Tine, My white Silkie has been attacked by Puck, my Roo. And now the rest of the flock and Puck are pecking the wound, making it larger. I removed her from them and placed her inside, gave her a warm bath, cleaned the wound and bought some spray medicine for wounds at TSC. Is there anything else I can do? Some creams? Or natural remedies? The TSC only had this spray bottle for $20, so I used that. Also what else can I do to stop Puck from beating her up? They are only together at nyte and early morning till I let them out of the coop. And I believe he beats her up in the AM when they are waiting to be let out. My friend says pin tins hung up will distract him, I think I shall try that... Any other suggestions about Tinas wound and Pucks attitude? Here is Tina and her wound:
I use Neosporin or Polysporin on wounds like that. Left uncovered, they heal nicely over a few weeks. If the spray has antibiotics in it, that should do the job. Blukote is supposed to stop the pecking but I have never used it. I usually just isolate the bird until the wound is mostly healed. I think your big problem is your rooster. None of my boys do that to hens. I don't think I would risk letting him do it again. This is one of the few cases where I would rehome (with warning) or put one down.
We have a cage in our coop to separate any trouble makers or victims depending on which is lesser amount and it sounds lime puck needs to be separated until he's let out. As far as the wound we use "rooster booster" it comes in a plastic bottle we buy at the feed store. Its thick and gooey it smells like menthol the others don't want to peck at it. That should keep them from making it worse it works for ours. Good luck.
Wow. Puck is a punk. I would be putting Puck in a quarantine cage for a few weeks until he had a change of attitude. If you really want to keep him for his breeding then I would only allow conjugal visits between him and his ladies until he learns some manners. Tina is going to need to be separated until she heals up. Neosporin works very well on these wounds. Some vitamins (Poultry Drench/PolyViSol without iron) and added protein will help her to re-grow that skin in no time. Poor girl. She looks sweet. Good luck with them.
Tina is doing fine. Enjoying the indoor life at night and early morning. Puck is fantastic with my other girls. Tina is the only one he beats up! She is also the only silkie and the only white hen. He is a great roo! Except with Tina. I love her but she may have to return to my moms flock... Which is where she came from, from 3 other silkies.
Our bantam got beat up, had guts hanging out the side of her head....we rinsed with hydrogen peroxide, poked the guts back in, packed it with neosporin, put her in a dog kennel with shavings on the bottom and brought her in at night, let her run around the yard by day, so she is by the run/coop and they can all see each other but the other chooks are inside and cannot get at her. I was amazed how fast she scabbed up, two days a big black scab, 3 days later it fell off and just plain gray skin showing void of feathers. Amazing! We did finally have to re-home our bossy that beat her up, as soon as we put them together again it started. This time a silver dollar sized hole on her back, we did the same routine as before, now she is healed again with yet another bald spot. Several BYC'ers said to isolate the mean one for a few days to make her calm down, but the others were just so happy when the boss was gone we just did not want to keep trying. Much peace and harmony out there now. I worry about her head getting cold with no feathers but it was 1 degree this morning and she seemed fine.
Isn't that something about chickens......they can be so brutal to their own kind......And who really knows what that rooster sees when he looks at Tina? Maybe she reminds him of his mother, who used to abuse him.... Now, I'm just kiddin'....... Sorry.....I couldnt' help myself...... Perhaps Tina should go back to your mom's......to protect her.....Might be a good idea......
I have read on where they use tape like duct tape over wounds and leave it on and let it fall off on its on. There was another kind that better than duct tape but cant find the post again. Tape it to the surrounding feathers not the wound or skin(it wont stick because of the dust).
