Hen with head injury, pecked?-bleeding, puss, help!

[bockerchickens]

-Jersey Giant, 6 months old, and approximately 6 pounds

-Bleeding near skull (see pictures) with what appears to be puss, but I'm not sure what it is. Had to have happened this morning.

We have new roosters (our only ones, 3) of the same clutch-could they have done this? They have been mounting a chicken here or there rather awkwardly.

-Just started this morning. No treatment was administered outside of isolating chicken in a cat kennel. The bedding we use is straw.

No plans on going to go to vet.

What should we use to treat the situation?

 

[bockerchickens]

To be precise, it's a Blue Jersey Giant/Bressie mix, which explains the coloration.

 

[LaFleche]

Clean her wound well and apply triple antibiotic ointment once a day until fully healed. Trim the feathers near her injury so they will not get into the wound causing infection.

Watch your cockerels closely to find out who the brute is and keep him separate from the flock.

Do you plan to keep the three males?

How many hens do you have and how much space in the coop and run? Do they free range?

Welcome to the BYC community!

 

[LaFleche]

Use Hibiclens or saline water for cleaning

 

[bockerchickens]

I was planning on culling two of the three pretty soon, and trying my luck with the one. I'm told that JG's are pretty gentle despite their size.

They have coops but they free range. I have two coops, a 8x6 coop with 7 chickens (including the 3 roos) and a 12x16 with 13 chickens.

The smaller coop will only contain 5 after the culling. They were the second generation chickens that I needed more space for.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes, keeping only one cockerel is the right thing to do.

Which one do your pullets like best?

Maybe separate the other two until culling so they can not stress the pullets by starting mating contests.

Regarding the injured pullet, make sure no flies can get to her and lay their eggs into her wound.

 

[bockerchickens]

Follow up: I washed and applied vetericyn to the wound on a regular basis and have her isolated, but this is what the would looks like now and it has me very concerned:

What should I do with what appears to be possibly infected skin there? It's such a delicate little place.

 

[bockerchickens]

Use Hibiclens or saline water for cleaning

HI LaFleche, any thoughts on the above picture? I applied neosporin on it most recently based on the advice of a fellow chicken owner.

 

[SmiYa0126]

If it happened today, that's not puss. @Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive please help!

 

[bockerchickens]

If it happened today, that's not puss. @Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive please help!

Thank you! It happened yesterday. Is there any anti-biotics I can get for infection?