Polish hen picked on now having trouble walking. Please help!

Labsandchickens8

Chirping
Oct 8, 2024
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My 9 month old Polish hen is sitting on the ground and barely staggering around when she does walk. I've been very busy with the Easter holiday for the last 3 days and not really observing my birds. She has had some brown on her head from a bloody spot that I cleaned up and treated 3 weeks ago or so. I isolated her in a crate in the run and then let her reintegration. I also isolated the bully head hen at night for a couple of days because I figured that's when the worst was happening.
This morning she came out of the coop normally, I thought. When I was cleaning, I saw 2 chickens peck at a brown streak on her back while she just laid there. When I picked her up I discovered a bare spot on her back and the top of her head. I cleaned both places and put Hen Healer cream (blue stuff from TSC) on both. I gave her a dose of Nutridrench directly in her mouth and isolated her again with Nutridrench in her water and her normal food. She ate a few strawberries and greens I gave her but I haven't seen her eat regular food. She also drank some water.
She barely walks around, and when she does she kind of staggers with her wings out. Could she have some neurological damage from the pecking on her head? I feel so bad I didn't catch this earlier. I'm a new chicken mom.
 
Unfortunately they cam get brain damage from pecking. I would separate her and keep her separated. Is she your only crested bird? It's always best to have multiple crested to make it less of a novelty.
 
I have another Polish. The 2 Polish, especially the injured one, are pretty high in the pecking order. Only the head hen is older and she's always been a bully to everyone. The problem started after the Polish was gone in a broody box for 3 weeks and then went back to the coop. The broody box is right there in the run but I guess the pecking order reset. She was a really mean broody too - chasing everyone when she came out.
 

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