Injured face/beak in 7 week old puller- don’t know what to do

[Acorrigan]

Hi there! I’m new here and a new “chicken mama” to 8 pullets, 7 weeks old.

Tuesday 10/8 I found one of our chickens with a cut on her cheek and her beak pulled up on the edge (see photo). We think she may have injured herself on the metal feeding trough and yanked her head back but didn’t see it happen

I separated her from the others as they were pecking her face where the blood was. Once alone she is eating, drinking, and acting normally. The wound on her flesh/cheek is healing well but the beak portion is protruding out. We are new chicken owners and don’t know if we ought to just leave it? Clip it when the flesh is healed? Help please!!

 

[GodLovesU]

Ouch!Definitely keep it clean and fix the sharp edge on the feeder.I wouldn’t clip it unless it seemed to be bothering her or is a problem.

 

[Acorrigan]

Ouch!Definitely keep it clean and fix the sharp edge on the feeder.I wouldn’t clip it unless it seemed to be bothering her or is a problem.

Thank you! Yes we got rid of the feeder right away as we can't see any other way she did this.

Do you think it will be a problem when we reintroduce her to the others and them pecking at it?

 

[GodLovesU]

Thank you! Yes we got rid of the feeder right away as we can't see any other way she did this.

Do you think it will be a problem when we reintroduce her to the others and them pecking at it?

Unless it’s bleeding or she’s having troubles with it I don’t think they would peck at it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you place her near the others inside her dog crate with her food and water, so that she remains part of the flock. I haven’t seen this sort of beak injury before, but if she is eating and drinking well, it may be something she can deal with. Avian vets are the best ones to deal with beak injuries, if they have experience. I would worry that she could get the protruding edge caught on something again when it heals. I will tag @coach723 just in case she has seen one like this before. She just went through 2 bad hurricanes, though, so not sure that she will see this.

 

[coach723]

This last storm wasn't so bad for us, thank goodness, but we have family in Tampa, some of whom are staying with us until they can get back home, and have power restored there. Been a rough year and a half for us, and Florida, though!
I personally would crate her as @Eggcessive recommended, to reduce her stress and make it easier to reintegrate her when ready. I would leave it alone for now, let it dry up and harden off and let the tissue around it heal. Once that happens, the part that sticks out may be able to be filed down so that it doesn't protrude so much. I would use a file and only take a small amount at a time. You may not be able to remove it all, but may be able to make it less likely to catch on something. If it bleeds or seems to cause discomfort, then I would stop. If experienced avian veterinary care is doable for you, that would be best as they may be able to provide better options for stabilizing that. I don't know if in time it might grow out normally, or not. As long as she's able to eat and drink normally, she should do ok long term.

 

[Acorrigan]

This last storm wasn't so bad for us, thank goodness, but we have family in Tampa, some of whom are staying with us until they can get back home, and have power restored there. Been a rough year and a half for us, and Florida, though!
I personally would crate her as @Eggcessive recommended, to reduce her stress and make it easier to reintegrate her when ready. I would leave it alone for now, let it dry up and harden off and let the tissue around it heal. Once that happens, the part that sticks out may be able to be filed down so that it doesn't protrude so much. I would use a file and only take a small amount at a time. You may not be able to remove it all, but may be able to make it less likely to catch on something. If it bleeds or seems to cause discomfort, then I would stop. If experienced avian veterinary care is doable for you, that would be best as they may be able to provide better options for stabilizing that. I don't know if in time it might grow out normally, or not. As long as she's able to eat and drink normally, she should do ok long term.

I’m so glad your damage was less this time! Yes we have been thinking of our Florida friends and praying for all of you often- it has been a lot this year.

We need to get a smaller crate- the one we got was large enough for her to put her head through she bumped it and it started bleeding again. I just feel so badly! Will keep giving it time and giving her lots of snuggles.