URGENT lethargic hen missing feathers on head

[Jicky]

Please help I have a one year old Black NJ Giant. She seemed fine this morning but now she is lethargic, won't open her eyes, missing feathers on her head.

She will drink a little if I feed her with a dropper. Her breathing seems fine.

We have only hens. They have a dirt run and pine shavings in their coop.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

It looks like she was beat up and picked clean, probably by your other hens. She may be in shock. I would slather Neosporin (without pain relief) over the back of her head, seperate her and let her rest. Keto water in the cage for her and offer scrambled eggs. She may not eat out drink on her own for a day or so but continue to encourage her.

 

[rebrascora]

Poor girl!
If she has been in a secure run and coop when this happened then it would appear that the other hens have turned on her for some reason. It may be that she is sick and that's why they have done this to her, to try to drive her out of the flock or perhaps there has been a power struggle between two of them and blood got drawn and then maybe the others saw red and joined in. You will need to get her cleaned up and some antiseptic ointment put on her sore patches. She will need to be kept separate until you can figure out why they have done this to her. If they free range, then I would suggest you limit it until you can work out what predator may have done this to her, but my gut feeling would be that her flock mates are responsible.
If flock mates are responsible, then lack of space is usually behind aggressive behavioural issues like this.
Good luck nursing her back to health and sorting the underlying cause.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Jicky]

Thanks so much for your responses. She sadly died just before getting in the car to go to the vet.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Thanks so much for your responses. She sadly died just before getting in the car to go to the vet.

I'm so sorry for your loss