Scalped head wound advice

[Ponywonka]

Poor sweetie- great job cleaning that wound it looks fabulous! Sending love and healing energy

 

[Nksg75]

Poor sweetie- great job cleaning that wound it looks fabulous! Sending love and healing energy

Thanks! I sure hope she pulls through

 

[Nksg75]

If she had not been outside yet, I would assume that she was attacked by a rooster or other hens. Is she low in pecking order, or having problems walking differently or acting strange? Head wounds can occur with hawk and predator attacks, but are also common in flock attacks. She will eventually heal unless she has had brain damage, with continuous wound care and making sure that she is getting food and water. Let us know how she gets along, and post a picture once she heals. Good luck.

Quick question regarding brain damage…
what signs should I be on the lookout for?
inability to walk?
unable to eat or drink?
not real familiar with brain damage in chickens.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Quick question regarding brain damage…
what signs should I be on the lookout for?
inability to walk?
unable to eat or drink?
not real familiar with brain damage in chickens.

My two month old cockerel got scalped, they never fractured his skull, he had a flap like your girl does. He slept in my arms for the whole first day, then afterwards he was behaving like nothing happened, it was remarkable. I cleaned his wounds daily and stopped putting cream on when I noticed his skin around the wound was starting to look unnaturally white, kind of like it was underwater too long. I think it was about two weeks. He has a bald spot but you can't see it because of the feathers.

I had to use aqua mox for three days when his cheek swelled. I smelled his wounds daily, and I mean really deeply and checked for signs of infection.

@Nksg75

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hi! She actually could have been attacked by another chicken or multiple chickens. Clean the wound twice a day with saline, then spray with bacitryn and slather with antibiotic ointment. Offer her sweetened water and keep her warm to help with shock and pain I had to use antibiotics when my cockerel got scalped by the big chickens. I used aqua mox, bought it on TSC site.

@MysteryChicken

Don't forget the dry time in between. Dry time can be anywhere between 2-3 hours, or a day maximum without ointment.

Your tag didn't work.

 

[Eggcessive]

Brain damage would usually be seen right away. Acting lethargic, not able to eat or drink, imbalance, or seizures, as with a severe head injury. Hopefully she just has a skinned head.

 

[Nksg75]

Ok, so she is eating and drinking a little.
I have to be careful because she is not a people chicken for sure. She flips out every time I try and medicate her, so I do it only once daily in fear she will jump up and hit her head.
What about that huge area without skin?
That’s a very large area to not have anything to mend together.

 

[Nksg75]

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks clean, and yes, her head may never look the same. But she will probably grow some skin over the bone one day. I would try coaxing her to eat with egg, tuna, or ground meat. Read this post by @coach723 with a picture of her hen that was scalped:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/open-wound.1359304/#post-22415968

 

[SmiYa0126]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/panicking-scalped-chick.1543233/

The skin will grow back, she'll have some feathers too. I'll try to get a pic of my rooster tomorrow. There's a bald patch but you can't see it because it the feathers, he was scalped from his comb to the bottom of his neck.