Stepped on chicken's head!

[tullypippin]

One of our chickens, a 1-year-old bantam, got its head stepped on today. She's a very friendly hen, and unfortunately she got a little too close to my brother's foot. He put a considerable amount of weight on her head before he realized what was happening. Now only one eye is open, her right eye is closed. She doesn't appear to have any other injuries, although I'm worried she could have internal damage. She keeps opening her beak, and then closing it. I thought she might be in shock, so right now she's in the basement with the heat on and food and water. Any suggestions?

 

[Habibs Hens]

give her some liquid paracetamol

that will help if she has head ace at least

i'd say about 1ml syringe every 4 hours

max 4ml in 24 hours

 

[chick chicks]

I would watch her for a while, if things don't seem to get better or if any new problems start happening post them on here. If there is internal damage you may need to cull her, but if shes just in shock or if her eye is a little damaged she can probably recover. Goodluck

 

[realsis]

You can also give her low dose children's Bayer asprin. This could help with brain swelling. Poor baby I sure hope she recovers! Keep us updated please!

 

[LibertyChick]

Unfortunately, chickens die very easily from head injuries. I had a roo die about a month ago when it appears he hit his head during a scuffle with another rooster.

LibertyChick

 

[sono-chic]

Aspirin is a anti coagulant. Meaning it stops blood from clotting. If she has a brain injury you do not want it to continue to bleed.

 

[LibertyChick]

Aspirin is a anti coagulant. Meaning it stops blood from clotting. If she has a brain injury you do not want it to continue to bleed.

Sorry, but aspirin is a blood thinner. Yes, it is an anticoagulant but that means that it stops the blood from coagulating. It does not stop the bleeding but would prevent the bleeding from stopping. Have you ever heard of doctors telling patients days before surgery to stop aspirin?

 

[sono-chic]

Sorry, but aspirin is a blood thinner. Yes, it is an anticoagulant but that means that it stops the blood from coagulating. It does not stop the bleeding but would prevent the bleeding from stopping. Have you ever heard of doctors telling patients days before surgery to stop aspirin?

Exactly. My point was not to use it in trauma cases.

 

[LibertyChick]

Exactly. My point was not to use it in trauma cases.

Sorry,I misread your post. I've been up since a lot earlier than I usually am.

Not sure anything can save a chicken with a head injury. I always, always go to a natural substance for treating myself and my animals as pharmacuticals, in all forms are usually toxic petrochemicals. You can find a natural substance to take care of every problem that a drug can do...and the natural substance won't poison you when you eat their eggs.

 

[tullypippin]

Good news- this morning she was awake and alert, clucking and scratching around in the box I set up for her. Her beak was partially open, but she was eating and drinking despite obvious vision problems (she kept pecking for water a few centimeters away from the actual waterer, but she quickly adapted and figured it out). Her right eye was open a little bit, so I could just see her eye peeking out. This poor chicken has been through a lot (we call her "Slash" because of her many injuries) but I'm hoping she'll pull through.