Injury near comb

[MomvdH]

Hello. I am a first time chicken mom and this is our first possible injury. Our chickens are 15 weeks old. We started with 8, we are down to 6 (rehomed 2 roosters so far). This is one of 2 hens that we are certain of. We have a very large black maran rooster, who has started chasing all the chickens we have left. Being new, I have no idea if this is just what they do. But tonight, while doing our bedtime chicken chores, we found this on the hens head. Does it look like an injury done by another chicken? And if so, what do you do??? I do suspect we have another rooster as well, but he is not so clearly identified. He/she does chase as well though. Probably more information than needed, but maybe it helps.

 

[Debbie292d]

Our roos and their flock ignore our seven 3 mos old ones, and all are free ranging peacefully until an old hen gets too close. Then our rooster steps in between the two and chases the hen away. Is that roo chasing yours around a young one? If so, I'd pen him up for a few days to see if he could try get along with them.

Your hen could have caught her comb on something that did that as well as another chicken, but regardless, the other chickens most likely will peck at it if blood is showing. I would keep her separate for a couple days and either put some triple antibiotic (without painkiller) ointment on it or they make a specific antibiotic wound care spray called Vetericyn you could spray on it.

Good luck! She's cute!

 

[MomvdH]

Our roos and their flock ignore our seven 3 mos old ones, and all are free ranging peacefully until an old hen gets too close. Then our rooster steps in between the two and chases the hen away. Is that roo chasing yours around a young one? If so, I'd pen him up for a few days to see if he could try get along with them.

Your hen could have caught her comb on something that did that as well as another chicken, but regardless, the other chickens most likely will peck at it if blood is showing. I would keep her separate for a couple days and either put some triple antibiotic (without painkiller) ointment on it or they make a specific antibiotic wound care spray called Vetericyn you could spray on it.

Good luck! She's cute!

They are all the same age. I hadn’t thought of her getting injured another way. Hmmm. Thank you for your response. I will look for that spray.