Pullet Scalped, Please Help!!

[Fluffybutt11]

Hi everyone,

I need urgent advice, my partner went into the coop tonight and found our sweet Brahma pullet (4 months old) on the floor. She looked dead but was still breathing. On further inspection an older chook got into her enclosure and she scalped her to the point that some of her scalp bone was showing on the back of her head and her eyes are shut (looks like she’s been beaten up— her comb hasn’t been touched). Immediately took her inside and set up an emergency crate. I wiped her wound and stopped the bleeding (she didn’t budge like it didn’t hurt at all). She is breathing heavy and panting probably from the pain and in shock. Found some meloxicam and gave her some for the pain. Her wound looked like it was seeping a little again so I went to clean it and she started to shake her head as if in pain so I stopped. I managed to syringe her some water but she won’t touch the food. Her eyes are swollen shut so I’ve been placing the food to her beak but nothing. I will try and feed her again tomorrow she could be in shock still.
I checked on her again before bed and she was still panting heavy after a couple hours of giving her the meloxicam.

I’ve found conflicting information on similar situations where some people said to end suffering but others said that their chooks made a full recovery.

I’m in Australia and the vets tend to lean towards euthanasia because they don’t understand poultry much. If she can make a full recovery I would love to try and save her myself.

I’ve seen Neosporin and Vetericyn are a must in this situation and I can’t find any in stores around me that have it. I can buy it online but won’t come until next week and it’s vital to treat it asap. Are there any suggestions on what I can use as an antiseptic (such as betadine) I’ve found something called cetrigen but I’m not sure if that’s for poultry. Is cream or spray better for deep head wounds?
Or should we leave it to try heal naturally?
Should we somehow wrap it or leave it open? What if she tries scratching it on her back?

Is there anything I can do for her pain while she is healing?

Would it be okay to leave food and water in the crate with her even though her eyes are closed or should I remove them and try and syringe feed/water her?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
We’re not sure which chook did it and not sure how to find out, should I be worried now that they’ve tasted blood? ☹.
I will attach a photo below. I can only get the front photo but the back of her head is worse.
I don’t want her to suffer if she doesn’t have to.

Sorry for all the questions I just want to do what’s best for her!

 

[NatJ]

Would it be okay to leave food and water in the crate with her even though her eyes are closed or should I remove them and try and syringe feed/water her?

She probably will not find the food and water with her eyes closed, but I would be inclined to leave something in case she does try. That also means it is available if/when she opens her eyes to look.

For now, maybe put food and water together in one dish, because the water soaks into the feed and it is less likely to spill that way. Most chickens like wet feed better than dry feed, too.

I do not know whether you will need to encourage her to eat, or whether you will need to syring food & water for her, and I do not know anything else useful about treating her. Separating her was definitely a good choice, to keep her safe from whatever caused the injury (another chicken? a predator? a sharp edge in the coop or run? I really don't know what is most likely.)

 

[Eggcessive]

Saline is good to flush the eyes. You can make some by adding 2 tsp of salt into a quart of water, or a smaller amount by adding 1/2 tsp to an 8 ounce cup of water, and boiling it to sterilize it. Cool it down and store in a clean jar. For now I would wipe off any drainage with a clean wet cloth.

You should be able to get Bacitracin, Polysporin, or Triple Antibiotic Ointment in Australia possibly from Amazon. Those can be applied to the eyes twice a day.

 

[Fluffybutt11]

She just crossed the rainbow bridge
Thank you for trying to help

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

things like that are often worse looking than they are. I would isolate the bird, and maybe add a triple antibiotic ointment. I've posted about Angel before, but long story short, I once had a bird who lived with an exposed shoulder joint after she was bit by the neighbor's dog. she was the leader of the flock, and tried to eat the meat birds alive. so yeah, just do what you can and see what happens.

 

[Fluffybutt11]

She probably will not find the food and water with her eyes closed, but I would be inclined to leave something in case she does try. That also means it is available if/when she opens her eyes to look.

For now, maybe put food and water together in one dish, because the water soaks into the feed and it is less likely to spill that way. Most chickens like wet feed better than dry feed, too.

I do not know whether you will need to encourage her to eat, or whether you will need to syring food & water for her, and I do not know anything else useful about treating her. Separating her was definitely a good choice, to keep her safe from whatever caused the injury (another chicken? a predator? a sharp edge in the coop or run? I really don't know what is most likely.)

I will try my best to entice her to eat and drink thank you!

Unfortunately it was an older chicken that managed to find a way into her enclosure.

 

[Fluffybutt11]

She eats and drinks when I hold it in front of her.

My question is, both her eyes are swollen shut. Do I have to try to pry them open or should I leave them to heal on their own? They look crusty with old blood but when I try to wipe with a warm cloth/ ear buds it won’t come off and she shakes her head in pain.
What should I do?

 

[NatJ]

She eats and drinks when I hold it in front of her.

That is a good start! In that case, of course you should keep doing that to help her eat, until she gets enough better to eat anyway.

My question is, both her eyes are swollen shut. Do I have to try to pry them open or should I leave them to heal on their own? They look crusty with old blood but when I try to wipe with a warm cloth/ ear buds it won’t come off and she shakes her head in pain.
What should I do?

Based on how she acts, I would leave her eyes alone for right now, and see if someone else knows more, because I personally don't know.

@Eggcessive do you have an advice about the eyes?

 

[Fluffybutt11]

Thank you for your help! I will get some for my chook medicine bag.

I’m so sad, I don’t think she will make it. I’ve been checking on her almost every half hour to an hour and she’s declined. She now can’t hold her head up/stand up and her mouth is sticky and some clear fluid is seeping out. She is no longer interested in food or water. Her crop is empty in the morning so it can’t be sour crop. I’m hoping she doesn’t have internal injuries.

 

[Fluffybutt11]

WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTO !!!