Injured Chickens

[Kelliekevin]

Hey there fellow chicken people!

I really need your help! Today I went out to get the eggs from my girls (4 Red Sexlinks) and 2 had been injured, one very badly. She is bloody and barley moving, she's lethargic. The other one has had the combs ripped off either side of her face and is bloody around her neck but she seems fine as shes walking around like normal. The other girls peck the seriously injured one as they walk by her. She also has no feathers on her under belly. The inside of the coup where they sleep and lay their eggs looks like a crime scene as there is blood spatter all over the walls. We raised these chicks from a day old, so the pecking order was established long ago. They will be 2 years old this spring. This is the first time we have seen blood shed. Now the head hen is quite the... well... ***** is the only word that comes to mind. We turn on a heat lamp on the very cold nights and she will not let the other girls up into the coup when it is on. My husband has to go out there and physically put the other girls in the coup and shut the door so they can sleep and be warm to. Could it be that the head hen and the second in command be killing the other 2 hens? This seems odd to me as they were raised together, so why now? Any ideas? What should I do?


This is the seriously injured one.



This is the one who seems fine but has had the combs on either side of her face ripped off.



She also has blood around her neck as you can see here.

 

[ChickenLover172]

I would suggest isolating the "head hen" for a few days to avoid any more injuries.

 

[justplainbatty]

I would take the injured one inside. Clean up all her wounds, wash off the blood and apply antibiotic cream to wounds. Then put her in a cage with some food and water. Cover cage with a towel or two to keep her warm and calm. she looks like she is in shock.

 

[Kelliekevin]

Yes we have done that... any idea as to why all of a sudden after 2 years this would happen?

Cheers
Kellie

 

[Kelliekevin]

We will do that... thank you!

Any idea as to why this is happening? They have grown up together.

Cheers
Kellie

 

[justplainbatty]

We will do that... thank you!

Any idea as to why this is happening? They have grown up together.

Cheers
Kellie

When chickens' combs or wattles bleed, they often shake their heads and it goes everywhere. One of my roosters got a bite to his comb and though it wasn't a really bad injury, the ceiling above where he was roosting looked like a crime scene. They may be turning on one another out of boredom or aggravation if they are closely confined. Maybe the badly injured hen has been hiding an illness form you but the others know she is sick. Could be someone trying to rise in the pecking order. These are just thoughts, not facts, you'll have to watch them in their coop to figure it out. I hope this helps a little.

 

[Kelliekevin]

Thank you so much justplainbatty you helped alot!

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you so much justplainbatty you helped alot!

You are welcome! We are always here to help!