Hurt/attacked/cannabalised chicken help!

Apr 15, 2022
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Central Minnesota
Help! I came home and found my chicken bloody with feathers missing. I susupect my other hens but this seems like a lot for them. In the past I’ve had hens peck at feathered footed hens feet feathers. But nothing like this! I’ve washed it and sprayed it with blu kote and I’m currently giving her auger/salt water cuz I read about it. Anything else to do? Also I’m in Minnesota so we are facing negative degree weather. How long do I keep her inside/away from the flock and how can I reintroduce her to the weather
 

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Help! I came home and found my chicken bloody with feathers missing. I susupect my other hens but this seems like a lot for them. In the past I’ve had hens peck at feathered footed hens feet feathers. But nothing like this! I’ve washed it and sprayed it with blu kote and I’m currently giving her auger/salt water cuz I read about it. Anything else to do? Also I’m in Minnesota so we are facing negative degree weather. How long do I keep her inside/away from the flock and how can I reintroduce her to the weather
Is she your only Polish? Do you have other non-crested breeds in with her usually? How big is your coop and how many chickens?
 
I have two polish. 14 hens of different breeds Cochins delawares leghorn egger. My coop and run are built for 20 hens with 3ft per bird in the run and 10 in the run so size is not the issue. I give them scratch in the morning to keep them warm and I put it all along the ground so the have to scratch around for it to keep them busy. I have obstacles in the run.. mirrors and wood and boxes. They will all be a year old in march this is my first flock and they all grew up together.
 
I have two polish. 14 hens of different breeds Cochins delawares leghorn egger. My coop and run are built for 20 hens with 3ft per bird in the run and 10 in the run so size is not the issue. I give them scratch in the morning to keep them warm and I put it all along the ground so the have to scratch around for it to keep them busy. I have obstacles in the run.. mirrors and wood and boxes. They will all be a year old in march this is my first flock and they all grew up together.
3ft in the coop and 10ft in the run per bird with enough space for 20 hens with those measurements and I only have 14
 
Is she your only Polish? Do you have other non-crested breeds in with her usually? How big is your coop and how many chickens?
Should I set up a pen for her put in the coop and keep her outside when it’s going to be -4 tonight? I wouldn’t worry about her but if she is bleeding that doesn’t seem wise. But then I know separation from the flock can be bad too.
 
I would definitely keep her inside for at least a night and separate until it heals. Being cold and alone in a pen plus the shock of whatever happened isn;t a good combo. If the others did that to her you already have a serious flock issue that I doubt separation could make worse. Also with vaulted skull breeds I worry about brain damage from pecking.

I recommend getting a chicken cam so you can see for sure what is going on. If there is just one bully you can try separating the bully for a few days, but if it is most of the flock you may need to keep your polish in a separate area with a couple friendlier girls if there are any.
 
I would definitely keep her inside for at least a night and separate until it heals. Being cold and alone in a pen plus the shock of whatever happened isn;t a good combo. If the others did that to her you already have a serious flock issue that I doubt separation could make worse. Also with vaulted skull breeds I worry about brain damage from pecking.

I recommend getting a chicken cam so you can see for sure what is going on. If there is just one bully you can try separating the bully for a few days, but if it is most of the flock you may need to keep your polish in a separate area with a couple friendlier girls if there are any.
With it being so cold will putting her outside but separate be an issue? It’ll get up to 30 I think tomorrow but it’s -4 tonight. So I don’t want to put her outside desperate but will acclimating her inside be an issue. She’s already been inside for a couple hours.
 
With it being so cold will putting her outside but separate be an issue? It’ll get up to 30 I think tomorrow but it’s -4 tonight. So I don’t want to put her outside desperate but will acclimating her inside be an issue. She’s already been inside for a couple hours.
Can you keep her with a buddy or two who won't bully her? They can keep each other warm.
 
You have to keep her separated for a week from the flock. That's how long it usually takes for injuries like that to heal properly. And she has to stay indoors while she's healing. If you keep her with the flock in her condition she'll get an infection. Don't have any other chickens with her. You need a sanitary environment while she heals.

Also trim the feathers around her eyes so she can see properly. She's probably getting ambushed by the flock cause she can't see.
 

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