Injury: Chicken wont close her beak

[vdietz]

One of my rescued brown leghorns my husband found yesterday with the rooster on her, swollen face and still isn't closing her beak. This morning it is less swollen and her face looks bruised. I gave her water by syringe last night and this morning...and i text the neighbors if that rooster can go to their mature flock for some manners!
What should I do? Broken? Can she recover?
Picture is yesterday

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You remind me I shouldn't feel guilty for removing extra cockeral from my flock.

I think it's best just to wait and see. You may be able to tell if anything is broken by moving the mouth around, but you may cause more damage and pain. I'd give her some wet liquid mash to eat, and maybe some aspirin for pain. I don't know the dosage.

@Wyorp Rock , or @Eggcessive can you help?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How is she doing?
If you are able to syringe enough fluids into her that would be good.
See if the swelling is down in the morning. (Let's hope!)

Just in case, if you look inside her beak, do you notice any yellow or white lesions or patches?

Wet feed is a good idea. Hard to know if the beak is broken or not, so I would take care with syringing or tube feeding - but it's an option if she's not able to stay hydrated and eat on her own.

Sometimes pain is good since they will self limit their activities, but if you feel she needs some relief you could give her 1/2 of an 81mg tablet of Aspirin twice a day for 2 days to see if that helps.

 

[vdietz]

How is she doing?
If you are able to syringe enough fluids into her that would be good.
See if the swelling is down in the morning. (Let's hope!)

Just in case, if you look inside her beak, do you notice any yellow or white lesions or patches?

Wet feed is a good idea. Hard to know if the beak is broken or not, so I would take care with syringing or tube feeding - but it's an option if she's not able to stay hydrated and eat on her own.

Sometimes pain is good since they will self limit their activities, but if you feel she needs some relief you could give her 1/2 of an 81mg tablet of Aspirin twice a day for 2 days to see if that helps.

Swelling is better but her whole side of her face is bruised. I think that she is holding her beak a bit more closed but is still holding it open. She did good with moistened chick food. She ended up in with my 2 week old chicks today for a bit and I thought she was eating their food. She was definitely trying but when i felt her crop it was empty. That is when we tried the mash. She also seemed to do better with their water rather than the little nipple cups I am using for the flock. We will give it some time but Roo Roo may have to go... which is such a bummer he is so pretty and would be good for flock protection when they are free ranging.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Swelling is better but her whole side of her face is bruised. I think that she is holding her beak a bit more closed but is still holding it open. She did good with moistened chick food. She ended up in with my 2 week old chicks today for a bit and I thought she was eating their food. She was definitely trying but when i felt her crop it was empty. That is when we tried the mash. She also seemed to do better with their water rather than the little nipple cups I am using for the flock. We will give it some time but Roo Roo may have to go... which is such a bummer he is so pretty and would be good for flock protection when they are free ranging.

It's good that she was able to eat a little. If chick starter interests her, it won't hurt her - you can also make that into a wet mash too.

I've never used nipple cups so...but I agree with you - a deeper bowl to drink from or if you have it a spare chick water station. Set the food and water up higher as well - about chest high on her - maybe on a block(?) it may be easier to reach especially if she's bruised. Sounds like he may have had her by the neck too

How old is the cockerel? IF very young, then maybe give him some time to mature and see how it goes. I will tell you if he matures and still attacks - just cull him. Don't give him away, eat him. I'm not being mean, but I had a gorgeous heritage BR rooster, loved him to death, he was great with me, but hated a couple of hens. He beat one up pretty bad, I gave him chances, more than I like to admit. He beat her badly again and that was it. A cockerel or rooster who is spending time beating up a hen is not protecting the flock. I don't mean to sound harsh - I've made mistakes, I would hate for someone else to go through the same thing.
There really are roosters out there that are nice to the ladies, you have to find the right one. Maturity and a good temperament is what you are after. Beauty is a bonus.

 

[vdietz]

It's good that she was able to eat a little. If chick starter interests her, it won't hurt her - you can also make that into a wet mash too.

