My chicken was attacked by another a few hours ago, her comb has been partially ripped from the back of her head, and her crown seems bloody. Advice?

[LadyVenus]

Hi! I'm really concerned, my German Vorwerk chook is doing okay, though very tired, almost lethargic. When I separated the sick chook from the aggressor (locked under the house w/food and water), she had very wet and swollen eyes, the crown of her head was bloody and her comb is loose towards the back of her head.

I dabbed some of the blood up with a tissue and some isopropyl alcohol - then tried to apply a little bit of antiseptic ointment, didn't get far though. I plan on seeing if a nearby chemist has any spray on antiseptic powders, are there any other topical medications, or particular feed that I can buy to help make her more comfortable? I'm very worried about her.

We are in rural NSW, Australia, vets don't accept chickens but we have a few stores nearby, but I'm really just after some advice?
Thank all of you for your help.

IMAGES ARE GRAPHIC

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Awww poor girl! She got the (bleep) beat out of her, eh? Or, you don't suppose she got her head caught in that chicken wire? That might account for the swelling around her head and the torn comb. You did well to disinfect it and stop bleeding.

I don't know if it's available in your area, but in the US there's a product called Blu-Kote. It's an antiseptic/antibacterial spray with a deep blue dye. It works very well to aid in healing, and since it dyes everything blue, other chickens aren't so tempted to peck at the injured area. (chickens love to peck at anything red, and especially an injured bird)

I'd keep her away from the flock for a few days, warm and quiet, and let her rest and recover. Find that Blu-Kote or something similar to treat her wounds. Don't keep her away from the flock for too long, or you'll have to re-integrate her and that can't go well for a lone hen. If she needs more time separated, then put her in a wire cage or similar IN the coop, so she can be with her flockmates while she recovers.

What will you do about the aggressor? Options are to: Cull her, rehome her, or get some pinless peepers on her so she can't do this again. Or remove the injured hen instead.

Poor girl, I hope she recovers quickly.

 

[David61]

hydrogen peroxide and triple antibiotic ointment.
isolate the bird until better.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I saw that you can buy Vetericyn products in Australia and they are awesome: https://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/products/vetericyn-plus?variant=10532380016676

I would use something like that and keep her separated, well hydrated and fed until she is healed and then get her back out with the others and see how she goes (keeping an eye on her attacker if there is one). It looks dramatic but in my experience things like this heal really well and quite quickly.

 

[LadyVenus]

hydrogen peroxide and triple antibiotic ointment.
isolate the bird until better.

Thank you!

 

[LadyVenus]

Awww poor girl! She got the (bleep) beat out of her, eh? Or, you don't suppose she got her head caught in that chicken wire? That might account for the swelling around her head and the torn comb. You did well to disinfect it and stop bleeding.

I don't know if it's available in your area, but in the US there's a product called Blu-Kote. It's an antiseptic/antibacterial spray with a deep blue dye. It works very well to aid in healing, and since it dyes everything blue, other chickens aren't so tempted to peck at the injured area. (chickens love to peck at anything red, and especially an injured bird)

I'd keep her away from the flock for a few days, warm and quiet, and let her rest and recover. Find that Blu-Kote or something similar to treat her wounds. Don't keep her away from the flock for too long, or you'll have to re-integrate her and that can't go well for a lone hen. If she needs more time separated, then put her in a wire cage or similar IN the coop, so she can be with her flockmates while she recovers.

What will you do about the aggressor? Options are to: Cull her, rehome her, or get some pinless peepers on her so she can't do this again. Or remove the injured hen instead.

Poor girl, I hope she recovers quickly.

That's very sweet of you but no, the chicken wire is neither sharp or strong enough to cut, and I did witness the assault.

We weren't able to find antiseptic powder yesterday but we are going to keep on looking. I will absolutely look into finding that blue-kote (I had a suspicion about the red fixation but I didn't know it was real! How interesting).
We have a small place under the house where I put my aggressive or broody hooks for a few days with food, hay and water, that's where the aggressor (Sylvia) is - I'm trying to find a solution to separating my hurt chicken (Carmel) from the flock (in terms of physical separation and shelter) but I might be able to get my hands on a fairly spacious cage or carrier from an aunt. I wish to re-home her but the rest of the family hopes it's just a one off.

