My first time posting for help!!! I have found so much information here, it's great!!
So, when I opened the coop as usual today at 7am to let the birds out, they all were excited as normal to get out, Rooster first, followed by the pullets, and two bit older bantam pullets. EXCEPT for one, which was in a bloody lump on the ground in the corner of the coop. At first I thought she was already dead, but she was just pretending. It appears that she was pecked and abused by the others in the morning excitement to get out of the coop. My chickens are free ranging on our 2 acre fenced property.
This injured girl is one (Plymouth Rock) of 6 chicks from the same daddy, but 3 different mommies. They are all about the same size at 7.5 (corrected!!) weeks old. They normally get along fine and I have only seen them doing their play fighting thing in the yard. None of the larger birds bother them, but they know to stay clear of the older birds, if their mommy is not near to protect them.
So what I've done so far. I used 3% H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) to clean the wounds and get all the dirt off. I'm putting neosporin ointment on the open wound. There isn't enough skin there to cover the skull that is exposed. I pulled up the skin that is there as much as possible. But every time she shakes her head it comes loose again. I 'd like to put something like 2nd skin on it to give it time to grow back, but don't know how I can attach it to stay. Is there a way to bandage a bird like this? if I wrapped gauze around it's head, the ears would be covered. There was also pecking damage on her body/wings, but that will heal up better. I still wiped her down with the hydrogen peroxide.
I'm holding her on my lap, keeping her warm, since she seemed cold when I picked her up. I am going to put her in a large carton with a heating pad set to 85F for isolation. I'll have water and food in there for her. As I'm sitting here the whole crew was outside my window and she was calling her mother, who answered. I had to go outside and let them see each other, fed everybody some treats (bird seed mix), including the injured pullet. the injured bird jumped off my lap and did a nice big poop (thanks!!) She wanted to hang out with the others, but is wobbly on her feet (still in shock?). Then I noticed one of the other pullets noticed her head and started acting like it was going to attack it. I grabbed up the injured bird before anything happened, but I could see the intent. So she is back on my lap, quiet and resting. She was shivering, but has calmed down and is resting with eyes closed. I'm going to continue to observe and keep her isolated inside.
Is she going to live? What can I put on this open wound to help it heal and not get infected? Will the skin grow back or how will her head every heal up?
Thanks for all the help this site has provided. I'll check back later and hope to find some remedies... Stephen
So, when I opened the coop as usual today at 7am to let the birds out, they all were excited as normal to get out, Rooster first, followed by the pullets, and two bit older bantam pullets. EXCEPT for one, which was in a bloody lump on the ground in the corner of the coop. At first I thought she was already dead, but she was just pretending. It appears that she was pecked and abused by the others in the morning excitement to get out of the coop. My chickens are free ranging on our 2 acre fenced property.
This injured girl is one (Plymouth Rock) of 6 chicks from the same daddy, but 3 different mommies. They are all about the same size at 7.5 (corrected!!) weeks old. They normally get along fine and I have only seen them doing their play fighting thing in the yard. None of the larger birds bother them, but they know to stay clear of the older birds, if their mommy is not near to protect them.
So what I've done so far. I used 3% H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) to clean the wounds and get all the dirt off. I'm putting neosporin ointment on the open wound. There isn't enough skin there to cover the skull that is exposed. I pulled up the skin that is there as much as possible. But every time she shakes her head it comes loose again. I 'd like to put something like 2nd skin on it to give it time to grow back, but don't know how I can attach it to stay. Is there a way to bandage a bird like this? if I wrapped gauze around it's head, the ears would be covered. There was also pecking damage on her body/wings, but that will heal up better. I still wiped her down with the hydrogen peroxide.
I'm holding her on my lap, keeping her warm, since she seemed cold when I picked her up. I am going to put her in a large carton with a heating pad set to 85F for isolation. I'll have water and food in there for her. As I'm sitting here the whole crew was outside my window and she was calling her mother, who answered. I had to go outside and let them see each other, fed everybody some treats (bird seed mix), including the injured pullet. the injured bird jumped off my lap and did a nice big poop (thanks!!) She wanted to hang out with the others, but is wobbly on her feet (still in shock?). Then I noticed one of the other pullets noticed her head and started acting like it was going to attack it. I grabbed up the injured bird before anything happened, but I could see the intent. So she is back on my lap, quiet and resting. She was shivering, but has calmed down and is resting with eyes closed. I'm going to continue to observe and keep her isolated inside.
Is she going to live? What can I put on this open wound to help it heal and not get infected? Will the skin grow back or how will her head every heal up?
Thanks for all the help this site has provided. I'll check back later and hope to find some remedies... Stephen
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from what I understand they are very attracted to red so if you have any hope of them not attacking again you need to get some of the blue spray (Blue Kote or something, I'm not sure but sure someone knows the right name!). The spray on stuff could work, you cna also get special Vetx bandage, you may be able to tie it around her head with a dressing underneath.
