Scalped chicken

[chick mommy]

So last Friday, my 6 wk old chick was playing outside while I did yard work. Someone had let our dog out. He LOVES the chicks but is so clumsy around them, so I keep him in when I let them out of the coop/run. He ran around and accidentally ran her over and I noticed her head from her eyes to the back of her head no skin and all skull. I thought for sure, I watched her die. I quickly looked up "chicken scalped" after I put her in a box of new bedding. What I found was unbelievable!!! Most make it through. So, I quickly started the neosporin technique and she's still here nearly a week later. Eating, drinking, chirping, walking, and loving her worm treats. My question is..... Will anything ever cover her skull again? I can post pictures of her the day of and what it looks like today. She always loved being called "Mommy's pretty chicken" I still tell her that, but it's hard to look at and I always used to pet her head. I just hope something covers her skull for the main reason of putting her back with the others someday!

 

[chick mommy]

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? And if so, how long does it take to heal to where she can be back with the others. Also, doesn't look like skin will ever grow back so wondering if feathers around will eventually cover the exposed skull?

 

[Eggcessive]

It happened to my polish hen, and after separating her in a cage inside the coop, applying plain Neosporin ointment to the wound for a few days, then later, BluKote to dry it up and hide the wound until the feathers grew back in, she recovered. The bare skin will eventually drop off, and new skin with feathers should start. The feathers probably won't come back for a month and they will attract pecking, so keep the BluKote on it. An alternative to the BluKote is Nustock Cream. Your case is pretty bad, but hopefully those feather will grow back.

 

[chick mommy]

So there is NO skin left, just the bone of her skull. The skin was ripped right off the moment it happened. So in that case, probably no new skin will grow back??

 

[bcostley]

We had a hen lose a quarter sized patch of skin on her head (from other chickens hazing her). We used neosporin and she survived. I don't think it ever completely grew back over - she's the hardest hen ever to actually catch so I'm not sure what is really up there now. From a distance I can see some sort of lack of feathering still though and it has been at least a year.

 

[chick mommy]

Oh, darn. That's what I was afraid of. Mostly because I'm scared to put her back in the coop. She's been out for a week. Although, her wound didn't come from the others, I'm scared how to reintroduce her back into the flock with an exposed skull.

 

[violette]

I'm so sorry to hear about your babes injury. But thank you for sharing. This has helped inform me so as to be very cautious with my chicks. I have a dog and a neighborhood dog that runs.

 

[Lisa202]

It happened to my polish hen, and after separating her in a cage inside the coop, applying plain Neosporin ointment to the wound for a few days, then later, BluKote to dry it up and hide the wound until the feathers grew back in, she recovered. The bare skin will eventually drop off, and new skin with feathers should start. The feathers probably won't come back for a month and they will attract pecking, so keep the BluKote on it. An alternative to the BluKote is Nustock Cream. Your case is pretty bad, but hopefully those feather will grow back.

This is the same thing that I experienced. My sick chicken was ousted from the flock so she always hung out with us on the patio (we called her Patty O Chicken). I didn't know what was wrong with her, but apparently, the others did. Anyway, one day they scalped her and she recovered after doing exactly what Eggcessive above did. My chicken looked as bad as yours, so she can recover.

 

[Lisa202]

Oh, darn. That's what I was afraid of. Mostly because I'm scared to put her back in the coop. She's been out for a week. Although, her wound didn't come from the others, I'm scared how to reintroduce her back into the flock with an exposed skull.

You'll have to be very careful with this. I have a small coop/run next to the larger one. I use this just for this purpose. They see the ousted chicken without being able to get to her. Besides being the hospital, t's also the jail for the mean ones and the nursery for the new little ones I get. It was the best 400$ I ever spent.

 

[chick mommy]

I would already consider that as a great investment! I have what seems to be a small chicken hospital in our spare room. I have one who can't walk, been 3 wks.... And tried everything! One who's a little runt that everyone picks on, and now my poor scalped Buff, Belina. Was considering another small coop with run for my injured girls also right next to the other big one.... In hopes they would get used to seeing and hearing them for a while before putting them back in. Thanks!