Young Chick Pecked Badly by Older Hen

[gardenrue7]

Hello, everyone! This morning when we went out to check on our flock, our 8 week old Cookies and Cream chick had a bloody neck. Is this from the older chickens attacking her?

They’ve been mixed in for two weeks with no issues at all, so I’m not sure what happened. This is also our first chicken injury, can anyone advise on how to treat this and how to handle this going forward with the bigger chickens to avoid more injury.

She is eating and drinking and has energy. Her voice is a little hoarse.

 

[Sc_chickengirl]

Yes I unfortunately have had this happen several times. It will be fine just keep a eye on it. I would separate it out and give it some TLC. I would put Neosporin on it and clean it daily. The birds I've had this happen to have healed almost completely by maturity though sometimes they have a funny ripple in their feathers over the spot.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like a polish, and their heads can attract pecking. Yes, it was probably another chicken, but more may have joined in when the red appeared. Do you have cockerel or rooster who might have been trying to mate with her?
I would place her inside a wire dog crate with food and water secured, and put something on to of it, such as a towel. Let her be with the others to stay part of the flock. Spray some saline or wound spray on her bloody head twice a day, and apply plain Neosporin triple antibiotic ointment twice a day. When it heals some and forms a scab, you can use BluKote or gentian violet on her wound to hide the red. I spray every other day to keep it purple. Mine ususally stop pecking with BluKote. Usually, BluKote will usually stop the pecking if started right away in the future. Slowly start to reintegrate her again, but remain nearby so that she is not injured.

 

[gardenrue7]

Thank you for your help everyone! We applied antibiotic ointment a few times a day after cleaning it and kept her inside for a day. Her wound look much better and she has great energy.

We don't have a rooster, so it was the other hens. I bought BluKote to apply, but we will keep her in a dog kennel inside the run for a day or two to make sure things don't get ugly again.