Freak Accident: pullet was caught by metal fence end-piece & punched hole in bottom of beak!!! Imagi

[kritschixs]

UGH! My kids were letting the chickens out of their enclosure to enjoy some grass & run around the yard. Im not sure how this exactly happened but can tell you what I saw.
The 4 month old pullet was stuck to the fence door by its beak. Let me say it another way: the fence door end-piece was coming up the bottom of her beak & sticking out of her mouth! Basically, the fence poked a hole into her bottom beak & she was stuck. (Imagine like when you hook a fish) It was not the tip of the beak but more towards the base of her beak. Her tongue & top beak are not hurt.
I quickly calmed her down while I tried to assess the situation. I just had to lift her bottom beak up to free her. There was minimal bleeding. I easily got her to drink water afterwards and she appears to be OK.
Ill keep an eye on her but is there anything else I should do? Maybe an antibiotic cream? Any suggestion would be appreciated!


P.S. I will do something with those fence end pieces at the bottom of the door. Obviously dangerous!

 

[6LittleHens]

Ouch!! Poor hennie! I would be careful about the antibiotic cream, as it could accidentally get into her mouth because of the hole. I think that there isn't too much that you can do about it, considering that is such an odd injury. Putting some Neosporin around her injury would help to keep infection out and hep to heal a little faster... I would keep putting it on every time it gets dry, you really would not want that to get infected! I can't be sure how the gap in her beak will heal though, I need some hep from other members with that one, not sure if the beak works like a finger nail or what.

Wishing you the best!
madelyn

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, the wound will heal in the bottom of her beak. I think this can be a occasionally common injury since the beak on the botom is so thin. The hole might leak a little until it heals over. Just make sure that she is eating and drinking enough. Putting some water into a small bowl of feed to soften it could make it easier to get plenty of fluids and food. Soft cooked egg is usually eagerly taken by chickens. Let us know how she gets along.