My hen is about to loose her comb!! How do I help her???

[MaximillianGms]

Our hen is a Buff Orpington, is a little over a year old and weighs about 7 or 8 pounds.

Our Rhode Island Rooster has been treading her excessively. Because she's molting, he's even pulled out all the feathers on the back of her head. So now all he has to hold onto is her comb, which is now starting to separate from her head. I intend to isolate her in her own area as soon as I can, but don't have it set up yet.

The back base of her comb is scabbed extremely thickly and I hate for her to be in pain. Does anyone know of ways to keep him from treading her? And if not, how can I help her to be in less pain and to begin the healing process on her comb? I fear he's going to rip her comb off entirely!

Thank you for any thoughts or advice, I really appreciate it.

 

[bhawk-23]

Oh no! Poor girl. I don't have any answers for treating the wound or pain management outside of separating her sooner rather than later.
I know someone with experience will comment soon. Good luck!

 

[MaximillianGms]

Oh no! Poor girl. I don't have any answers for treating the wound or pain management outside of separating her sooner rather than later.
I know someone with experience will comment soon. Good luck!

Thank you!! I'm thinking of getting some 'Pick No More' to try and deter him from biting her until we can get a separate area set up, but I'm not sure it'll be enough. Thankfully she knows how to escape into our tree for a while.

 

[Weeg]

Do you have any pictures? I would immediately flush any open wounds out with saline solution, or another cleanser, and apply a thick layer of Neosporin. Definitely separate her, it sounds like you are on the right rack so far.
As for her neck, try Vetrycin, that seems to help grow feathers in my experience.

He may always over mate her. A few ideas right off the top of my head are-
A) Take vet wrap and wrap that around her neck were he is pulling out feathers. Do this loosely as not to rub the area worse. When you put her back in do this so that he can't grab the feathers on the back of her neck and pull them out. It will break under a certain amount of pressure, which is key encase it gets snagged. Make sure you don't do a thick wrapping for that reason. If you choose vet wrap, get no chew, it tastes terrible, I learned the hard way! Lol!

B) Pick-No-More on her neck and comb may help. It also taste bad and may deter the over mating.
I'm very sorry about your girl, I hope we can help and figure out a way to get her comfortable in her flock.

 

[MaximillianGms]

Do you have any pictures? I would immediately flush any open wounds out with saline solution, or another cleanser, and apply a thick layer of Neosporin. Definitely separate her, it sounds like you are on the right rack so far.
As for her neck, try Vetrycin, that seems to help grow feathers in my experience.

He may always over mate her. A few ideas right off the top of my head are-
A) Take vet wrap and wrap that around her neck were he is pulling out feathers. Do this loosely as not to rub the area worse. When you put her back in do this so that he can't grab the feathers on the back of her neck and pull them out. It will break under a certain amount of pressure, which is key encase it gets snagged. Make sure you don't do a thick wrapping for that reason. If you choose vet wrap, get no chew, it tastes terrible, I learned the hard way! Lol!

B) Pick-No-More on her neck and comb may help. It also taste bad and may deter the over mating.
I'm very sorry about your girl, I hope we can help and figure out a way to get her comfortable in her flock.

Thank you so much! I'll definitely try everything I can. I'll also try and get some good pictures to post tomorrow.

Thank you again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our hen is a Buff Orpington, is a little over a year old and weighs about 7 or 8 pounds.

Our Rhode Island Rooster has been treading her excessively. Because she's molting, he's even pulled out all the feathers on the back of her head. So now all he has to hold onto is her comb, which is now starting to separate from her head. I intend to isolate her in her own area as soon as I can, but don't have it set up yet.
Thank you for any thoughts or advice, I really appreciate it.

The back base of her comb is scabbed extremely thickly and I hate for her to be in pain. Does anyone know of ways to keep him from treading her? And if not, how can I help her to be in less pain and to begin the healing process on her comb? I fear he's going to rip her comb off entirely!

Yes, I know how to keep him from treading her.
Separate him!

Please post some photos.
I would not wrap a chicken's neck if she were going to be with the flock, you risk her getting hung up on something. IF she's molting, then the wrap is going to be an irritation to her, she is not going to appreciate a wrap around her neck either.

Separate the rooster!

Where do you live for a hen to be in molt?

 

[MaximillianGms]

Yes, I know how to keep him from treading her.
Separate him!

Please post some photos.
I would not wrap a chicken's neck if she were going to be with the flock, you risk her getting hung up on something. IF she's molting, then the wrap is going to be an irritation to her, she is not going to appreciate a wrap around her neck either.

Separate the rooster!

Where do you live for a hen to be in molt?

I'm in Oklahoma. We noticed she started loosing her feathers when it started getting warmer. I don't currently have any pictures but I'll post some as soon as I can.

I would separate one of them, but I'm still setting up a spot for that as the only space we have closed off is full of chicks and much too small for either of the full grown chickens to be closed into

 

[Weeg]

I'm thinking of getting some 'Pick No More'

You beat me to the punch. Looks like you have the right idea already, hopefully we can figure this out!

You can also separate him in a place were no one can see or hear him for a few days. That will lower him on the pecking order, and may help your girl get some dominance over him. Some roosters it helps, but with most its not a cure.

 

[Weeg]

I would not wrap a chicken's neck if she were going to be with the flock, you risk her getting hung up on something. IF she's molting, then the wrap is going to be an irritation to her, she is not going to appreciate a wrap around her neck either.

Trust her before me, I was suggested to try that for the friend of mine with a similar issue, but never got expert advice on it. Anyway, Wyorp Rock is way more experienced then me, so I would trust her thoughts against it. Thanks for clearing that up for me @Wyorp Rock!

 

[MaximillianGms]

Alright. So. I've bought some vetrycin and some 'Pick No More'. I also took a picture before applying any of it. They're not the best, but hopefully you can see enough of her comb.

When I was applying everything, I didn't even have to hold onto her. It was like she knew it was to try and help her