I feel so sorry for her

[herefordlovinglady]

My hen was attacked by somthing and has a huge open spot on the back of her head, no skin left. Now the rooster keeps pecking her. I have been putting an antibiotic ontment on her along with an iodine ontment and have kept her in a small pen about 3 ft by 5 ft with a roost about 3 ft high. she seems okay. i let her out when I am there so i can keep the rooster away from her. I only have scratch feed (i have 5 hens and one rooster they all run free and eat from the pasture and garden, etc.) is the scratch feed going to be enough for her? I saw where i can get frozen collards, spinach, etc. and throw out to them since it is hot -- which i plan to do this evening. I just don't have any knowledge of chickens and want her to be as comfortable as possible. When I let her out she follows me everywhere I go. She seems so broken by the rooster.

 

[ranchhand]

Okay, I'm going to try to help.

Welcome to BYC, sorry it is under such circumstances.

Separate her from the roo and other hens. Chickens are bullies, and will keep pecking the weak or injured until they kill it. Put her in a crate, cage, separate pen, whatever you can rig, until she heals. Keep her there until she heals, with maybe a little bit of time out alone daily. What she doesn't need is stress!

Scratch is meant as a treat only, and not recommended at all during hot weather. It's great in the winter, to provide extra calories for keeping warm. Not for hot weather. If she is of laying age, she need layer pellets or crumbles. Plain yogurt, cooked eggs and veggies can be her treats.

Make sure the antibiotic doesn't have any pain killer ending in "caine" in it. Just plain Neosporin is good, or the generic.

Spend some time browsing the categories in the Index. There's a lot of great info there. And the search box, top right, can take you to many threads about injured hens.

Good luck, I hope she makes it. She sounds like a sweetheart!

 

[speckledhen]

Give her extra protein like scrambled eggs and plain yogurt plus layer feed , not scratch. Keep her separate till she heals and keep neosporin on the wound.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

okay, i hate to sound ignorant, do i leave the pellets or crumbles in her pen all the time. i leave for four days and my husband will keep an eye on her, but he probably wont pamper her like i do, he will feed and water and be sure she is kept as cool as possible, so i need to be sure i have everything ready for him to do what needs to be done.

also, you think maybe it is not just the roo that is getting her? i have three game hens along with another hen (not sure what type), i never see the games near her, the other hen is like her best buddy.

thanks for any help, i feel so helpless right now. she is a sweet hen. i have loved dogs, my hereford cows, my cats, but never thought i would get so attached to darn hen -- too funny.

 

[AnnieOakley379]

Sorry about your hen. I'd follow the advice the other's gave, & ask your hubby to put Neosporin on the wound at least once a day while you're gone. It's not really pampering...she needs to heal.

Good luck!

 

[rancher hicks]

I just want to add that for my hen I used the neosporin spray. It was much easier to put on the wound.

 

[ChicknJ]

is her crate or cage inside away from attracting any predators? If so, yes you can leave the food out. I have also heard of people using Vicks rub to discourage pecking , but maybe save that for when you re-introduce her to the flock, that way she does not provide a tasty distraction.

I generally clean any wounds with normal saline (or water) spray with betadine, then dress daily with a very thin layer of an antibiotic cream for about 5 days. Then I let it dry and heal. I also just keep any injured chicken in my kitchen in a large dog crate with lots of goodies. Sometimes during the healing phase I will let the hurt one out to range if I can be right there. Right before I reintroduce the injured chicken, I'll grab a milder mannered hen and put them together for a day or two, then let them out to free range together, then let them go to bed together at night. That has seemed to work well for reintegration without alot of problems.

Good luck, hope it all works out for your hen.

 

[citrusdreams]

I agree with everyone else - scratch for treat, layer mash/pellets as food. Ask your husband to keep food and fresh water in there. I'm assuming he's not there all the time, so fill it up in the AM and PM, and don't forget the neosporin.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Ya'll are wonderful, i feel so much better about her healing now. My husband is there on the farm all day so he will be able to run by through out the day to be sure her water is fresh and she is cool. I plan to also get her some other treats. Thanks so much for everything.

 

[babyspice35]

Aww hope she does better!