How to help hen injured by cable tie around its neck?

[rod5591]

I noticed my Delaware hen was acting different. She was always one of the alpha hens, bold and aggressive in claiming her share of food. She apparently put her head through a large closed cable tie, and couldn’t get it off. The friction appears to have rubbed off some neck feathers, and there may be a friction abrasion on the back of her neck. I think it may have been on her for 3 days before I noticed it. I removed it, and she is a little better. She eats and drinks water, but whereas she used to be a top hen, now she is on the bottom rank. She looks harassed rather than bold. Some of the lower ranking hens now chase her off when I bring food to the flock. I have not seen Her pecked. I had the thought to remove her from the flock to allow her to heal. Is this a good idea? See photos.

 

[ShannonR]

You mean like a zip tie? What makes you think that is what happened? How does a hen manage to stick her head in one of those? Anything is possible, but that's quite an accident lol

 

[Kessel23]

Idk, kinda looks like she is molting in the second picture. I see new feathers coming in. Is there even a cut? It should heal up fine I have had worse neck injuries.

Spoiler: Bad neck injury

A little over 1 month in between pictures

I would not be to concerned about your hen. If there is an actual cut you might want to treat it so it does not get infected but even without treatment the majority of cuts on chickens will heal quickly. Shifts in the pecking order happen often and hens will fight a weak bird above them when they get the chance so they can boost their own position.

 

[ShannonR]

Just for future reference, cable ties make poor chicken collars.

 

[Kessel23]

Just for future reference, cable ties make poor chicken collars.

Yeah, the best chicken collar is one that goes around the birds leg, not its neck.

 

[ShannonR]

Yeah, the best chicken collar is one that goes around the birds leg, not its neck.

My thoughts exactly. You might have to replace them as they break or the bird outgrows them, but legs are a much more suitable location for zip ties. I've done that myself to keep track of breeders.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed my Delaware hen was acting different. She was always one of the alpha hens, bold and aggressive in claiming her share of food. She apparently put her head through a large closed cable tie, and couldn’t get it off. The friction appears to have rubbed off some neck feathers, and there may be a friction abrasion on the back of her neck. I think it may have been on her for 3 days before I noticed it. I removed it, and she is a little better. She eats and drinks water, but whereas she used to be a top hen, now she is on the bottom rank. She looks harassed rather than bold. Some of the lower ranking hens now chase her off when I bring food to the flock. I have not seen Her pecked. I had the thought to remove her from the flock to allow her to heal. Is this a good idea? See photos.

Hi @rod5591 Can you get someone to hold her, move the feathers aside so we can see the injury more clearly?
Does she have an open wound or scabbing?

I do agree, it looks like she has some new feathers coming in on the neck. But you feel that she is just not quite acting herself. It would be a good idea to monitor her more closely - feel the crop when she goes to roost, then first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks. This is for comparison - at night the crop should be full, the morning empty.

If she is molting this may be another reason she is acting a bit off. Watch to see if she is eating/drinking well. If she is being chased from food, then add another feed station. You can also try caging her within the run so she is not harassed (give her her own food/water). I would not remove her completely from the flock.
Look forward to additional photos and information.

 

[rod5591]

You mean like a zip tie? What makes you think that is what happened? How does a hen manage to stick her head in one of those? Anything is possible, but that's quite an accident lol

I saw it around her neck. I cut it off with some sizzlers. Now how she did it—I don’t know.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Sorry to hear about your chicken's accident. It's a good thing you copped it, sounds like it could have been fatal if that thing tightened!

As Wyorp Rock says, it does look like she's molting. I would also check her crop first thing in morning and keep an eye on her for a few days. Chickens will sometims fall down that 'chicken ladder' while they molt, ans there are new feathers coming in. But considering you know something happened her - monitor her for a little while.

 

[rod5591]

My thoughts exactly. You might have to replace them as they break or the bird outgrows them, but legs are a much more suitable location for zip ties. I've done that myself to keep track of breeders.

Just to be clear, I did not place a zip tie around her neck! I found it already there. I am not certain how she got it there, but she obviously put her head into one that was already zipped. It was about 5 inches in diameter in size