Chicken bald back

[hopetofinish]

My neighbour got her chickens the same day as I did. She has 12 in a lovely big WIR.

 

Her sussex reserve has been pecked just above the tail and is an open wound which is bleeding. All the hens are pecking her. I advised getting some purple spray and she has headed off to the vets.

 

The hen I think will need to be kept safe within the run, but if we remove it then we will have trouble re-introducing. We have a large dog crate we could use. The WIR is covered.

 

All advise would be great as we are novices.

[laurmurf]

You're far better to have the trouble of re-introducing than leaving her there - chickens can kill the wounded bird in these circumstances. She needs to be removed immediately because even with purple spray the others will get any chance to peck at the open wound if they can see it.

The chook might be in shock and should be kept warm, probably indoors or somewhere sheltered and where she can be kept an eye on. Ideally get some avipro, nutridrops or any other 'booster' into her as well as lots of fresh water available.

Keep her separated until she is completely healed.

If, she can be kept in the sight of the others - particularly as she's healing than all the better. But she really needs to be away from the others asap.

good luck!!

[laurmurf]

oh, by the way, you can get purple spray from any country store or horsey shops: quite often where ever you buy your feed will have it. It's function is to sooth as well as hiding the red blood that the chickens will have a peck at.

[hopetofinish]

Thanks for such a swift reply.

 

The chicken was removed as soon as the problem was spotted. My neighbour got to petsathome just as they were closing and the vet was already shut. The teenager in there sold her anti pecking spray with a disinfectant in it, as I dont think they understood my purple spray instructions (I had ponies as a child).

 

Chicken has been sprayed and is being put in the crate in the kitchen.

[chicken bark]

That spray is better than nothing as, like you say, it has healing properties.

 

Hope the chicken makes a swift recovery and is not too distressed.

[hen mum]

Hi,

Just wanted to say thanks to my neighbour for putting up the posting whilst I ran to the pet shop & for the advice. I currently have the poor old thing in my front room in a dog wire dog cage with food & water as I have cats & they need their cat flap. The patient seems to have her appetite & is alert. She is none too keen on being in the cage which, although it is not small, is not a patch on her normal accommodation. I've covered her for the night but am worried about her being in there for any extended period of waking time.

 

With regard to the wound, there is a late chemist near our house. Does anyone think it would be worth getting something other than the Total Poultry Solutions Anti-Feather Pecking Spray I managed to get at the pet shop for tonight? The sussex reverse I have seems to be quite flighty & I'm worried that picking her up to treat the wound might exacerbate any shock she might be suffering from. We did manage to comprehensively spray the wound earlier, so I'm wondering which would be the best way ahead.

 

I'm more than willing to take her to the vet if that is best.

 

I'm just so surprised this has happened as they have been together now for around 4-5 weeks, in fact some were together before they came to me.

 

Thanks again for all the help & advice

[karena]

Disclaimer, I'm no expert, but I believe that anti-peck spray also contains an antiseptic so might be just as good as others. I had a similar problem, where one of my chooks got a bad peck wound, but I didn't spot it for a while (it was under her wing). By the time I had spotted it, it had already scabbed over and was well on the way to healing. She had had anti-peck spray on it though as I had been using it to try and stop the pecking, and due to a mix up with an order on the shop here, I was without the purple spray I was expecting so in the end I just used anti-peck to treat it. She looked poorly one evening and I was quite concerned but she perked up again. So, from my experience anti-peck seemed to do a good job, but I am no expert.

[Burtie14]

I'd say that the hen will be fine for a little while, the main thing is she's out of the way of the others and not getting pecked. You could buy some proper antiseptic spray tomorrow if you want, the wait until the hen has gobe to sleep in the evening before spraying, if you're worried about picking her up.

 

One of our chickens has been really pecked bald just above and around the tail, I know how upsetting it is, especially when they seem to get on well in all other respects.

[hen mum]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated. She is very quiet under her blankets with me in the front room as I try to catch up on the work I should have done this afternoon! It was just such a shock, the area was so bald & bloody. Still, she has eaten & been drinking. I'll give her another spray in the morning & take it from there. I thought two teenagers were bad enough!!!

 

Thanks once again for the support!

[andynjanec]

I have just noticed all the feathers missing and blood under the chin of our Cockeral.Hes in charge so not sure he is being pecked.I also noticed a month back feathers missing but no blood down the back of a hen .She is one of the stronger ones so in both cases i havent and cant see pecking going on.I was thinking mites.I have seen the hens grooming the cock though .Hmmmm not sure