Hen with hole in head *Gross Pics* See if I did a good job! :)

[ForgottenGlen]

I think I have mentioned before, I have too many roosters... They got to Millie, and now she has a hole in her head. I have now 3 roosters in the coop/run, and 4 free range un-cooped roosters. She is a 8 month old EE. Please let me know if I did a good job, or need to do something else.

I clipped back the feathers around the wound, used lots of saline and qtips and cleaned the area as best I could before she got tired of me. I thoroughly rinsed the area with saline, then realized that I had filled her poor little head cavity with it! She's fine, it just swooshed right back out, but for a split second her poor head looked like a golf ball! *I'm sorry, it was kind of funny* After drying her off real good, (I'm sure she thought I was trying to marinate her in salt water) I put double antibiotic ointment *no pain reliever* all over the area. I have her separated from the flock in a very large kennel, but do not have a separate run to keep her in.

Here is a picture of her head almost done with cleaning, the bump is where her skin is trying to mend itself, it is hard, and I couldn't get it straightened out. Underneath the bump of skin is where the hole is.

This is Millie giving me the stink eye because I will not let her go.

Also, any advice on lice/mites. The girls have small white clusters of eggs, looks like sand, around the base of their feathers, but only around the neck and head area. I've seen teeny tiny microscopic white critters crawling on them, and I have sevendust, but I'm afraid I might get it in their eyes, is that okay?

 

[benjoycei]

Poor Millie...hope she heals fast

 

[dawg53]

I hope Millie heals quickly, poor girl.
Avoid getting sevin dust in their eyes, nostrils and mouth. You will need to redust them in 10 days to kill the nits that have hatched from eggs. You will also need to dust their house, roosts and nests and repeat again in 10 days.

 

[ForgottenGlen]

Thanks Dawg, I already dusted their house, roosts, and nests, but was unsure if I didn't get it too close to their heads if it would still kill the eggs there. Need to get DH out to help me though. I can clean a wounded chicken by myself, but doubt I could dust 19 of them!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I understand...it's a pain dealing with bugs, but it's gotta be done. I've had to do it too.

 

[flocksalot]

Give her some extra treats for putting up with those bullies. I have a Red Star that has her head split open lenght ways about 1 1/4 in. long. She is such a sweetie and is terrified of the boys. They stalk her, Peanut, and Charlotte anytime they come off their perches. I take Peanut out of their pen and Charlotte follows me, but they want to go back in their at night. My Mother said to use super glue or liquid band aid to seal it shut, so tomorrow I'm gonna try that. I'm also going to trim some boys. They have 36 girls between the 3 boys, but they are just to young. I was going to keep 2 of them, but they are just to frisky.

 

[emvickrey]

I don't know what the weather is like where you are but if the flies and other flesh eating bugs are out, you should keep her inside away from them till she at least gets a good scab going. The bugs will just make it worse. Everything else you did is good. Poor Millie.

Sending her some love to make her feel better. Here's some hugs too.