Head injury - lost eyelid

[hannahfroodoo]

Hoping someone has experience with something similar.
I have a young Old English game bantam pullet with a head injury. She has ripped all the feathers and skin off the back of her neck and one side of her face. She has completely lost her eyelid on that side. I've watched for the nictating membrane but think that might be gone too.
I wanted to euthanase but my daughter begged me to try to save her. Her head wounds are actually healing ok (day 4 today) she is drinking eagerly but we are having to spoon feed. I don't know how to help the eye. Without an eyelid she will obviously lose the eye, what can I do to make her comfortable/help treat in the meantime? She had aspirin in her water for the first couple of days. I've been using some saline eye drops to lubricate her eye and put some chlorsig antibacterial eye ointment on it. Any other suggestions? Photo is day of injury. I've also noticed today she has a dried blood clot in her ear on that side now which I think I am going to have to try to soften and remove in the morning.

Context for wound: We have only had these little ones since Christmas and they are VERY flighty and nervous with us, plus they can fly high and fast. They are in a run with full wire over sides and top. We think something spooked them (fox most likely) because two of them were injured one morning but no sign of the run being breached by any predators (some suspicious scuff marks around the outside of the run that look as though something tried to dig in but couldn't). I think they got so spooked they flew at the wire, got stuck in the wire and hurt themselves ripping free. There were feathers all over the onside of the wire in a couple of places.
(The other one hurt her leg and wing, she is fine, cleaned her up and sprayed some betadine, kept her quiet inside for a day then popped her back with the others).

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hoping someone has experience with something similar.
I have a young Old English game bantam pullet with a head injury. She has ripped all the feathers and skin off the back of her neck and one side of her face. She has completely lost her eyelid on that side. I've watched for the nictating membrane but think that might be gone too.
I wanted to euthanase but my daughter begged me to try to save her. Her head wounds are actually healing ok (day 4 today) she is drinking eagerly but we are having to spoon feed. I don't know how to help the eye. Without an eyelid she will obviously lose the eye, what can I do to make her comfortable/help treat in the meantime? She had aspirin in her water for the first couple of days. I've been using some saline eye drops to lubricate her eye and put some chlorsig antibacterial eye ointment on it. Any other suggestions? Photo is day of injury. I've also noticed today she has a dried blood clot in her ear on that side now which I think I am going to have to try to soften and remove in the morning.

Context for wound: We have only had these little ones since Christmas and they are VERY flighty and nervous with us, plus they can fly high and fast. They are in a run with full wire over sides and top. We think something spooked them (fox most likely) because two of them were injured one morning but no sign of the run being breached by any predators (some suspicious scuff marks around the outside of the run that look as though something tried to dig in but couldn't). I think they got so spooked they flew at the wire, got stuck in the wire and hurt themselves ripping free. There were feathers all over the onside of the wire in a couple of places.
(The other one hurt her leg and wing, she is fine, cleaned her up and sprayed some betadine, kept her quiet inside for a day then popped her back with the others).

That'll heal fine. But a missing eyelid is something I've never seen/dealt with. There could be a chance it could regenerate during healing(Maybe, I know combs, & wattles can partially regenerate if tissue is left behind) But that's just a guess though with her condition.

Best is to just keep her wounds clean, & moist. Moisture can be either Triple Antibiotic Ointment, petroleum Jelly, or vaseline.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are the OEG’s in with other chickens or alone in a coop/run? Could she have been wounded by another chicken? Or could a raccoon have grabbed her through fencing? I would flush the eye twice a day, and use either Terramycin ointment (from a feed store) or Neopsorin ointment on it 2-3 times a day. Don’t let the eye dry out. Let us know how the eye heals, but she could lose the sight.

 

[hannahfroodoo]

Are the OEG’s in with other chickens or alone in a coop/run? Could she have been wounded by another chicken? Or could a raccoon have grabbed her through fencing? I would flush the eye twice a day, and use either Terramycin ointment (from a feed store) or Neopsorin ointment on it 2-3 times a day. Don’t let the eye dry out. Let us know how the eye heals, but she could lose the sight.

Thank you! Have been doing my best to keep the wound clean and moist and just ordered some Terramycin.
No raccoons here (Australia) but it did occur to me last night for the first time as I was searching other head injuries online that the other chickens may have done this to her. I don't know why I didn't think of this before!
Our chickens usually free range so I've never had a bullying chicken problem before, they are usually able to just run off if one hen gets a bit too aggressive.
The OEGs have been in this run since Christmas on their own but 3 days before this injury, we adopted a little flock of 5 mixed breed full size hens (some silkie cross, an Isa brown, a Hamburg). I popped them into the same run without a thought because the OEGs are such good fliers, nothing can catch them (so I thought!). But it could definitely have been one of these new chickens. Although the back of her neck does look almost like a degloving. Would other chickens do this?

 

[hannahfroodoo]

That'll heal fine. But a missing eyelid is something I've never seen/dealt with. There could be a chance it could regenerate during healing(Maybe, I know combs, & wattles can partially regenerate if tissue is left behind) But that's just a guess though with her condition.

Best is to just keep her wounds clean, & moist. Moisture can be either Triple Antibiotic Ointment, petroleum Jelly, or vaseline.

Thank you! I will try some petroleum jelly on the wounds, struggling to keep them moist when I am at work but this should help. My daughter will be so thrilled if the eyelid regenerates. I had no idea that was possible. I've ordered terramycin to replace the chlorsig.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you! Have been doing my best to keep the wound clean and moist and just ordered some Terramycin.
No raccoons here (Australia) but it did occur to me last night for the first time as I was searching other head injuries online that the other chickens may have done this to her. I don't know why I didn't think of this before!
Our chickens usually free range so I've never had a bullying chicken problem before, they are usually able to just run off if one hen gets a bit too aggressive.
The OEGs have been in this run since Christmas on their own but 3 days before this injury, we adopted a little flock of 5 mixed breed full size hens (some silkie cross, an Isa brown, a Hamburg). I popped them into the same run without a thought because the OEGs are such good fliers, nothing can catch them (so I thought!). But it could definitely have been one of these new chickens. Although the back of her neck does look almost like a degloving. Would other chickens do this?

Yes, other chickens will do this, especially to a new one. It can take weeks to heal the skin, keeping it moist with ointment to not let the tissue dry out.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some examples with pictures of pecked heads and healed injuries:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/whole-top-of-pullet’s-head-been-lifted-off-by-bully-chicken-what-do-i-do.1584007/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...to-close-wound-or-just-keep-it-clean.1603085/

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you! I will try some petroleum jelly on the wounds, struggling to keep them moist when I am at work but this should help. My daughter will be so thrilled if the eyelid regenerates. I had no idea that was possible. I've ordered terramycin to replace the chlorsig.

You're welcome.

Well, it may, or may not. But we'll know for sure when she begins healing up really good.

 

[hannahfroodoo]

Good evening! Seeking help from the experts again for my injured OEG hen. She is healing well, eating and drinking, she's in the house and is quick to let us know when we make too much noise after dark when she is trying to sleep.
The last couple of days she has developed a thick crust over the eye without an eyelid. I can't decide if I should debride it or not.
My expectation for healing the lost eyelid was that her eye would shrivel/shrink as it dried and then the skin edges would be able to come together and scar up. So I think I should remove the nasty looking crust but maybe this is actually healing OVER the eye?
(The yellow gunk on her head is a fresh application of medical honey).
Thanks in advance for taking the time to help, much appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try a warm wet compress using saline to soften the crust, to see if it can be removed. The apply some Terramycin or Neosporin to keep it from drying.