Neck wound. Need advice

[JoycieBoycie]

My Roo nipped at my girl and ripped a little smaller than a dime size peice of skin from her neck. The skin is still there, but wont stay in place, especially when she shakes her head, so the wound is open for the most part. I cleaned it and applied neosporin. I've confined her to a restroom with food and water. She seems happy and was pecking at food. I'm considering taking her to the vet tomorrow. Do you think that's necessary, or something I can manage on my own? I figured she'd need antibiotics that I'm hoping the vet can give me. Of course the Roo did this to my favorite girl, so I want to make sure I do what's best for her so she'll recover well.
Any advice or input is very appreciated. TIA!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

No, I wouldn't go to the vet yet. It doesn't sound like a very bad wound. I've had a hen with a pretty deep wound on the neck that was bigger than a quarter. She did just fine, with barely any help. I just cleaned it a few times. Could you post a picture of the injury?

All you need to do is keep it very clean. Put neosporin on and clean it every day. Make sure she is eating and drinking well. When you put her back with the flock, try using some blue kote. Chickens are pretty hardy, and I think your girl will do just fine.

How old is your rooster? If he is hurting hens you might want to consider getting rid of him. A good roo shouldn't do that.

 

[JoycieBoycie]

Thank you for the advice, I greatly appreciate it! I will see if my little lady will hold still and try to post a picture. There is a peice of skin still attached. Sometimes I find it covering the wound, sometimes she shakes her head and the skin flops off, but usually goes back into place. Should i leave the skin, do you think? The wound itself has neosporin on it.
All my chicken just turned 16 weeks old. I've noticed that every morning, he chases them frantically around the coop and run and it looks like he's trying to nip at their neck. The girls seem scared of him, then he calms down and things are normal. This is every morning when I open the coop door. The rest of the day he is fine, for the most part with a nip here and there. Is this normal behavior? He's also very protective of them as well.

 

[JoycieBoycie]

This is the best photo i can get right now. This is with the skin slightly covering the wound. I've cut some of the feathers away for easier cleaning.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Ouch! So, I'd continue cleaning it and putting neosporin on (make sure it isn't the pain relief kind). Don't cut the skin off unless it is looking dead, which it isn't. Could you put a piece of tape or gauze that goes around her neck to keep the skin from flopping around (not too tight, though)?

Now, about your cockerel. What time do you let them out in the morning? If chickens are let out late, they can be kind of frantic and hungry, which could explain his behaviour in the morning. He is also young, and at that age a cockerel is hormonal and totally crazy a lot of the time. So it is likely he will calm down and be a good boy.

I can't say what he is doing is normal behaviour, because I've never had any like that. I've had a lot of cockerels and roosters and they don't do that. Can't speak for other people, though. A well behaved rooster won't hurt the girls, but that doesn't mean yours will turn out bad.

 

[JoycieBoycie]

Thank you so much for your input! I tried a bandage, but that just freaked her out. She was not having it.

I let them out around 9ish, but i leave food and water in the coop just in case I can't get out in time. I have a feeling that you're right about the hormones, I didn't think about that before. I think he's really missing Georgina, the injured girl, because he just won't stop crowing today. Well boy, violence is never the answer, I told him

Georgina is behaving normally today, so I'llI'll continue with cleaning and applying the Neosporin as you've suggested and monitor for infection.

Again, thank you for taking the time to give me some insight. I'm new to all of this so I am sincerely thankful for any bit of guidance that I can get.