Whole top of pullet’s head been lifted off by bully chicken what do I do?!

[Lazygaze]

I have recently added two new pullets to my flock of two 3 year-old chickens. My top chicken is quite chilled and has put them in their place as you would expect her to, but chicken number two has been a right old bully and has now pecked the current bottom chicken of the new chickens on the head so much that the top of her head flaps up and down. It’s not bleeding and there is no pus. There was some blood but I put French green clay on it which acts a bit like a drawing agent and is very antibacterial. It’s now just a dry flap- a thick bit of skin. I’m not sure if the skin is dead-part of me wondered if it needs to be cut off, or if it needs gluing back down with medical glue. It’s currently just a thick flap that you can pull to one side and see right inside to what looks like the skull but may not be, I’m not an expert.

She’s completely happy in herself when she’s not being pinned by the bully, pecking about, scratching, eating drinking, walking around. No problem. I just feel like I wanna put a plaster on it or something?!

Is there anything that can cover it so she can carry on integrating on finding her place in the flock?

I know people will say to isolate her, but her problem is that she is not integrating because she is very skittish and submissive. Honestly, if she didn’t have this flap and gaping (dry) wound, then I would just let them get on with it, but it looks like the kind of thing that one of them could get hold of and rip and make a lot lot worse. It’s looks so peckable!

PLEASE ADVISE! Should I use beak bumper or peepers on bully? Is there anything I can use to stick down the flap? Is it dead? It feels a shame to cut it off if it is dead, because it doesn’t look to me like the feathers would grow back from the flesh that underneath. But obviously I would if needs be.

I am waiting for a callback from a vet, hoping she may be able to look at her and advise in person. But in the

meantime- any advice, please?Here is a video of head flap- please note the green colour is French green clay.

 

[Lazygaze]

Sorry- video here:

 

[Bella the Chicken Lover]

I had a chick hurt like that, but worse. Feed her eggs, Vitamin water, keep her corentined, of course, and put triple antibiotic on the wound every day.
Ooo, its a flap... Someone else will have to help you on that, I'd say stitch it, but I have no experience in that section....

Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

The flap may come off eventually, or it may seal back down on the tissue below if you spray it and clean it with mild saline, and keep triple antibiotic ointment on it. To make 0.9% normal saline, add 2 tsp (9 grams) of table salt to 1 liter/quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes, then place in a clean container. Or you can get some from a pharmacy. @ azygous has had luck with that. When introducing new chickens to one another, it goes better if you slowly introduce them between fencing or inside a wire dog crate with food and water.

 

[Lazygaze]

The flap may come off eventually, or it may seal back down on the tissue below if you spray it and clean it with mild saline, and keep triple antibiotic ointment on it. To make 0.9% normal saline, add 2 tsp (9 grams) of table salt to 1 liter/quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes, then place in a clean container. Or you can get some from a pharmacy. @ azygous has had luck with that. When introducing new chickens to one another, it goes better if you slowly introduce them between fencing or inside a wire dog crate with food and water.

Hi, thanks for your reply. I kept them separate for two weeks and then I only introduced them when I was with them, I just have one chicken who is a bit overly bully-ish and one day. They were all getting on so well that I nipped to the toilet, and of course when I got back she had pinned the little one and was going at her head.

Do you think keep it moist then? At the moment, it’s very dry because the clay has sucked all of the potential infection out. I might clean it with saline and put Neosporin on it. Thanks so much for your comment.

 

[coach723]

Yes, I would flush it well and apply plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment to cover the wound and keep it moist. Since you have a flap of skin, pay particular attention, keep it clean and reflush if needed, if it doesn't reattach then it will slowly dry up and shrivel and fall off, if that happens and it becomes an issue you may need to trim it off with some scissors. I had a hen that was scalped, treated as above, and it eventually healed up an you couldn't even tell it happened. Picture below was 5-6 weeks in, there was no flap and her skull was visible when it happened.