- Aug 15, 2013
- 18
- 0
- 22
Long story short, my beautiful 1-year-old RIR has encountered quite a serious problem with my newly matured Dominique rooster. All of the feathers on the top of her head have been pecked out and so, now, has a nickel-sized chunk of her scalp. It's bare to her skull. HOW DO I TREAT IT? DOES SHE HAVE A CHANCE OF SURVIVING, OR SHOULD I CULL HER???
I'm about to go check on her. Hubby thinks we may have to cull her, which would make her our first chicken to own and to cull. I'm hoping she can make a recovery. We can deal with the rooster problem later, but the first priority is to get our hen what she needs. We'll be keeping her separated until she's fully recovered (if she recovers). I just don't know how to treat her wound. HELP!
She is my first chicken. She's very sweet and gives eggs regularly. She's an egg source but also a pet. Roo is my first rooster and only started crowing 3 weeks ago. He first bloodied her 3 days ago while they were free-ranging, and we made the mistake of letting them return to the coop together that night. Second day, she hid by herself and we didn't see rooster action. Third day (yesterday morning), he was at it again in the run. By the time I got dressed and out there, she was roosting inside and everyone else was ready to be let out of the run for the day. I checked on her after an hour or so, once the rest of the flock was far away. There was Lucy, still chilling inside. Not laying, just resting--or hiding.
I left for work. By the time I cam home early evening, they were all in the roost for the night but she was freshly bloodied and I could see her skull. We took her to the tool shed to rest and roost for the night. Do you think she has a chance of recovery, or do you think it's best to end it now for her???
I'm about to go check on her. Hubby thinks we may have to cull her, which would make her our first chicken to own and to cull. I'm hoping she can make a recovery. We can deal with the rooster problem later, but the first priority is to get our hen what she needs. We'll be keeping her separated until she's fully recovered (if she recovers). I just don't know how to treat her wound. HELP!
She is my first chicken. She's very sweet and gives eggs regularly. She's an egg source but also a pet. Roo is my first rooster and only started crowing 3 weeks ago. He first bloodied her 3 days ago while they were free-ranging, and we made the mistake of letting them return to the coop together that night. Second day, she hid by herself and we didn't see rooster action. Third day (yesterday morning), he was at it again in the run. By the time I got dressed and out there, she was roosting inside and everyone else was ready to be let out of the run for the day. I checked on her after an hour or so, once the rest of the flock was far away. There was Lucy, still chilling inside. Not laying, just resting--or hiding.
I left for work. By the time I cam home early evening, they were all in the roost for the night but she was freshly bloodied and I could see her skull. We took her to the tool shed to rest and roost for the night. Do you think she has a chance of recovery, or do you think it's best to end it now for her???