I'm afraid that her condition has not improved. I believe her left eye was pecked out, it has completely covered over (hopefully it's just swelling but it isn't pretty). She has barely got vision through her right eye, it's extremely squinted, she is walking into walls, into her water bowls and other chooks.

She is essentially blind and very tired. As I've been typing this, I've been watching her, I let her rest in the shade with her friends and she stood up for a little bit, she hasn't moved at all - like she doesn't know where she is.


Thank you so much for your help, and my chance to ramble, I nurse all my chooks back to health but I don't know if I can do anything here. I'll make sure to keep updates.

 

[LadyVenus]

I saw that you can buy Vetericyn products in Australia and they are awesome: https://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/products/vetericyn-plus?variant=10532380016676

I would use something like that and keep her separated, well hydrated and fed until she is healed and then get her back out with the others and see how she goes (keeping an eye on her attacker if there is one). It looks dramatic but in my experience things like this heal really well and quite quickly.

Hello! Thank you for linking that website!.I'm not able to access many medications or treatments for my animals locally. Heavily, heavily appreciated

I think you have the right idea, I will borrow a spacious pet cage and store some hay, food and water in there too. The attacker is under the house until I dub her as passive. But my German Vorwerk hasn't necessarily improved. The blood from her teared comb on the crown of her head has thickened and almost glued it back in place, but is still extremely sensitive to the touch, which seems to be improving.
However, I feel like her eye might have been pecked out as well. Her right eye is completely covered over and there is barely any sight left in her left. I hope it's just swelling, but if the right is gone then I hope the left will adapt and heal.
She's been waking into walls, other chickens, through her food and water. I haven't been able to get her to eat or drink (she can't see it) and she doesn't attempt to move when I place her somewhere, like she doesn't know where she is.

I think it's a good idea to keep her mainly in her own little cage seeing that she can't really move anyway. Thankyou for your advice, I am super grateful for your help

 

[BarnyardChaos]

You may need to syringe-feed or tube-feed her if she can't eat on her own. I don't have a specific link for you, but it's easy to google. Have you tried holding a small dish of food directly in front of her and touching her beak to it? Same with water?

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Hi! I'm really concerned, my German Vorwerk chook is doing okay, though very tired, almost lethargic. When I separated the sick chook from the aggressor (locked under the house w/food and water), she had very wet and swollen eyes, the crown of her head was bloody and her comb is loose towards the back of her head.

I dabbed some of the blood up with a tissue and some isopropyl alcohol - then tried to apply a little bit of antiseptic ointment, didn't get far though. I plan on seeing if a nearby chemist has any spray on antiseptic powders, are there any other topical medications, or particular feed that I can buy to help make her more comfortable? I'm very worried about her.

We are in rural NSW, Australia, vets don't accept chickens but we have a few stores nearby, but I'm really just after some advice?
Thank all of you for your help.

IMAGES ARE GRAPHIC

I am so sorry to see this for you both I wish I knew of something herbal/natural to suggest internally and topical. I’m sure this is heartbreaking to witness.

I am hoping for the best. I would think if her eye is gone that she would need some antibiotics to stave off infection, but in the meantime I hope she heals.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I would definitely try dipping her beak in water or dripping some on the side of her beak (even off your finger) if you’ve not seen her drink. She can go some time without food but hydration is essential. You have to be careful that she swallows each time and doesn’t choke on it but sometimes if you just dip their beak or help them to find the water that’s enough to get them to have a big drink.

When you say her eye is “completely covered over”, do you mean that it’s swollen shut or that there is blood etc over it? I would definitely try to wash that off if you can. I know it will be sore for her but if you could hold some gauze or a clean flannel with some warm water to it then that would help to soften it all up and clear it. It might be that it’s just crusted shut? Of course if it’s just swollen shut then there isn’t too much you can do except wait.

I saw that same website also sells poultry electrolytes which would help her if you can get her drinking: https://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/products/vetsense-avi-lyte?variant=36256635650197

I hope she pulls through.