Poor Silkie scalped a few days ago- now face swollen-pic added

[prncssprplfrog]

My poor splash silkie has been picked on quite a bit by some in the flock. This latest incident really has me steamed. I found her Tuesday morning with a dime-ish size piece of her scalp missing, so I brought her inside and put blue-cote on it. She's been inside since and is eating and drinking like normal. The raw part looks fine (just red/dried). It's purple now because we put blue-cote on it.
The right side of her face is a bit swollen and reddish, and a bit warm. I've put triple-antibiotic on the patch tonight, but don't know what more to do.
I don't have an avian vet or antibiotics other than the tetracycline which I did put in her water today. I figured it couldn't hurt.
I am taking the cat to the local vet tomorrow to get her stitches out, I can ask her if she has any suggestions, but she's not an avian vet....
Does anyone have any suggestions?

She's getting a bath this weekend since we're keeping her inside.

 

[CMV]

I think what you are seeing is some inflammation/bruising from the pecking. You know when chickens eat/peck something how they really put a lot of oomph into it? They will frequently peck really hard! I think when your little girl was attacked she was hit quite hard, probably multiple times. Head wounds tend to bleed significantly. I am pretty sure the swelling and redness you are seeing is from bleeding under the skin surface. She may or may not have bled out much after the injury, but she certainly acquired some bleeding under the skin. Poor girl. No wonder she looks so sad. That had to hurt! If I am correct that redness should change over to some awful green coloring in the next few days.

For skin wounds the antibiotic of choice in Procaine G, available at any agriculture store in the refrigerator. A couple (3-5) days of injections should clear an infection up. I would wait to be really certain she has an infection before you use it, though. Antibiotic usage carries its own risks that are best avoided if at all possible.

Keep us posted on her progress. Poor thing looks pathetic.

Good luck.

 

[taprock]

My Polish have lost feathers and been really bloody but not missing scalp. I use Vetericyn and BlueKote on them. The Vetericyn came from the local vet, very expensive but good and can be used on all types of animals. The Bluekote I use so there is no pink skin or blood showing so as not to be pecked more. I have one Roo in particular who has been in and out all winter with all of his injuries.