Pullet got scalped

[docdubz]

My entire flock has been going crazy today. Not sure how it happened because they've been acting like lunatics all day from fighting to escaping their run to breaking into the bachelor flocks run... Long day.

Anyway I just noticed one of my pullets looked funny so I picked her up and saw that the entire top of her head up to right between her eyes has a huge piece of flesh missing. The feathers are still their obscuring it but the skin is gone. The wound is between the size of a nickel and the size of a quarter.

How should I treat this?

 

[ackie]

Clean with betadine or chlorhexidine or soap and water. Make sure there arent bits of debris in it. If there are feathers getting in it, trim them back. Then put neosporin or another antibiotic ointment (with no pain killer) on it. Dont wrap it.

 

[docdubz]

Ok. I'm working on getting a cage cleaned out for her. Im guessing it'll be 30* tonight, is that too cold to isolate her in a cat crate for the night or should I bring her in?

 

[ackie]

Ok. I'm working on getting a cage cleaned out for her. Im guessing it'll be 30* tonight, is that too cold to isolate her in a cat crate for the night or should I bring her in?

I bring injured birds in so I dont forget to take care of them.

 

[Bird_Lover_17]

Hope she gets better!

I agree with @jwehl , bring injured birds inside. They don't need the extra stress of being out with the flock.

 

[docdubz]

Yea good point I'll bring her in. Really wish I knew what caused that injury, this girl's my favorite by far so I'm pretty bummed out about it. It's a real straight slice so I'm thinking it was either when she got into the bachelor flocks run or I really don't know what else I couldn't see the other pullets causing such a clean slice.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

My entire flock has been going crazy today. Not sure how it happened because they've been acting like lunatics all day from fighting to escaping their run to breaking into the bachelor flocks run... Long day.

Anyway I just noticed one of my pullets looked funny so I picked her up and saw that the entire top of her head up to right between her eyes has a huge piece of flesh missing. The feathers are still their obscuring it but the skin is gone. The wound is between the size of a nickel and the size of a quarter.

How should I treat this?

Poor pullet. I had a turkey do this to a chick once.

 

[ackie]

If shes your favorite, definitely bring her in cause itll make you feel better

I would assume a clean slice would not be from another bird. Check the coop and fence and everywhere for anything sharp she could have sliced it on? Hopefully it still has blood on it so it's easy to ID. haha.

I would probably keep her separate until it's got a good scab on it and then just make sure no one pecks at her when she comes back.

As far as continuous care, keep it clean and keep antibiotic on it. Make sure shes eating and drinking and pooping normally.

Oh, you should dry the area before you put the antibiotic on or you're just sealing in all that damp.

 

[ackie]

I don't think you'll need to glue it because gravity should keep it in roughly the right place.

 

[docdubz]

Alright so I got her in the house, cleaned (as best I could) and put Neosporin on it. While I was attempting to clean the wound I was able to see that it is way more gruesome than in the pictures. I thought I was being hyperbolic but she actually did get scalped. The reason the feathers are still there is the flesh is still attached between her eyes but is completely flayed off the rest of her head down to the bone.