- but you caused this accidentally and hopefully you've learned a valuable lesson here- as we all have.

As for first aid, there are a lot of vets and experience on here who will likely give you some guidance.

 

[MysteryChickens]

That is indeed brutal... but man not trying to be a jerk to you here but that is why there is something called "integration" and/or "introduction" and a whole lot of posts about it on here. They're bird brains and you threw a bunch of strangers in a pen together and left for 3.5 hours. Again, not trying to be rude- but you caused this accidentally and hopefully you've learned a valuable lesson here- as we all have.

As for first aid, there are a lot of vets and experience on here who will likely give you some guidance.

Both of these flocks have been integrating together for the past 2 months. They’ve shared a fence and been free ranging together before on numerous occasions. I’ve put them in the same coop together at night. I watched both flocks behaviors closely before deciding to leave them unsupervised. Nothing had happened than a little bit of chasing here and there done by the older chickens. I did not just throw random birds in with older birds.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Both of these flocks have been integrating together for the past 2 months. They’ve shared a fence and been free ranging together before on numerous occasions. I’ve put them in the same coop together at night. I watched both flocks behaviors closely before deciding to leave them unsupervised. Nothing had happened than a little bit of chasing here and there done by the older chickens. I did not just throw random birds in with older birds.

Fair enough, you didn't make that clear and the 3.5 hours suggested they were not usually together. You also said "introducing" them so now you are saying they've been together 2 months. I guess there is a bit of confusion there sorry.

Well, all that aside- there's no way they will let that silkie integrate with them- they have made that clear. It also had nowhere to run away to and hide and they pinned her and pecked her to bits. It could have been one, two or all of them. Who knows. But you have to isolate her from those Amberlinks for sure. You may have to just keep two flocks.

 

[MysteryChickens]

Fair enough, you didn't make that clear and the 3.5 hours suggested they were not usually together. You also said "introducing" them so now you are saying they've been together 2 months. I guess there is a bit of confusion there sorry.

Well, all that aside- there's no way they will let that silkie integrate with them- they have made that clear. It also had nowhere to run away to and hide and they pinned her and pecked her to bits. It could have been one, two or all of them. Who knows. But you have to isolate her from those Amberlinks for sure. You may have to just keep two flocks.

I had places for them to hide in the run but I didn’t see this happen and I can’t find any feathers so I’m guessing the Silkie went up into the coop and got stuck somewhere. For all I know she could’ve gotten her head stuck in a fence somewhere. I’m only assuming she got attacked because it seems like the most likely thing to happen.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is a common area for chickens to be attacked and pecked by other chickens. The wound spray and the plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment will be the best treatment. Unfortunately, you need to keep her separated from others at least inside a dog crate where she can see the others in her flock. Hopefully, she will eat and drink, and heal in a few weeks. It is always a little hard to prevent an attack like this if they have been gradually integrated and seem to be doing alright. It helps to integrate when they are the same size, but silkies are not very good at fending off bigger birds.

 

[MysteryChickens]

That is a common area for chickens to be attacked and pecked by other chickens. The wound spray and the plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment will be the best treatment. Unfortunately, you need to keep her separated from others at least inside a dog crate where she can see the others in her flock. Hopefully, she will eat and drink, and heal in a few weeks. It is always a little hard to prevent an attack like this if they have been gradually integrated and seem to be doing alright. It helps to integrate when they are the same size, but silkies are not very good at fending off bigger birds.

She has been separated where she can see her flock. When they were chicks one of my hens somehow got into their run and she’s always been afraid of the older hens since then. It so frustrating how the Silkies won’t just peck them back and now the older chickens have made a game of chasing them around.