Head Injury and Shock

[Mylied]

One of my month old pullets got pecked in the head really bad, I'm assuming by her young flock mates. On the left side the skin is all torn in one spot and swollen. On the right side, it looks like they pecked her eyelid. Her eye seems fine. She is definitely in shock and I don't know what else. She is just laying there listlessly with her eyes closed. I warmed her up next to my skin for a while since she was very cold, but now she's under a heat lamp. I have no idea why she was attacked as all others are healthy, no wounds, and active. What are the chances of her pulling through? I cleaned the wounds and put some antibiotic spray on them.

 

[azygous]

Treat the shock and she has a better chance of pulling through this trauma. Electrolytes, Pedialyte, or Gatoraid can be used in an emergency. Plain, tepid sugar water will also help with shock if you have no electrolytes.

Have you flushed the eye with saline? You can use an antibiotic ointment in the eye if you don't have an ophthalmic ointment. Steroid eye drops if you can get hold of some can help with the swelling around the eye.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I had a chick who about a month old when a Turkey got into her pen and took off the top of her head. The chick survived and has lived a good life with a bald spot on her head. I cleaned her head with peroxide and bag balm. It was a few years when this has happened so I can't remember if she went in to shock. I did have a hen who got nocked unconscious, this hen was the chick's friend. Both hens saw their retirement, so they have done fine.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I hope your hen does fine like mine has done.

 

[biophiliac]

One of my month old pullets got pecked in the head really bad, I'm assuming by her young flock mates. On the left side the skin is all torn in one spot and swollen. On the right side, it looks like they pecked her eyelid. Her eye seems fine. She is definitely in shock and I don't know what else. She is just laying there listlessly with her eyes closed. I warmed her up next to my skin for a while since she was very cold, but now she's under a heat lamp. I have no idea why she was attacked as all others are healthy, no wounds, and active. What are the chances of her pulling through? I cleaned the wounds and put some antibiotic spray on them.

If you are open to alternate modalities - Aconite 30C homeopathic remedy is a specific for shock and fear from trauma. Available online or in many health food stores in multi-dose tube of pellets by Boiron for one.

Good luck with her, as stated previously-she should recover ok.

 

[Mylied]

Here's some pics. She's sitting up a little better and I got her to take a dropper of electrolytes. The blood around the left eye is from the head wound. I opened her right eye and it does look like there is some blood in the white. Not sure if that's from the eyelid or if the eye is actually damaged. Her temp is still low, but she's getting warmer. She pooped straight water looking stuff a minute ago though and there's some fleshy looking stuff that came out earlier. It might be worms. So I guess I will worm everyone and her when she recovers some.

 

[azygous]

Baby chicks very rarely have worms. I wouldn't bother.

Focus on this head injury. Can she stand? How is her balance? If she can't stand, prepare yourself for the possibility of a brain injury. The next 24 hours will be critical. Keep her warm, hydrated, and keep up the electrolytes.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Is it possible that she got stung? I had a hen who had one side of her face get swollen. There is bees a d hornets around here so that is the only thing that could of happened to my hen. She stayed with a swollen face for a while, but her face is all better now and you can't even tell that anything had ever happened. Her eye almost closed up and you could was a red mark. My hen wasn't as young as your chick so it may have effected differently if this is the case.

 

[Mylied]

Is it possible that she got stung? I had a hen who had one side of her face get swollen. There is bees a d hornets around here so that is the only thing that could of happened to my hen. She stayed with a swollen face for a while, but her face is all better now and you can't even tell that anything had ever happened. Her eye almost closed up and you could was a red mark. My hen wasn't as young as your chick so it may have effected differently if this is the case.

No, it's definitely pecked. I've only ever had one other chick pecked in the head and he is a perfectly fine rooster now, with just a bald spot. But he wasn't as bad off.

Her temp is back up now, borderline high, so I adjusted the heat lamp and her position so she'll still be warm without getting hot. She can stand a little, but doesn't really want to right now. Hopefully by morning she'll be a bit more active and I'll be able to tell about the walking. Chickens are butts. I love them, but they drive me crazy.

 

[azygous]

Can you even imagine what chickens think of us?