Head injury on Black Australorp hen, need urgent help please

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Good morning all,

When we let out our main coop flock about 30 minutes ago to free range, we noticed our Black Australorp hen looking like this.


So far we have sprayed her head down with Vetericyn Plus and put her in our built in brooder in the coop. She has wet crumble and weak tea Nutridrench water. This is our first major flesh wound and so we aren't sure what we need to be doing to properly treat her. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

We don't know how this happened. I wonder if our rooster could have been the culprit.. I have noticed some bald head feathers on multiple girls, but just assumed he was a little to active when doing his mating job. He was actively chasing her yesterday (I think she's trying to be broody, but not fully yet) but we didn't notice any aggressive behavior other than chasing her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. How is she acting? Is she alert, standing, eating, or is she is shock? These types of scalpings can be done by a rooster or hens, but sometimes may be done by a hawk or predator. Usually cleaning the head initially with an antiseptic such as betadine or chlorhexidene is done, thenapply some plain antibiotic ointment twice a day. Once the initial disinfecting is done, then saline is best to dab on the wound before each application of the ointment. Plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment are fine to use. Vetericyn Plus Wound Spray or a similar product may be used if you have it, but usually the saline is fine. To make saline, add 2 tsp of table salt to 1 quart/liter of water and boil for a few minutes. Cool and store in a clean jar. It can be dabbed on the wound to clean it gently twice a day before the ointment. Keep the wound from drying out. It takes a bit of time for feathers to grow back in.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a long thread that you can scan to see how well they can recover with a worse wound:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/serve-open-head-wound-is-black.1291137/

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Sorry about your hen. How is she acting? Is she alert, standing, eating, or is she is shock? These types of scalpings can be done by a rooster or hens, but sometimes may be done by a hawk or predator. Usually cleaning the head initially with an antiseptic such as betadine or chlorhexidene is done, thenapply some plain antibiotic ointment twice a day. Once the initial disinfecting is done, then saline is best to dab on the wound before each application of the ointment. Plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment are fine to use. Vetericyn Plus Wound Spray or a similar product may be used if you have it, but usually the saline is fine. To make saline, add 2 tsp of table salt to 1 quart/liter of water and boil for a few minutes. Cool and store in a clean jar. It can be dabbed on the wound to clean it gently twice a day before the ointment. Keep the wound from drying out. It takes a bit of time for feathers to grow back in.

She is alert, standing, I think eating and drinking (I've been in here at the computer) She is strumming on the brooder door to be let out.

So, we don't have to worry about stitching then? I hope no.. I have some betadeine and the vetericyn spray. I don't have any neosporin as us humans are allergic to its ingredients. I do have some Green Goo... I'll take a picture..

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

She is alert, standing, I think eating and drinking (I've been in here at the computer) She is strumming on the brooder door to be let out.

So, we don't have to worry about stitching then? I hope no.. I have some betadeine and the vetericyn spray. I don't have any neosporin as us humans are allergic to its ingredients. I do have some Green Goo... I'll take a picture..

LOL! I was looking on that thread while waiting for replies!

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

My money then is on the rooster... I suppose a hen.. but, wow! I don't think predator since some has been outside with them and it was within 30 seconds of the door opening..

 

[Eggcessive]

As long as she doesn’t have a head injury, she should survive. You can also use polysporin or bacitracin ointment which lacks the neomycin. But the green goo may be okay, but I have not used it. Here is another thread shorter with before and after pics:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...calped-by-her-siblings.1272650/#post-20459773

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Ok, so my niece.. who is a vet tech came over to help me. We did a betadine wash of the wound with a syringe and she had some silver sulfadiazine cream that we put over the top. She seems very active in our brooder space.. I will be praying she recovers quickly so we can get her back integrated into the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Silvadene is very good to use. We used it on burn patients in the hospitals where I have worked. It will help prevent infection. I hope you get a chance to look at the other threads about scalping. If you can keep her inside the coop some in a dog crate where she can be around the other chickens once a day, where they can stay familiar with her, it may make it easier to reintroduce her. It also may make her happier as well. It is unfortunate that these wounds take a long time to heal. Keep us updated on her progress.