hood for hens head to protect if and let it heal up ???

[saildog]

One hen is bullied, they free range and have 2 large barn sized coops she moved herself out of her original coop ( where the rooster lives ) to the other , her head just starts to get healed and it seems the rooster and then once bloody, the other hens peck at her head and get it all bloody again. She is smart about keeping to herself so she can heal up, ( i do antibiotics and burn cream on her head to protect it ) but has anyone ever rigged a hood like one used in falconry on hens to protect their head in a situation like this ?

 

[Eggcessive]

If I were you I would try spraying it with BluKote or applying Bag Balm to her head daily. The Bag Balm has an offensive taste, so it may help. I had a polish chicken nearly scalped by a cockerel recently, and I had to confine her to a large cage in the coop for a week. When a hard scab formed I sprayed with BluKote daily which disguises the area. Once the feathers grew in they left her alone.

 

[CMV]

I rigged up a hood for one of my birds for much the same reason. She HATED it. And I mean she really hated it. She was too ill to fight it at first, but once she was feeling better, she removed it at the first opportunity. So I added little ties to it. She nearly ripped her own head off trying to get it off. I gave up. I kept her separated until she healed enough for Blukote to hide the remainder of the wounds. I recommend not trying to use a hood unless you are making a falconers' hood. A blind(folded) bird will not try to fight the hood, but a bird with a scrap of fabric on their head will try to get that scrap off.

 

[Stephanie Mitchell]

I rigged up a hood for one of my birds for much the same reason. She HATED it. And I mean she really hated it. She was too ill to fight it at first, but once she was feeling better, she removed it at the first opportunity. So I added little ties to it. She nearly ripped her own head off trying to get it off. I gave up. I kept her separated until she healed enough for Blukote to hide the remainder of the wounds. I recommend not trying to use a hood unless you are making a falconers' hood. A blind(folded) bird will not try to fight the hood, but a bird with a scrap of fabric on their head will try to get that scrap off.

Damn. I was thinking of trying this but maybe making something more helmet like. I know she will argue. I wouldn't be able to keep it on probably. *Sigh* hoping I can integrate the polish back in with the rest soon with no casualty

 

[Keri Girl]

I rigged up a hood for one of my birds for much the same reason. She HATED it. And I mean she really hated it. She was too ill to fight it at first, but once she was feeling better, she removed it at the first opportunity. So I added little ties to it. She nearly ripped her own head off trying to get it off. I gave up. I kept her separated until she healed enough for Blukote to hide the remainder of the wounds. I recommend not trying to use a hood unless you are making a falconers' hood. A blind(folded) bird will not try to fight the hood, but a bird with a scrap of fabric on their head will try to get that scrap off.

Thank you for your story. We're having the same issue with our cockerel and a hen. Now everyone is picking on her. I'm going to follow your advice and hope she will pull out of it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you for your story. We're having the same issue with our cockerel and a hen. Now everyone is picking on her. I'm going to follow your advice and hope she will pull out of it.

For the time being, you should separate the picked on hen if she has a wound. A dog crate inside the coop or run with food and water will keep her a part of the flock while she heals. I do not tolerate roosters or cockerels that hurt hens. They are separated, culled, or rehomed.