Kodiakchickens scalped chick - Final post page 6

[kodiakchicken]

One of my 4 week olds got into the pen with the 8 week olds and we didn't realize it. I went out to water them and she was sitting there with all the skin missing off her skull. She's still alive, but the blood is not free flowing, so it's been awhile. Her eyes don't appear damaged but the skin is gone from right behind the eyes all the way to the back of her head. I can see the muscles that reach up from her neck to the skin on her head working, but all the other meat is gone. Is there any hope she can recover from this and if so, what should I do. I would say the size of skin missing is close to a quarter size. Doesn't look like the skull was penetrated or brain damaged.

I just don't know if I should try to save her or cull her now. I have no access to vet supplies between now and Monday. The best I could do is get anti infection stuff from Wal-Mart.

Please help. This is one of Halo's blue babies, but I don't want her to suffer more than necessary either.

 

[BeckyLa]

First, I would bring her in and keep her warm but in a dark place. For example, put her in a cage with a towel over it and plenty of bedding to snuggle in. I'd clean the wound well, so there is no dirt, and put some Neosporin on the wound and leave her till tomorrow. If she's ok in the morning, be sure she has food and water. If you have them, put electrolytes and vitamins in her water. If she seems better and in interested in food, I'd mix some of her chick food with some plain yogurt for her. Then just watch her. Keep an eye out to be sure she is eating and drinking, keep an eye on her poop to be sure it's normal, and watch for any signs of infection. I have been on this forum for years and have heard of several birds with wounds just as bad or worse that grew new skin and feathers and went on to live a good life. Just hang in there.

 

[mainchick]

Quote:
i agree! i have a gorgeous champion leghorn (grand champion at the Orange county fair) that was scalped by a hawk. down to the bone and she is still alive and well.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Thank you both! We pulled her out and wrapped her in a towel and put her in a tote with a blanket. We tried to give her some water but she didn't want it right now. Wil give it a bit. I'll go get fresh neosporin from Wal-mart and some pedialite and yogut. If I remember right, no "caine" medicines, right?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Right... you don't want the Pain-Relief Neosporin... just the plain stuff, or A&D ointment.

I pm'd you, but they told you the same thing... keep her warm, dry, and clean and let her heal. She'll be ok.

 

[Chickenfortress]

I had this same problem, too. Most of the skin was still there, it had retracted down the neck. I managed to pull it back into place, and stitch it there. The bird stayed inside for a week, then all was fine. Her feathers grew back to cover the area a few days later. Now you can't tell she was injured.

 

[hoosier]

How is she this morning?

 

[kodiakchicken]

Hi everyone. Sorry I'm just posting back to this. I had an early morning meeting that I just got back from.

We got the fresh neosporin and some pedialite and yogurt last night. Coated her skull and the skin edges with neosporin. Chickenfortress, I don't see any skin that can be stiched up. I've lifted her head a bit to see if her neck was damaged and didn't see any excess skin. That's my biggest concern - how will the skin grow back over a completely exposed skull?

She did make it through the night though. Even woke us up around 7am with a loud cheep. She gives tiny cheeps if you pick her up. I'm sure from pain, but at least she has the energy for that. Her cheeps have increased in volume, but she only does it when disturbed. We are keeping her in our bedroom in a small crate with towels and blankets.

Have gotten a few drops of pedialite in her here and there - it's almost forced. I did take some yogurt and crumbles in just now and held it to her beak. She seemed to eat about five nibbles of yogurt willingly but didn't even open her mouth big enough to take in a crumble. Will probably just try straight yogurt for awhile.

Wes cleaned her eyes gently with a wet swab this morning, as she hadn't opened them since last night. I thought last night that her eyes were okay, but they are very swollen and closed today (he said she did open her left, but not the right) and I just don't know if they are damaged or not.

I keep thinking it would be fairer to her to just cull her, as she must be in excruciating pain, but she lived for how long amongst the big birds and then through the night, which shows that she must have an extremely strong will to live. I just can't take a life that seems to be fighting so hard to live.

I still feel so horrible about this. I'm the one that left the top off the small brooder - never expecting they would fly up and over the wire around the big brooder. I woke up from a nightmare this morning that I had found three more little bodies in the big brooder. Not possible but still disturbing.

I did take photos that I'll try to upload in a bit. Thanks for all your help and I'll keep you updated.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Pictures will be good. Don't be too hard on yourself, things happen.

 

[Poohbear]

Keep her head with medicine mentioned above on it and make sure she gets water and soft feed for a few days. Wipe her eyes open with warm water on a soft cloth or cotton a couple times a day and your going to be surprised how fast she heals. I have one rooster that had his whole skull exposed and he is now 11 months old and beautiful with just a bald spot on his head. Kinda distinquished, I think.