When is pecking order too much? *graphic pics*

[Cat Water]

My poor silkie Chloe is getting picked on relentlessly. Poor thing has been at the bottom of the pecking order her whole life. The ducks have been especially hard on her. They stalk her. Today they ripped her head open just above her ear. She is bloody on top of her head and down her back. I think she will live, but I don't know what to do. How do I treat her? I have her in a cardboard box in my room right now. I don't want her out there anymore. Who do I get rid of? Her or the ducks? I just bought her a saddle with wing protectors this morning, will that help at all?

 

[thebritt]

Poor girl! We had a sweet silkie that we had to keep separate because she would get recurring wry neck after stressful encounters and she couldn't defend herself. She was a bearded variety and she couldn't see much at all (yea, we cut her feathers so she could see, but sheesh - those things would never have passed the natural selection process!). I would think some kind of separation from ducks would be the easiest (?), if you like your ducks. Good luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

The saddle would help if they were attacking her back but looks like you'll need a helmet for the head, sorry about this but seems like someone is going to have to find a new home or if you want to keep all then separate them from each other. Glad to hear she's going to be okay. And if her feathers are keeping her from being able to see her attackers coming maybe some bangs might be in order..

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I love love love silkies, so if you ask me, of course I will say to sell the ducks.

I hope she feels better soon!!!

 

[Cat Water]

Does anyone know how to treat her? I don't want it to get infected. I'm just worried that if I get rid of her, the ducks would pick somebody else to terrorize.

 

[Miss Lydia]

do you have your ducks and chickens enclosed in a small area? the reason I am saying that is my chickens and ducks are in a fenced area but the chickens can get away from them without a problem. I would never lock up my chickens and ducks together at night because I know my ducks would be able to hurt the chickens if they got ahold of one. wash her wounds out real good with warm soapy water being careful not to get it into her eyes. then use some neosporin or something similar just make sure it doesn't have pain relief in it. she should be fine they heal fast.

 

[chicmom]

Aww poor little thing! You know, really, you should keep what you like. If you can keep your little separated from the mean ducks, then you could keep them all. But if it's not possible, and you really like your ducks, then maybe you can find a nice home for your little silkie.

You could treat her injury by using a product called blue cote. I would dab some on with a q-tip, since it's close to her eye. It is very blue, and will stain her, but it does help deter pecking. Once chickens see an open wound, and blood, it excites them.

 

[dianaross77]

Are your ducks both drakes? If so, they might be trying to mate her. When they do they grab hold of the back of the hen's neck feathers. They can get pretty rough, especially if she doesn't cooperate. I'm assuming you already cleaned the wounds. A nice slathering of neosporin without pain reliever would be in order. I'm also a big fan of Hibiclens. It's a surgical scrub they have at drugstores. It won't damage the tissue so you can use it everyday to keep the area clean and it doesn't sting and it can kill staph and mrsa. It's expensive so I use it diluted 1 part water 1 part hibiclens. You can buy the generic chlorohexedine from vets and the diluted form is the strength they use. Hope she recovers quickly.

p.s. I have 2 drakes and if it came down to them over ANYTHING I wouldn't choose them!

 

[cbeth95]

Some ivory soap and some warm water would work on the wound. Maybe some Epson salt if you have some. If not, soap and neosporin should work.

I hope she gets better!

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

That injury should heal just fine with minimal care, I usually do a rinse with hydrogen peroxide and then dab it with good old betadine and good to go.

I keep a suture kit in my poultry med box, had to use it several times now for scalping like when my one narri turkeys got grabbed by a coyote and it ripped the skin off from the back of her eye down to her shoulder. Clean thoroughly and find the matching edges and sow it back together. Heals soooo much faster that way. I get it at my Vets, its the string that disloves on its own.