Injured beak and waddle

[rayrose]

I have 17 week old Buff Orpington hen that must have gotten in a fight, because she has an obvious
wound to her beak and her right waddle. Late yesterday, she just walked around slowly and wouldn't eat.
I couldn't see any obvious wounds, but this morning the wounds are obvious. They're all (14) in the coop
right now. The others seem to be leaving her alone for now. Should I leave her alone and let her heal by herself or should I put her in a dog crate, until she heals. Is there anything that I should put on her beak and waddle.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Chicalina]

I can't see anything more than a minor injury, unless its just a bad pic. Blukote helps disinfect and stop the others pecking at a red spot. I'd leave her there unless they constantly peck after you have blukoted it. Separating causes stress and reduces her flock status and is only worth doing if the harm of keeping her in the flock outweighs that.

Are they picking on her anyway? Perhaps watch the flock closely for a few days to see who is leading the bullies and then take them out for a week to bring them down a peg.

 

[rayrose]

Thanks, Should I do anything for her beak or will that heal by itself?

 

[LaFleche]

It seems as if the top of her upper beak is ripped off (the outer layer) and just hanging by a thread.

If that is the case I would disinfect the beak and the wattle and provide her with soft food as the beak sure will hurt trying to pick solids like grain or else.
Additionally you could offer some tea to reduce possible inflammation: oregano, sage, thyme and aniseed.

 

[rayrose]

Somehow in editing it, it got deleted. How do I reinstall it?

 

[rayrose]

My mistake, it's still there

 

[rayrose]

Would you blu-kote the beak also or use something else?

 

[Chicalina]

I see the beak now. That looks bad. I'm not sure what else to suggest besides make sure it isn't still bleeding and clean it well. If it is the dead portion of the beak, like the end of a fingernail, perhaps it will be replaced by more beak as it grows out. I have no idea how much of the beak tissue is alive, but I would imagine most of it.

I'd be tempted to superglue the end bit back on (if the stub is healed) just so she can eat unaided while it regrows but other people will probably say that is a bad idea.

I wouldn't blukote if it is clean, not bleeding and not bright red.

Poor chicken. At the least I'd give vitamins to boost her immune system and recovery time. Sorry i can't be of more help.

 

[Chicalina]

Perhaps @Wyorp Rock can advise. They've helped me with an injury before.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 17 week old Buff Orpington hen that must have gotten in a fight, because she has an obvious
wound to her beak and her right waddle. Late yesterday, she just walked around slowly and wouldn't eat.
I couldn't see any obvious wounds, but this morning the wounds are obvious. They're all (14) in the coop
right now. The others seem to be leaving her alone for now. Should I leave her alone and let her heal by herself or should I put her in a dog crate, until she heals. Is there anything that I should put on her beak and waddle.
Thanks for your help.

It's possible she may have gotten into a fight. Most of the time I've had a beak injury that involved the tip of the beak like that, the bird had been trying to reach through fencing (hardware cloth or similar). The wattle, hard to know, scraping across wire would be my guess.
Both the beak and wattle injury look minor to me.

Since the tip is hanging, if you wish, you can use toenail trimmers and clip the hanging piece off or it will fall off on it's own in a couple of days. The quick underneath will harden in a few days, but she will be sore for a little while. Providing her with a little wet feed can be helpful.

Personally, unless I decided the hanging tip needed trimmed off, I would not do anything else. No gluing, no antiseptic, no bluekote, etc. Leave her with the flock and just observe to see if the others are picking at her. Likely they won't.