Six days ago, I caught the rooster harassing and pecking at the RIR who ended up injured. Her name is Pinky. He had her backed up into a corner against the house and was just going at her. I promptly went outside and broke it up and checked her. Thankfully she was not injured, but she did spend the rest of the day by herself, away from the flock. He was the only one attacking her.
Two days later, tragedy struck. I found her as I was putting them all to bed. She was the only one still outside of the coop, just hanging out in the run. As I approached her I saw white on the top of her head and I thought "That is weird, you don't have white on your head". Once I got up to her I saw it, the white was her skull and the damage continued down her neck. The amount of skull that is visible is about the size of a quarter and the damage to her neck is about 2-2.5 inches long. I gently picked her up and brought her inside.
I washed the wound with soapy water (just a little soap), I covered all that was injured on her neck and skull with Neosporin, and left the would to air. I have repeated this the last 2 nights. She is in a box that has nesting straw in my bathtub with food and water. At night I balance a stick across the box and place her on it so she can roost. She only drank a little the first 2 days by me putting drops of water on her beak to lap up. Last night she finally bent her head into the bowl of water I held up to her and drank on her own. The water has electrolytes and probiotics in it.
She has not eaten. I have tried eggs, grapes, lettuce, and fancy grain - all of which are treats to my flock. She moved around in the box a little bit this morning, but she mostly just stands with her eyes closed, even when I'm in there with her. I've also checked the rest of her body to try and figure out if she was attacked because she is sick and everything looks and smells perfectly normal.
We are now on day 4 since the injury, I want to know from chicken owner's experience:
When I found out that I had a rooster, I told him he has 3 strikes; after that he goes to rooster rehab.
Two days later, tragedy struck. I found her as I was putting them all to bed. She was the only one still outside of the coop, just hanging out in the run. As I approached her I saw white on the top of her head and I thought "That is weird, you don't have white on your head". Once I got up to her I saw it, the white was her skull and the damage continued down her neck. The amount of skull that is visible is about the size of a quarter and the damage to her neck is about 2-2.5 inches long. I gently picked her up and brought her inside.
I washed the wound with soapy water (just a little soap), I covered all that was injured on her neck and skull with Neosporin, and left the would to air. I have repeated this the last 2 nights. She is in a box that has nesting straw in my bathtub with food and water. At night I balance a stick across the box and place her on it so she can roost. She only drank a little the first 2 days by me putting drops of water on her beak to lap up. Last night she finally bent her head into the bowl of water I held up to her and drank on her own. The water has electrolytes and probiotics in it.
She has not eaten. I have tried eggs, grapes, lettuce, and fancy grain - all of which are treats to my flock. She moved around in the box a little bit this morning, but she mostly just stands with her eyes closed, even when I'm in there with her. I've also checked the rest of her body to try and figure out if she was attacked because she is sick and everything looks and smells perfectly normal.
We are now on day 4 since the injury, I want to know from chicken owner's experience:
- Am I treating the wound correctly
- Is her behavior normal for the situation
- Should I be concerned with her drinking and eating
- Odds (I know this is a guess) that she will survive
- Any other advice or input is greatly appreciated
When I found out that I had a rooster, I told him he has 3 strikes; after that he goes to rooster rehab.
- He charge me from above in the coop
- He harassed, cornered, and pecked at Pinky
- He injured Pinky