new hen pecked down to skull, need some advice

[PinUpChicks]

I have 2 black jerseys, a California white, an Amaracuana, and a production red. recently 3 hens were abandoned at the Vet hospital (they appear to be bantam Amaracuana crosses of some kind their legs are brassy green and eggs are the same color, they are little maybe 3 lbs at best) I work at and I took them home after a quarantine period, I slowly introduced them to the flock over a period of a few weeks, and they have been together as a community for about a month, but running the whole yard. Today my husband kept them cooped up, it is a 8x8 roofed coop with a 6 x 20 run attached. Apparently not big enough for Rita Hayworth my P. red. she beat the crap out of Sophia Loren, my husband called me a work to tell me about it bu t I don't think he realized how bad it it.
Her skull is totally pecked clean from her eyes and ears back. I slavered her up with an ointment called healX (worked wonders for my amputee Hen Marilyn Monroe) and wrapped up her head, gave her 1/2 a Baytril 22.7mg. and have her set up in a "hospital" cage.
What I mostly need to know is if this is some thing that other hens have recovered from, does she have a chance? I have been through a long battle with the previously mentioned Amputee, but that was a foot this is a head..... She is eating and drinking, and before I "hospitalized" her she was walking around the yard with her 2 sisters like nothing was wrong. My boss (a dog cat rat lizard Vet, she's treated 3 other chickens of mine but she doesn't do birds) that will see my hens is not in till Monday, and I am trying to decide if it is in her best interest to just put her to sleep, or go for the long haul. i have enough baytril to get me through till then.
Also if any body has any Ideas about better integration so this won't happen to the other 2 little girls, they are 1/3 the size of Rita Hayworth who is not even my biggest hen.
as you can tell I am freaked out, I hope some one has some good advice, I would really appreciate it.

 

[Tala]

Happened to one of my little cockerels. He did ok, I thought he would live, but I think infection got him so I'd keep up the abx.

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

This happened to my favorite hen, I introduced her to my RIR's with a couple other chickens, she was a silkie/cochin mix. To docile I guess for the flock. She was completely scalped in a day (about two weeks after the integration when we weren't watching as closely anymore) and had what looked like her brains showing, turned out to be a gigantic bubble of puss.... Anyways, I first cleaned it with peroxide (it sounds harsh but it is what I read to do and she did not even flinch which helped because my nerves were so on edge) which is a one time thing and than rinsed with water and dabbed on some betadine followed by some neosporin. She lived inside to keep flies, ect away from the wound and I kept reapplying neosporin. She made a full recovery. If you are planning on trying to reintroduce her to the flock you have to make sure it is COMPLETELY healed and feathered over first or else they will smell the blood and come after her again for sure. I would not recommend reintroducing her though. Some birds are to easily picked on..... I hope she survives, I have high hopes for her

 

[PinUpChicks]

thank you for the info and well wishes Nayana & Tala I feel a little more at ease, she will be in her hospital cage till all well and kept on abx, just worried about the other 2 little girls, don't want the same to happen to them.

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

I would just make sure to check the other newbies over closely in the morning and at night. Chickens LOVE blood. If there is even a drop of it they will all go crazy for it and tear the one chicken apart if they have no where to run away too, even if it happens to be the dominant hen. Usually happens to the lowest ranking ones in a scuffle though and progresses from there. She should be fine. I was so worried about my girl and didn't see how she was gonna survive but as long as no infection happens they are troopers

 

[wando]

We had one pecking the others feet. I isolated her for a while till thw other healed, one week, but she went at it again as soon as I put her back, I had to give her away. It was strange as they 4of them had been together for 11/2 years. It was just after winter when they were inside more so I think she was bored and frustrated? Good Luck. Wando

 

[arch_cpj]

I always introduce a new hen and watch a bit if i see picking I grab me a dab or axel grease or pine tar add a good tbs od cayenne pepper and dab it on where they tried to peck two or three pecks and the others think hey this ole girl isnt worth messin with she gets a bit bolder and eventually in they go,,,

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I had a half grown chick pecked down to the skull (affectionately referred to as Pecked Head Boy). I brought him in the house and washed his head with warm water. Every other day or so I would wash him and goop on the neosporin. That was all. It took a few weeks, but his skin and feathers completely grew back. I was shocked. They are hardy little suckers when push comes to shove.
Keep your girl in the house so flies aren't a problem. Dose her up with something like neosporin to keep infection at bay. Make sure she is eating and drinking properly. If she is acting sickly you can try electrolytes in the water. I babied my guy with food treats as well, just to keep his appetite up. Keep an eye and nose on the wound and make sure infection isn't spreading. Other than that, you just have to give it time.

My guy healed completely and has moved on to another home where he is the only roo. He turned out to be absolutely GORGEOUS, so I'm glad I didn't cull him.

Good luck with your baby.

 

[PinUpChicks]

I took her to see the vet, she is on Baytril and isolated. I bandaged her head up, with Rx strength gentamiacin ointment, and HealX (good stuff) but was told by a friend that works on a ranch, that I shouldn't have it bandaged, do to movement of the wrappings on the wound. but I am afraid the wound will heal slower if it is dried out?????

 

[FallenxZero]

My boyfriend had this happen to his black jersery giant hen (who is now name spirit) her head was completely scalped, with meat hanging and everything, needless to say to chicken who did that to her got packed up and sent to the auction the next night.
the little chicken spent a few days in a big cardboard box that we put soft shavings down for bedding, Justin cleaned the wound and put A+D ointment (or sabb ) on it to keep it clean and promote healing.
he then followed up with anti-biotic shots for a few days. heat lamp and then moved her to her own little cage where he kept her my herself till poop started doing better. he also added vitamins in her water too.
i didnt think she would make it but her is now happy, loud, and lays an egg everyday.
he was worried about if she would ever get along with other chickens because when he would let them free range she would just stay away or runaway, untill he brought home a big ole cochin rooster home, it was chicken love and they havent been apart since.