I've never used nipple cups so...but I agree with you - a deeper bowl to drink from or if you have it a spare chick water station. Set the food and water up higher as well - about chest high on her - maybe on a block(?) it may be easier to reach especially if she's bruised. Sounds like he may have had her by the neck too

How old is the cockerel? IF very young, then maybe give him some time to mature and see how it goes. I will tell you if he matures and still attacks - just cull him. Don't give him away, eat him. I'm not being mean, but I had a gorgeous heritage BR rooster, loved him to death, he was great with me, but hated a couple of hens. He beat one up pretty bad, I gave him chances, more than I like to admit. He beat her badly again and that was it. A cockerel or rooster who is spending time beating up a hen is not protecting the flock. I don't mean to sound harsh - I've made mistakes, I would hate for someone else to go through the same thing.
There really are roosters out there that are nice to the ladies, you have to find the right one. Maturity and a good temperament is what you are after. Beauty is a bonus.

He is young. He is 19 weeks. Unfortunately he has hurt other ladies...I want to give him the chance to mature. What age do you consider them through puberty?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He is young. He is 19 weeks. Unfortunately he has hurt other ladies...I want to give him the chance to mature. What age do you consider them through puberty?

What breed is he?
Are all the other ladies his age too?

At 19 weeks they are hormone filled, but if he's hurting the other girls then personally I would get rid of him or separate him out until he is atleast 8-9months old (or even older). Then see what happens. If he injures hens/pullets at that age, then I would cull him.

What I would consider a "mature rooster" is 1 yr or older.

 

[vdietz]

What breed is he?
Are all the other ladies his age too?

At 19 weeks they are hormone filled, but if he's hurting the other girls then personally I would get rid of him or separate him out until he is atleast 8-9months old (or even older). Then see what happens. If he injures hens/pullets at that age, then I would cull him.

What I would consider a "mature rooster" is 1 yr or older.

He is a silkie.
I have 9 Easter Egger pullets 20 weeks.
1 silkie pullet and 1 other silkie cockerel 19 weeks.
3 resucued pullets I was told were 15 weeks last weekend so 16 weeks now, they are small even compared to my silkie pullet. I think they were underfed. Presumed by the group to be RSL, brown leghorn and brown leghorn vs Welsummer.
And 6 2.5 week old Easter egger chicks in a tote.
The girl with the beak is the brown leghorn vs Welsummer. She does seem to be making improvements in how she holds it. I havent seen him pay her any mind before or after the incident where this injury occured. 1 of the Easter eggers he seems to have it out for. I had a couple chickens that seemed pecked at their eyes and one with an injured leg all one day we left them cooped longer then we usually do. Not sure what happened or even who all was involved but the one he has it out for now got the worst of it that day. Both here eyes were swollen and she just sat with her eyes closed all day. She wouldn't get herself water or food. I syringed her water, electrolytes and hand fed her food for a week. She then would eat on her own so we would feed her separately and give her time to not be bothered. Sometimes she is with the flock without issue, others she sits on the roost by herself, I have found her roosting against the rooster in question(on his low roost as he cant get himself up with everyone else) and then there are times he chases her around, seeks her out of the flock to pick on, or he grabs the feathers on her back and wont let go especially when she flys off the roost out into the run. She looks a bit rough, her weight is still down and when she is on the roost I feel like she has droopy wings...but it is hot so not sure what to think or do. She could sit on one of the roosts outside even. He cant get up there either...other cockerel sleeps on the top roost and can get on the roosts outside...Roo Roo is just to heavy with no lift!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos of your coop set-up and of that cockerel too?

If you have another cockerel in there with them as well, that may be part of the issue. Hard to know - competition. It may seem like the other is not competition, but it's there.

The one that is injuring the girls. House him separately. Cockerels mature faster than pullets. The girls (pullets) are not ready to mate yet and he's young and hormonal so he's forcing them.
If he were with mature hens they might put him in his place - some hens are docile and won't - it all depends on the dynamics.

Keeping him housed separate won't kill him. It might sound cruel, but he will be fine. See what some maturity does for him - it may help or he may just be a bully. If you separate him, watch to see if the other cockerel steps in and starts the same behavior.
For me, it's not worth keeping a male that beats of the girls.
Don't get me wrong, I adore my roosters, they have a purpose - fertilization of eggs, my personal enjoyment (I think they are beautiful), continuation of lines and for the most part they keep peace within the flock - but the hens are the producers and deserve to be taken care of. .