Turkeys attacked my chicken?

[favoritekitty]

I just went to bring everyone in for the night and found my silkie, Maggie laying face down in the dirt. The back of her head was picked clean and she is unresponsive. She was bleeding near her ear but its stopped now. I have her in some towels covered up with me. I dont know what to do for her.

She shares an outdoor run with her other siblings, 3 nigerian dwarf goats, two giant Pekin ducks, and 2 bourbon red hens. The turkeys are about 4 months old. I have never really had a problem with the turkeys hurting my chickens but they will pick at them once or twice if they are sharing snacks or something. I dont know who else to blame this on. There are no bite wounds or other damage to her that I can see other than to her head.

 

[toredano]

You think the goats might have stepped on her or bit her? It could be anyone.. once they have a ouchie somewhere others are apt to pick on it. They investigate everything thats out of the ordinary on themselfs and others..It could have been anyone ..
I would clean the wounds.. force some water and maybe some food and put some ointment on it so it doesnt get infected.But clean it out first tho.

I hope he makes it.. good luck

 

[favoritekitty]

We went back and forth about it being one of the goats, too, but its too clean. Her skin wasnt really damaged, just defeathered. Even if she had a wound they picked at, that she developed after lunch because she was fine before then, she is in the area with a ditzy polish girl, and another silkie about her size. I just cant see that they could do that much damage to her in no more than a few hours I wasnt with them. Im not ruling it out though. I need to know who it was.

What do you suggest I put on her wound? I also asked in emergency what I could give her for pain medicine. I need her to be ok

 

[chickensioux]

I worry about this. My turks are with my chickens. I hope yours will be ok.

 

[ivan3]

Just clean the area with betadine/water solution (one part betadine to 10 parts water - or until it looks like weak tea) and apply plain neosporin.

For inflammation: 1 325mg. plain aspirin dissolved into a pint of water.

I'd be loathe to keep Silkies/Polish with turkey hens (four month olds can be feeling pretty full of themselves and I've watched Jennys attack adult toms), given to potential for an even random peck to the head resulting in fatal injury: http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html (scroll down through articles to `silkie skull').

Good luck!

 

[toredano]

Sometimes all live a happy live toegther.. somes they dont.. its a balance you need to try to get to.
Right now my RP hen lives with the guineas at night and is out with them during the day. I can tell the guienas are getting to rough with her sometimes. No pecking but bumping her etc.And she will strut at them for a second then do her wing thing and take off for a few and then come back. I think they are in a powerstruggle and its just going to get worse.
I think soon she needs to go with her own kind.
Anyway.. if you can watch them, for a few hours interact and watch their body language. Or put the injured one back in and see who goes after it first. ?
Its hard ot figure out who did what but maybe you can figure it out. It could have been the goat stepping on her head and just got feathers . It could have been anyone really.

Beeing unresponsive could be head damage or shock.. supportive care is a good thing
sing or talk to her.. I think that makes them feel better.. at least I would think so...

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Is it not possible that an entirely different predator tried to get her? I've had hawks and owls snatch at a chicken and not be entirely successful. One scratch will draw blood, then the chickens will go crazy over that.

Maybe it's the turkeys, maybe not. But reading these threads about raccoons, skunks, hawks, and rats makes me antsy.

Aside from the skin care mentioned previously:
Put three drops of PolyViSol without Iron into your hen's beak, along the side so she doesn't inhale the drops. 3 drops per day.

Good luck, and let us know how she's doing.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Repeat, having computer problems...

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Repeat

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My polish girl killed my silkie roo by head pecking him to death