Help! My silkie got her head pecked really badly!

[cbqueen89]

Today when I went out to check on my girls, I saw that one of my young silkies had a head injury! She seems to have been pecked really badly right on top of her head. She was very lethargic at first, but I stopped the bleeding, and then used neosporin and put gauze on it for a while. Once I was able to get her to drink and eat a little, she perked up. The wound looks so deep and with her black skin, I don't know exactly what I'm looking at. Should I try and stitch her up? Is it okay to clean and treat a wound that deep, or do I need to let it scab over? I'm nervous to put apply something that will make things worse. Please help! This is the first injury I've had, and I need all the advice I can get.

 

[Cheems]

I am not knowledgeable enough to give you proper advice on treating the wound, but do you know what caused this? Was it a rooster?

Hopefully some other people who know a bit more about treating the wound can help, but knowing how the wound happened can prevent it in the future

 

[cbqueen89]

It had to have been one of my other hens, we don't have any roosters. She was in the chicken run with them.

 

[Buckingham Palace]

I'm sorry about your hen. I hope she gets better soon. Good luck.

 

[deidreg]

You've done all the right things so far. Keep her away from the flock so she is safe. Keep the wound clean and hopefully it will heal over. If she's eating and drinking those are good signs. Others can provide additional advice.

When you try to reintegrate her with the flock, watch carefully as she may get pecked again. Good luck.

 

[Buckingham Palace]

How's your girl doing?

 

[cbqueen89]

How's your girl doing?

Thanks for checking! She made it through the night, and has still been eating, drinking, and pooping regularly. Yay! I just finished giving her a bath, and I was able to get some of the stuck feathers out of the wound. She is cuddling with me until she gets dry.

 

[cbqueen89]

You've done all the right things so far. Keep her away from the flock so she is safe. Keep the wound clean and hopefully it will heal over. If she's eating and drinking those are good signs. Others can provide additional advice.

When you try to reintegrate her with the flock, watch carefully as she may get pecked again. Good luck.

Thank you! She is inside and safe away from the flock. I also separated the other young silkie we have from the flock so that she didn't get picked on.

 

[OChickenD]

I bought a purple fluid that stinks and will keep the big hens from pecking my silkies when I see missing fur. It also helps heal. It's in a dark bottle and you squeeze it out. I bought it at T Supply. I would tell you the name but I keep it in the coop on a window. I've watched them go after the injured bird then stop and back away because of the smell. I know the silkie doesn't like the smell either but she was better the next day.

 

[Buckingham Palace]

Thanks for checking! She made it through the night, and has still been eating, drinking, and pooping regularly. Yay! I just finished giving her a bath, and I was able to get some of the stuck feathers out of the wound. She is cuddling with me until she gets dry.

That's food to hear.