Head Injury

[Miss Pearl]

Yesterday my sweet Betsy got attacked by the other hens. She was trapped and couldn't get away. By the time I got to her, her head was bloody and missing most of the feathers on the left side of her head. I brought her inside and cleaned her up and applied a antibiotic topical. I also started her on antibiotic in her water. I'm going to keep her inside for a while, but my question is when do I put her back with the girls. Should I wait until her feathers have grown back or in a week when her head has healed a bit. I swear, I'll never understand why God created these sweet adorable creatures to behave this way. I just want Peace and Harmony to prevail within my coop! Any suggestions on how to handle this situation.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Yesterday my sweet Betsy got attacked by the other hens. She was trapped and couldn't get away. By the time I got to her, her head was bloody and missing most of the feathers on the left side of her head. I brought her inside and cleaned her up and applied a antibiotic topical. I also started her on antibiotic in her water. I'm going to keep her inside for a while, but my question is when do I put her back with the girls. Should I wait until her feathers have grown back or in a week when her head has healed a bit. I swear, I'll never understand why God created these sweet adorable creatures to behave this way. I just want Peace and Harmony to prevail within my coop! Any suggestions on how to handle this situation.

Why did they attack her? What will stop them from attacking her again? You might not be able to put her back with them? I do not know what happened but I know if a fight breaks out and one gets bloody/bleeding it can/could mean death to it---the others will probably peck it to death. The one being pecked tries to find some where to put her head to stop the attack on it. It can be a "mess"!

 

[Weebee]

When the injuries heal a bit you can try applying "Blue Kote" to stop the others from pecking at her. We have had success with this before, although putting it on her head may be tricky. We have found that this behavior happens most at a certain time in Spring and often goes away after that- or another chicken will be the target instead. The "picked-on" chickens can usually be reintroduced after things calm down or the dynamics change in the coop. Sometimes we put the more vulnerable ones together in a side-pen to eat or spend part of the day.

 

[Cara chicks mom]

I found one of mine a bloody mess one night. Not as bad as yours sorry to hear this. I cleaned her up and waited a few day. I started out by putting her in the run and the other girls outside of it. I figured it would give me a chance to see if there was anymore aggregation with a barrener. Then out in the yard together. Maybe try something similar? I'm am deffenlty not an expert but I have seen girl with feather loos around other chickens before so your probable ok as long as the wounds are healed

 

[Miss Pearl]

Why did they attack her? What will stop them from attacking her again? You might not be able to put her back with them? I do not know what happened but I know if a fight breaks out and one gets bloody/bleeding it can/could mean death to it---the others will probably peck it to death. The one being pecked tries to find some where to put her head to stop the attack on it. It can be a "mess"!

. The reason she was trapped was because she wears a crop bra to help support her pendalant crop. She actually got her foot caught in the bra. I hate the bra but it's the only thing that works for her.

 

[Miss Pearl]

I found one of mine a bloody mess one night. Not as bad as yours sorry to hear this. I cleaned her up and waited a few day. I started out by putting her in the run and the other girls outside of it. I figured it would give me a chance to see if there was anymore aggregation with a barrener. Then out in the yard together. Maybe try something similar? I'm am deffenlty not an expert but I have seen girl with feather loos around other chickens before so your probable ok as long as the wounds are healed

Thank you so much. I will absolutely do this after she heals a bit more.

 

[Miss Pearl]

When the injuries heal a bit you can try applying "Blue Kote" to stop the others from pecking at her. We have had success with this before, although putting it on her head may be tricky. We have found that this behavior happens most at a certain time in Spring and often goes away after that- or another chicken will be the target instead. The "picked-on" chickens can usually be reintroduced after things calm down or the dynamics change in the coop. Sometimes we put the more vulnerable ones together in a side-pen to eat or spend part of the day.

Thank you so much for your encouraging words. Can I purchase the Blue Kote at Tractor Supply or order online? I see a lot of people use this product