Hen Pecked Turken, looseing it's Tail!

[mommchan]

I am a very sad "Chicken Momma". My 3 mo old Turkens were out with all the other chickens yesterday (Normal) and I forgot to go out before dark and shoo them to their separate coop. Well when I went out last night they were all under the hen's coop. no way to reach them. This morning went out to check them and the hen's had pecked one of the Turkens so bad they almost cut off the tip of her tale. The bone is severed. The chicken let me dry the area and put triple antibiotic and zinc on it. The zinc glued the feathers together so it's not open. I've seen Michigan Snow Pony's first aid kit for animals, but I'm not sure I've done the right thing? I'm taking her in to wash it with baby wash. HELP?

 

[FlippingHills]

If you can get a hold of Bag Balm, get it! I had the skin of one of my baby's heads pecked down to the skull and almost scalped completely. I separated her and only applied Bag Balm 2-3 times per day. Her skin has completely grown back and feathers are starting to.

I also had a hen who had a section of skin above her tail picked down to the bone with raw flesh. Again, used Bag Balm only, never cleaned it or wiped it, and she has gorgeous new feathers growing! Hope she gets better!

 

[mommchan]

Thank You, FlippingHills.

We washed her tail with baby wash and diluted peroxide. I kept her in the kennel overnight, got the Bag Balm and applied it, and she's doing great. No infection!!! I'm amazed! One hen did peck her a couple of days later and broke it open again. I decided to not let the babies out of their fenced in area for now. The funny thing is; the 3 mo turken's are much bigger than the hens, they just don't know it! I didn't want to have to cull her, she's my favorite!

Mommchan

 

[Hholly]

Blu-Kote works wonder too, and disguises the wound. Do your other chickens seem to bully the turkens because they look different? Or just because they are younger?

 

[mommchan]

Hholly.

They bully them because they are younger.

I've always been told to keep the younger ones out of the established coop until they are at least the same size as the others, but these babies are I guess just too immature to graduate. I really don't plan on putting them together anyway. They just free range together. The Turkens have no male, at least I believe there is no male!?, to mate with the hens and mix the two. At this point there is only one Turken that I think could possibly be a rooster, because his wattles are a little longer than the others, but that's the only difference at this point!

Mommchan