Help! Scalped Chicken

[HistoryChicken]

Earlier to day I found my 13 week old chicken with the shin and feathers from the top of her head missing. She doesn't seem to be continuing to bleed, but I don't know what to do to prevent infection. The only antiseptic we have are Dettol and various creams. I tried to put some honey on as I heard that can help but It didn't work very well she kept flichig. what should I do?

 

[Judy]

Chickens heal remarkably well. You can use most any antiseptic or antibiotic except those with "caine" drugs in them such as benzocaine or solarcaine. You can use bag balm if you have that, too.


Mostly, she needs a warm, safe place to live til she heals, away from the flock so the others dont peck the wound, which they will. A spare bathroom tub is ideal.

As long as she is eating and drinking, whe should be fine. It may take her a day or so to get over the shock of the situation before she eats and drinks well. You can encourage drinking, the most important, by dropping a drop of water along the side of her beak til she pulls it into her mouth, then give another, etc. Soft foods for a few days like scrambled eggs and cooked cereal may help, too.

Good luck!

 

[HistoryChicken]

Thank you. I'm going to check on her now. I've put her in an separate coop we have with our other chick who is strangely small. I didn't wan't to leave her with the big chickens.

 

[HistoryChicken]

She seems to be going well. She was eating and walking around and pecking at the grass. I didn't see here drinking, but I expect she is.

 

[Judy]

Just try to keep an eye out for the other chicken bothering the wound. Hopefully, in your warm weather, this will work out well.

 

[HistoryChicken]

Thanks,
There hasn't been any problems with the other chick. She's half her size so I though that it would be fine. Much better than leaving the little one to face 4 big chickens on her own.
I have some idea of what may have happened. This morning I found some blood on the wall of the chicken house that is against a fence. There is a metal edge in there and she must have squeezed herself in there somehow and cut herself.