Momma hen ripped off skin off chick’s head. ;-(.

[Bocktobery 10]

I had two broody hens on a clutch of eggs. 8 hatched and were a few days old when they abandoned the remaining eggs. Thankfully, finding another broody serama momma this time of year was not difficult, so I put the remaining eggs under them instead. Two more hatched. I decided to put the two newborns with the mommies that had the 8...why separate them, I thought.

Well, hindsight is always 20/20. I suppose either it was the scent of the other hen or perhaps the fact it was a late hatcher and wasnt as keen on wandering around as the others, but I came back to find this with one of the chicks.... Warning! Graphic!

So, as you can imagine, it’s a real horror. The chick seemed okay though. (In the photo it looks very ill, but it was just sleeping- you know how they do when they get warm heat). It was walking around like nothing happened. I took this one in with the other late hatcher and have them together with the heat pad. I put neosporin on the wound, and kept doing so anytime I saw that the gel had wore off. It has pain reliever in it (the kind that’s okay for chickens), so I figured this was good for the little one.

Its about two days later, and the wound looks better. It’s drying up and hopefully scabbing over. I just took this pic...

My question to all of you is-
Could I be doing anything more for the little one?
What are it’s chances of survival?
What causes a hen to do something like this?
When a good scab starts to form over this exposed skin, could I put it back with the others?
Will it forever have a bald spot?

I have my guesses, but would like to hear from others. It’s more active now, along with the other late hatcher now that it’s about three days old. I’m going to just make sure it’s got good heat, clean environment and good food (and a little company) and keep slathering on the neosporin. Anything else I should do?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

seramas are known to do that had the same thing happened i culled all of them as they will always do that its bad genetics or they are mixed with game birds

 

[Bocktobery 10]

If you culled all of them, how did you know your new ones you bought didn’t have the same problems?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

I’m not interested in culling... but making sure a life that is in my hands gets proper treatment. The creatures God bestowed upon me are not commodities, bad genetics and all. I’m not really in the business side of things.

Thanks though for informing me of that info.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

If you culled all of them, how did you know your new ones you bought didn’t have the same problems?

ive never gotten anymore the stock i had came from ebay wouldn't get more from there and i stick with wyandottes now since so many seramas are mixes these days its hard to find pure

 

[Shadrach]

I had two broody hens on a clutch of eggs. 8 hatched and were a few days old when they abandoned the remaining eggs. Thankfully, finding another broody serama momma this time of year was not difficult, so I put the remaining eggs under them instead. Two more hatched. I decided to put the two newborns with the mommies that had the 8...why separate them, I thought.

Well, hindsight is always 20/20. I suppose either it was the scent of the other hen or perhaps the fact it was a late hatcher and wasnt as keen on wandering around as the others, but I came back to find this with one of the chicks.... Warning! Graphic!




View attachment 1808100 So, as you can imagine, it’s a real horror. The chick seemed okay though. (In the photo it looks very ill, but it was just sleeping- you know how they do when they get warm heat). It was walking around like nothing happened. I took this one in with the other late hatcher and have them together with the heat pad. I put neosporin on the wound, and kept doing so anytime I saw that the gel had wore off. It has pain reliever in it (the kind that’s okay for chickens), so I figured this was good for the little one.

Its about two days later, and the wound looks better. It’s drying up and hopefully scabbing over. I just took this pic...
View attachment 1808107

My question to all of you is-
Could I be doing anything more for the little one?
What are it’s chances of survival?
What causes a hen to do something like this?
When a good scab starts to form over this exposed skin, could I put it back with the others?
Will it forever have a bald spot?

I have my guesses, but would like to hear from others. It’s more active now, along with the other late hatcher now that it’s about three days old. I’m going to just make sure it’s got good heat, clean environment and good food (and a little company) and keep slathering on the neosporin. Anything else I should do?


Thanks in advance.

It will probably survive but who is going to rear it?
I use this for such injuries. It will seal the wound and discourage further pecking.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-and-injuries-with-stockholm-hoof-tar.74400/

 

[Punkybrewster]

Ive had this happen. In a pinch, ive mixed blue food coloring with triple antibiotic and applied to the wound to help deter any pecking. The chicks healed and did fine.

 

[starri33]

I’m not interested in culling... but making sure a life that is in my hands gets proper treatment. The creatures God bestowed upon me are not commodities, bad genetics and all. I’m not really in the business side of things.

Thanks though for informing me of that info.

I would just keep those two separate from the rest of them till they are big enough to have a fighting chance, at least 1/2 the size of your others, it would be like what you would do if you'd bought chicks from tractor supply or something. You now know with this momma to be very careful with her. Has she done anything to the ones that hatched earlier? it could have been just a rejection on her part.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

ive never gotten anymore the stock i had came from ebay wouldn't get more from there and i stick with wyandottes now since so many seramas are mixes these days its hard to find pure

Thanks Poultrybonkers.. I’ve heard that too, that’s pure Seramas are rare. I’d love to know more about it. Finding good info on them has been at least, difficult fir me. There are a couple books, but are in different languages. Are there tell tale signs of impure Seramas?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

It will probably survive but who is going to rear it?
I use this for such injuries. It will seal the wound and discourage further pecking.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-and-injuries-with-stockholm-hoof-tar.74400/

Thanks Shadrach... that’s a good article! I’m not sure where to get that product around here. I’m also concerned it would get into the chick’s ears and eyes the rip is quite close.

I have another chick with it right now. They are both doing well in the brooder set up.