Wicked head wound on a hen

[dmeredith]

Backyard flock of 2 groups. This girl was in a large run with 2 others. I came out this afternoon to find this poor girl hiding in the upstairs coop. The wound is a wicked one but she’s eating and drinking like a champ now that I have her separated. I would hate to prematurely euthanize, but this is unlike anything I’ve seen in 10+ years of backyard birds. I can only assume she got a beat down by the other two. The run is entirely enclosed. Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Looks like she was scalped. Didn't have luck with a pullet that was scalped badly, but I have had plenty of quail get scalped and do okay after being separated and allowed to heal. Keep her seperate, but where she is still able to be seen by the flock

 

[Eggcessive]

Was she familiar to the other two, or were they new flock members? She can eventually heal from those wounds, but it will take a few weeks. I would spray the wound with saline, chlohexidene, or a wound spray, and when dry, coat it with plain Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment once or twice daily. Of course, keep her separated with her own food and water. If there is room in the coop or run, then being to see the others may help with reintroducing her later.

 

[Meri Maura]

Backyard flock of 2 groups. This girl was in a large run with 2 others. I came out this afternoon to find this poor girl hiding in the upstairs coop. The wound is a wicked one but she’s eating and drinking like a champ now that I have her separated. I would hate to prematurely euthanize, but this is unlike anything I’ve seen in 10+ years of backyard birds. I can only assume she got a beat down by the other two. The run is entirely enclosed. Thoughts/suggestions?

Looks ok to me. Head wounds bleed a lot making them look worse than the actually are.

 

[dmeredith]

She was familiar to the other two, not new at all. Will try the saline/neosporin route and see how that goes. Keeping her separated while in the run could be a challenge. Stay tuned.

Was she familiar to the other two, or were they new flock members? She can eventually heal from those wounds, but it will take a few weeks. I would spray the wound with saline, chlohexidene, or a wound spray, and when dry, coat it with plain Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment once or twice daily. Of course, keep her separated with her own food and water. If there is room in the coop or run, then being to see the others may help with reintroducing her later.

 

[coach723]

I had a hen scalped by flock mates also. You could see her skull. I flushed it well, kept it covered in neosporin, reapplied as needed until it was scabbed over well. I kept her crated in the run until she wasn't at risk of getting it reinjured. The scab was very thick, and gradually flaked off from the edges in. Picture below was about 5 weeks post attack, feathers just starting to come in. Once the feathers were in you couldn't tell anything had happened except for a paler spot on the back of her comb which eventually faded.
She got her legs tangled in a hen saddle, which was what drew the attack.

 

[dmeredith]

That’s good to know, as the wounds look very similar. She survived the night on our enclosed porch, so I am hoping that she’ll make it. Thanks for replying.

I had a hen scalped by flock mates also. You could see her skull. I flushed it well, kept it covered in neosporin, reapplied as needed until it was scabbed over well. I kept her crated in the run until she wasn't at risk of getting it reinjured. The scab was very thick, and gradually flaked off from the edges in. Picture below was about 5 weeks post attack, feathers just starting to come in. Once the feathers were in you couldn't tell anything had happened except for a paler spot on the back of her comb which eventually faded.
She got her legs tangled in a hen saddle, which was what drew the attack.
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