Help with poor Polish head

[Birdygirl]

I am at my wits end.
My chicks are all 7 weeks old. For the last 2 weeks all the other chicks have finally left the Black Crested Polish's top hat alone.
Now, this morning I go out to let them out of their house and she was bleeding where the others have plucked out her feathers on her head again. I stopped the bleeding, put vaseline on it, kept her out of the pen for about an hour and put her back in. They started in again on her. So I placed some axle grease on her head ( an old timer said it works). Well, I did that too and they just pecked into it til they found the bloody spot again. She was crying and upset over being placed in another pen alone. so that is when I put her back. Now I dont know what to do, I gave them all some fresh grass clippings and they have calmed down.

Just wondering what the heck I am gonna do with her. Is she doomed to a horrible death by pecking or by lonliness?
Right now I hate all my other chickens....GRRRRR

 

[DuckLady]

Keep her separated til she is healed, not just for an hour. You can put her in an area separated from the others by a fence so she can see them and bock tot hem but not get pecked. If you keep putting her back in with them before she is healed, they will likely kill her. You can also try Blu Kote. That will disguise the red and they won't pick it because they can't see it.

 

[Country Gal]

Definitely put some Blue Kote on it... I had the same problem with some of my BO's getting pecked in the rear. I couldn't find "Blue Kote" but I did find "Blue Lotion" at the TSC, which accomplishes the same thing - it's an antiseptic and it colors the red bloody area with a purple dye.

When I reintroduced my pecked chicks back into the flock, I just put them in, then threw in some scratch and some weeds to create a distraction - the other chicks never even noticed they were back! And since all their butts were now purple, they stopped the pecking.

Good luck!

 

[BeckyLa]

I've heard that crested birds should be kept separate from others, I guess this is why. I do try to keep mine separated though I don't know how long I'll be able to if they keep multiplying at their current rate!

 

[Birdygirl]

I took her out of the pen and put her in 4X4 box with a screen on top and made a little screen door and also a perch. food and water in there, too.
she is on my porch right now, crying,,,,,,,,,stressed out.
tomorrow i will buy some blue kote. if after she heals and they still wont leave her alone (which I dont think they will) I may have to give her away to someone who has Polish hens.
I feel so bad for her. I will never take another "rare" free chick from MacMurray again.

 

[Birdygirl]

Oh and Thanks to you all for your help, once again!

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Sometimes it's hard to understand chicken behavior..... But as for MM, should you order again just specify no crested chicks. They should be ok with that.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, I tried to polish once. Heads got picked on and both got killed by hawks. Never again with them, they are too fragile.

 

[Birdygirl]

ok, update.
I kept the polish in a box since yesterday and today bought blue kote and applied it to her head. She had no more bleeding there and I noticed that some of the plucked feathers were sprouting up...so, I put her back in the pen with the others and immediatly 4 other chicks started right in on her and started nailing her head again.
I am afraid she is going to have to be given away. I dont think they will accept her ever. It is becoming stressful for me to deal with this over and over and I feel bad for her.
She is very timid and sweet.
Anybody near Asheville, NC that woudl like her? Is there somewhere on this site to offer her to someone in my area?
Thanks
Brenda

 

[akcskye]

An old timer...the same one who taught me how to sex chicks from hatch, told me that if you have chickens pecking on each other, to throw in a golf ball sized ball of hamburger meat.

They will eat it and stop the pecking.

Whether it works, I don't know, because I haven't had this experience yet...but it's worth a shot if you really want to keep her.

Good luck!
Kristi