First injury in my small flock

[angelfishfan]

I have a cuckoo maran rooster that is a little under a yr old who came home tonight with this shiner. Is there anything we should/can do? I have 22 in my flock of dual purpose birds and they free range on my 3 acres and come in at night. I just need to know if I clean him up or not bother and cull him. How long do I wait it out to see if he gets better and if I can still eat him.

 

[Eggcessive]

He got pretty beat up it looks like, and the eye needs some special attention. Vetericyn eye gel would be good to use, or wash the eye out with saline, and apply Terramycin or plain Neosporin ointment twice a day. The gash around the eye needs to be cleaned up with betadine, hibiclens, or just saline, , and Neosporin applied. Is he being bullied by another rooster? Is he from your flock or new? His peck wounds will probably heal on their own, or you can apply some betadine. If you are planning on eating him anyway, I would not let him get beat up or starved by other roosters. I have had a bunch of young cockerels together, and after awhile some are have to go or the hens and the rest of the flock are in turmoil.

 

[enola]

If you are seriously concidering eating your rooster, do it now while he is still relatively healthy. Concerning his wounds i have seen chickens recover from wounds MUCH worse than these. It might be wise to separate him from your other chickens to prevent them pecking his wounds.

 

[angelfishfan]

Good to know. I put them in for the night already but I will catch him and wrap him in a towel and clean him up,segregate to my brooding box for a few days. I wouldn't want him to suffer. Eating him is not the goal but we got dual purpose so we wouldn't have to waste them when they have finished laying etc. I do have two roosters, but they seem to get along perfectly fine, and I have removed everyone's spurs just in case. I would hate to see him get pecked to death....luckily, he is in and I hate to say it his messed up vision makes him super easy to catch.

 

[angelfishfan]

Managed to snag him, clean him a little and put him by himself. Some other animal went after him. The wound is crecent shaped and down to his poor birds skull

 

[angelfishfan]

Bird bald spot

 

[Eggcessive]

So you think it is a predator attack? Deep wounds can often heal well with good first aid care. Be sure and get some antibiotic ointment into his eye, as well as into the laceration. Make sure he is eating and drinking well tomorrow, and try giving him some scrambled egg. Vitamins and probiotics may help in addition to his usual feed. I hope he makes a full recovery, and doesn't lose the sight in his eye.

 

[angelfishfan]

Definately a predator. We haven't had issues with coyotes since we lease pasture to some horses, I guess we've gotten too comfortable. It was in broad day light too. I put some electrolytes in his water too. He took really well to the cleaning and ointment. Not lots of squirming or any pecking. Not sure if that's a good or bad sign but none the less it was easier than I thought to doctor him up.

 

[enola]

Possibly damage from a hawk attack

 

[angelfishfan]

Anyone ever given their bird a bath?
I have had my injured roo segregated since he was hurt, and I have cleaned him up a little bit and he seems to be doing pretty well.
My question is what do you all think of giving the poor guy a bath. There is a big bald spot where feathers were torn out on his neck and he has a small wound there, and as previously pictured his eye is pretty icky. He has lots of crusty crud and dried blood all over him and stuck in his feathers.

It has been pretty cold here, so If I were to do it, obviously it would be with warm water and I would keep him in the house til he is all dry etc.

What do you guys think? do it? don't?
Pointers or suggestions?