please tell me this isnt as bad as it looks...pics included

[my5lilrugrats]

Poor thing! I could hardly bare to look at those pictures. If you're sure it was the Roo, I'd find him a new home. I hope she heals quickly.

 

[cobrien]

don't know how to guess what caused the situation, rooster or predator. observation is the best way to tell. but for now you need to make sure that wound stays clean and heals. I agree stitches would be best for the big laceration. I don't know what the next best thing would be other than cleaning often, using an antibiotic ointment maybe, but please check with others here on what would be appropriate. oral antibiotics would be a good idea if you can get them, make sure it is good for birds and you have the right dosage. clean the wound as often as possible with diluted warm betadine. i would follow with a quick spray of hydrogen peroxide if you see ANY flies, as this will kill larva (MAGGOTS). keep her separated from the rest. make sure after cleaning the wound she is dry and warm. is she eating and drinking?

good luck, i hope she recovers!

 

[kingmt]

If a chicken has a sore on it then the others can't help but pick at it. Keep her away from the others until see is fully feathered or treat with the purple paint stuff. I can't remember what it is called but I'm sure your local feed store will grab a can & say this stuff. Keep her in a crate inside the coop for a couple of days & when you let her out make sure you put a lot of things in the floor for them to run around. If all of this isn't enough, then find the one that is picking on her the most & attach something big & flashy to one of its' legs. Every time it goes after her the object will catch it's attention.

I had a hen that was about to kill my chicks & ducklings when I introduced them. A baby food jar lid attached to her leg worked great. After two days went by, I took it off & everybody is happy now.

 

[emvickrey]

I would separate her from the flock permanatly. Maybe find her a new home, or start another coop. We don't tolerate aggression either. My boys do their job even if I am the one making their girls yell. If they make a noise and they can't see them they come running to their aide. I was replacing saddles yesterday and had to watch my back becaseu I had a roo on each side of me behind me. Kinda scarry but I do believe they now better than to go after me. It would be the last time. I am very gentle with my birds and when I have to catch them U go slow and easy and talk rel low and nice as to calm them. It works for me anyway. But the initial catch always rustles the feathers of the roos.

The damage they do to the girls are wear and tear on their backs and to their heads where they hang on. I wish I could make something to put on their heads to protect them. I already use saddles. They have their favorites and I have 6 hens and 2 roos so the favs get alot of attention.

I'm glad to hear that she is healed and doing fine. If it where me she would have gotten culled. I would rather put one down than let it suffer in pain and agony. If it hadn't healed she would have just suffered but y ou make a good choice and she did well.

Good Job!

 

[TN.MamaHen]

Oh my!!

I am so sorry that this happened to you and her!!At least as much as I've read...its sounds like you got some advice from quite a few people.I'm not much help,as I am a bit new,and not experienced anything like this...but I just wanted to say I feel ya and the hen...hope she recovers soon.

 

[Blessingtou]

We recently had the other chickens do this to one of our chickens - his hole was huge and they were eating the flesh. When one chicken starts something like this they all follow suit. We separated the injured chicken from the others and within a week he was healing perfectly. It appeared to be a protein deficiency so we started giving them left over meat.

 

[KellyHM]

Just wanted to say not to condemn the roo too quickly....if he accidentally made one tiny bloody spot then the other hens probably jumped right in and attacked. All chickens will peck at anything red.

 

[journey11]

Quote:
Very good point. It's sometimes easy to forget that chickens can become cannibalistic!

If they've gotten a taste of blood, you better keep a close eye on them because it could happen again (just as in egg-eating). If you see extra picking going on, give extra protein treats (cooked meat, cooked eggs, yougurt, a little dry cat food...) in case of nutrient deficiency. Immediately cull any vicious offenders, because the behavior will spread and that would be BAD!