Neck Protection

[M Brennen]

My hen was practically scalped a week ago. She is healing very well, but I am anxious to get her back into the coop with her friends. What is the best way to bandage and protect the would area?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My hen was practically scalped a week ago. She is healing very well, but I am anxious to get her back into the coop with her friends. What is the best way to bandage and protect the would area?

Please post some photos of her injuries.

How long ago was she injured and how are you treating her?
Do you know how she was injured?

 

[M Brennen]

 

[M Brennen]

I didn’t originally attach pictures because it is healing very nicely, albeit a little messy. I know it was caused by my roosters, possibly they were fighting over her. I saw them fighting on her and that’s how I noticed the injury. She is an older bird (over 5 years old) and the only older girl with all my younger ones (under 6 months old). I basically need some ideas as to how to cover the area so I can put her back into the coop.

 

[Eggcessive]

Several possible ways to handle this would be to remove the roosters or cockerels to a separate pen, to place the pecked hen into a dog crate with her own food and water inside the coop, or use some pine tar on the healed wound to prevent pecking. I would lean more to separating the roosters or reducing the number.

 

[M Brennen]

I have two standard roosters for 40 hens. I think my ratio is okay. The boys are just young and inexperienced. I had this happen before years ago. The hen healed and was able to join the flock. I don’t remember how long I separated her, but it was summer, so easier. I have been told that I shouldn’t use pine tar. Where would I buy it? Is there anything else I could use to cover it, but that she wouldn’t try to pick off? She wasn’t a fan of the vet wrap.

 

[M Brennen]

I’m thinking of wrapping this around the main part of her neck and dousing her head and neck with Pick-No-More cover-up lotion. Thoughts please.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

View attachment 2420867
I’m thinking of wrapping this around the main part of her neck and dousing her head and neck with Pick-No-More cover-up lotion. Thoughts please.

Personally, I would just dab on a little Pine Tar and call it good.
Wrapping the neck like that may cause some problems swallowing food, plus she may be targeted because she looks different.

If you roosters tore her up, they may just do that again. I've had a rooster that was dead set on killing one of my hens. That's not just mating injury, that's attack wounds.
I ended up culling that rooster, hated to, he was gorgeous, but hens don't deserve to be beat up.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pine tar is found at many feed stores in the horse products. It has been used forever, and the taste may help prevent pecking. Rather than separating the poor hen who needs to remain in the pecking order, I would separate the rooster(s.) I had a handsome rare heritage pure RIR cockerel who was going to be my breeding rooster once. He almost killed my polish hen who did not like to be bred, by scalping her and leaving her in a ditch. We killed him that day. I do not put up with roosters who hurt my hens or people.

 

[M Brennen]

Personally, I would just dab on a little Pine Tar and call it good.
Wrapping the neck like that may cause some problems swallowing food, plus she may be targeted because she looks different.

If you roosters tore her up, they may just do that again. I've had a rooster that was dead set on killing one of my hens. That's not just mating injury, that's attack wounds.
I ended up culling that rooster, hated to, he was gorgeous, but hens don't deserve to be beat up.

Thanks for the thoughts. I was going to use pine tar, but can’t find it sold locally anywhere. Do you know where I can get it?
I do believe the roosters are just young and inexperienced in mating. She wasn’t fighting them like the young girls and I think she became a favorite of both boys.
I had this happen before with a different hen and rooster. It never happened again to her.
The bandage is a padded waterproof tape and it is adhered very loosely. After the initial installation she seems to have adapted to it. I just haven’t tested it out with the other birds.