Hen with a wound on her head

[minskey]

I need help already only had my chooks for three days; I have noticed this evening that one of the hens has a small wound on her head with what looks like blood, I think she is being bullied, I'm pretty sure who the culprit is. What do I do & what can I put on her head, its right at the top just behind her comb? Sorry to be such a 'novice' my chook books don't help.

[lynda66]

If it's not pouring with blood, and just a small nik and it looks clean, i'd probably leave it, but if there is running blood,or it looks dirty, i'd clean it with a bit of cooled boiled salt water an cotton wool, then keep an eye on her to make sure the bleeding stops and it stays clean till it's healed,(if theres any redness or swelling,over the next couple of days it could be infected) that should help dry it up too, if theres a big rip and its really bleeding, it might mean a trip to the vets.

not sure about what to do with the chicken afterwards though

[minskey]

Hi Lynda66, It does look clean & looked like a graze rather than a tear or hole. I only noticed as it looked at first like her feathers were ruffled/parted & I wondered why.

Forgot to say 'thanks' I really appriciate any and all help.

[vicky]

Hens can be attracted to the colour red and may continue to peck at her graze. You can get a purple antiseptic spray from petshops or disguise the area with cornflour if the wound is just very minor.

[yoanbob]

do you have more than 2 hens? if you have only just got them you will just have to wait a while (anything from 2-6 weeks while they sort out the pecking order, can be hard to watch when they are fighting.
for the future if your having problems with a bully remove the bully for a few days to a week, then when you put her back she will be further down the pecking order

[armadillo]

If it's just a small scratch I'd have thought it would be ok- one of mine got a cut on her toe on the first day back while sorting out the pecking order - it was gone in a few days, no swelling or anything.

[minskey]

Hi all, Have kept an eye on the hen and the wound has not got any worse & is not blleding or looking infected. I was watching them for a while & its not fighting as such but the odd jealos [?] peck which is going on, all a bit half hearted i am glad to say.

[djhs196]

Sounds like the pecking order is sorted but I would say that the "half hearted" peck is reminder to the relevant chicken of who's boss!

I'd second the purple spray if the girls are overly interested in the red colour itself, but sounds like you don't need to worry for this one.

Glad it's sorted - it can be a whole lot worse, especially if you introduce new girls to an already established pecking order. Best of luck with it all

[minskey]

Hi djhs196 & all

I'd like to get two more very shortly, will it be world war 3

On another tangent; how do you know hold old a hen is, or if it a Bantam or Full size hen if you have 'nt another to gauge it by???

[djhs196]

I'm afraid it really can be like world war 3. I've been told that with some it lasts just a day or so and it's not too bad - and for others, they've had to remove he bullied chicken and try and find it a new home. It can be harsh.

When we introduced two new girls to our one remaining chicken last year it was mortifying - she bullied them for 3 weeks straight and made herself seriously ill in the process. Interfering or holding the bullied chicken meant that once yr back was turned she had an extra couple of pecks for telling!

I would like to stress that all the girls now wonder round, happy as Larry in a little girl pack around the garden. So don't let it put you off!

It's suggested that if you do introduce new birds, make sure that there's more than one (so they share the bullying) and provide food and water at multiple locations (so they always have access to one of them). Some also suggest housing the birds near each other - in eye sight - but within separate runs so that they get used to each other before sharing the run.

If you are thinking of getting a few girls in, I suggest you do some further research on the internet about introducing hens and seeing what people suggest - omlet.co.uk has some good threads on the subject.

Bantam's really are tiny compared to full sized hens. As for aging hens - if they are laying they will usually be over 19 weeks and the bones round the backside with be about three fingers wide. Other then that I don't know!!

[minskey]

Cheers djhs196,

I think now that I've had a good look at them over the last few days that they are all full size hens. Had our fist eggs for yesterday, poached for breakfast, they were laid over 5 days [4 eggs, started v-small then up to a good med, all white shells, expected brown] LOVELY!!!!!!!!

I have 5 hens, would like two more. I think only one is laying at the mo. Wanted to post some pics, keeps telling me they are too big so a bit stuck

[armadillo]

Congratultions on the first eggs minskey, they really are mush tastier aren't they? Glad to hear that the eggs got bigger, as the first 2 I've had are very small (although the one I ae had a double yolk!)

[djhs196]

they are too big so a bit stuck



I recon anything over 90 grams to be "a big un" - and one of the girls has a personal best of 112g! I have heard of people getting up to 130 to 140. Ouch. Not something that I would encourage any chicken to do tho!

Wikipedia puts the eggs weights (that you buy at the supermarket) at:

Very Large 73g and over
Large 63-73g
Medium 53-63g
Small 53g and under

as a comparison

[minskey]

Oh dear, I've just read my post back and am in stitches because of my terrible grammer 'too big a bit stuck' I meant that the photo I was uploading was too bit & I was a bit stuck', but I can see what you mean ha ha!