- Jun 13, 2008
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I found one of my barred rock hens in one of the nesting boxes this afternoon. The skin on the back of her head/neck is completely gone and the muscle is exposed. She is still alert, breathing seems to be normal - perhaps a bit slower. She can move and stand up. I did not notice any further injury. The rest of the flock seems to be uninjured. I flushed the wound with saline and sprayed it with an antiseptic spray I had on hand for the horses & dogs. I also applied a thick layer of antibiotic ointment to the area. I have put her in a large plastic tote with cedar chip bedding. She's currently hanging out in the laundry room. The wound is no longer bleeding. This hen is about 1 1/2 yrs old, Plymouth Barred Rock. We house our chickens in "chicken tractors". There are about 8-10 hens and 1 rooster in each tractor. My concern is if I should continue to treat her or put her down. She doesn't seem to be in a great deal of pain, but then again she can't say "It hurts!!" She's acting very tired. I will post a pic very soon.