Young Pullet attacked by flock!!!!! UPDATE: Bad news. (!!!Pictures!!!)

[ChickenWisperer]

One of my young EE chicks was attacked by the older memebers of the flock, and I dont know what to do. Here is the damage -

She is fed Layer feed, and Scratch Grains. Im currently trying to get her to drink and eat some warm oat-meal. There is some blood. I just dont know what to do. We have her wrapped in a towel in a rubber-tub in the bathroom......


The other chicks were attacked, but so far the only other one I can see with a significant injury is my Brahma baby. They also pulled quite a few tail feathers out of her, and she is bleeding in one spot - should I take her inside too? Here is a pic, its not very good but I was in a rush.

We are building a "Brooder" corner so that this doesnt happen again when the big chicks arent allowed outside, and so the little ones can eat. It looks as if they were attacking them from behind, and I can see numerous peck marks around all their faces and eyes. Is this just a mishap or is this cannibalism?

Thanks guys.

 

[glassparman]

keep her isolated for a few weeks. She will heal up fine.

I had a young hen attacked to the point of there being a silver dollar sized hole in the skin at the same spot as in your picture. I though for sure she would die. I put her in an isolation cage to see what would happen. That was 8 months ago and she is thriving with the rest of the flock. She was healed up in about 4 weeks.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Thanks.

Anyhow, is there anything I should be doing? Should I try to clean her wound, give her any meds?

 

[freerange freaks]

I would isolate her somewhere warm and dark. I'd flush the wound three times per day for three days with a 10% betadine solution and keep the wound wrapped with sterile gauze and furacin. Change bandages after every cleaning. After 3 days it should be well on its way to healing. And could probably be left out.

I would offer her clean water or if you have a vitamin such as Avia charge or poly visol I would slip that into her water. Yogurt along with her regular food and she should be O.K. Stress and infection are what you are trying to combat with this type of injury.

I wouldn't put her back with the flock until fully healed because of pecking and infection.

Just what I would do. I'm sure she'll be fine. I've seen chickens pull through some mighty crazy injuries. They really are tough birds. There are a lot of very knowledgable people on here that will also have great ideas on how to get her through this.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I agree she needs to be seperated until fully healed, clean the wound and top it off with something like neosporin keep her in a clean place to cut down the risk of infection. Take the other one who is bleeding too or she is gonna look like the first one in no time. Once they see blood they keep picking and picking. I lost a LF silver laced cochin from the others pecking her, one minute she was fine the next minute the brooder looked like a massacre took place and she was taking her last breath

. They may need more space, that causes them to pick on each other. Another thing you can put on their wounds is blucoat.

 

[katrinag]

You also need to remove the one that is doing the pecking. or this will keep happening. Also give them stuff to do like hang food. Thought bird seed in the run and in the coop so they have to dig for it.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Thank you all so much. I just cant find the words right now. I'll post how everything is comming along later.

Adrian

 

[katrinag]

Good luck.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Oh - anouther question - to clean their wounds, could I use Rubbing alcohol or peroxide?

 

[katrinag]

Betadine or Iodine is your best options. Wal Mart sell betadine comes in a teal/blue bottle.