Our dear Ozzie chicken has a patch on her back the size of a dessert plate with no feathers as I got home from work tonight and went to look for eggs. She's still strutting around with the other chickens and running across the yard for goodies, but her back is down to the meat.Is there anything I should do for her? I'd know what to do for my kid...but what do I do for this lovely chicken?I know our dogs didn't do it because their dog door is in and they've been in the house all day...thinking maybe a neighborhood cat?Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Hope this comes in handy for everyone in the future if the need arises::: I have used Corona Ointment (look for the yellow plastic jar with red lid) in the past for my horse following surgery and did a great job protecting the skin and speeding the healing process. You can apply a good layer to it and gover with gauze. I find that CoBan or VetWrap self sticking wrap works great. Depending on the location, you might be able to utilize a hen saddle-thing :)
Scott came in after feeding the chickens some left-over omelet this morning and called me outside. Dear Ozzie has new feather nubs sticking out of part of her back. I noticed the initial scab starting to peel off on Thursday, but really didn't expect any new feathers. Many thanks to Rachel for recommending the Rooster Booster. I think it kept Ozzie and the other chickens from picking at her back.
Ozzie is still doing OK tonight. She was resting in the coop when I got home from work tonight. I got the lotion and applied it to her back, too. She didn't particularly like it, but I did at least get some on her without causing her too much stress. Good grief, she even layed an egg for us today. She seems a little more timid around the other chickens, but they are not pecking her, and she really enjoyed some pomegranites tonight before bed.
I'm hoping the skin and feathers will grow back, but I'm concerned because there isn't any skin left on her back. Just happy she's still with us, really!
Thank you for the suggestions. I will have my husband get some of the lotion tomorrow and get some of that on her. She flew over our 8' block wall into the neighbor's yard. Thank goodness he only has an old bassett hound and a couple little (very little) dogs. We even had trimmed her wings, both of them, but I guess I'm going to have to trim them a bit more, but not tonight. She had some pomegranite seeds as a treat just before bed, but now she needs some rest.
Trimmed the other 7 hens wings tonight on both sides.
She is high on the pecking order, so the other hens aren't bothering her, but I will keep an eye out. Am thinking about keeping her in the coop tomorrow just so she'll be safe until I can get her wings clipped and some lotion on her.
Thank you all so much.
Put some Rooster Booster No pick lotion on her. You can buy it at several of the feed stores if you don't have it already, call first to be sure the store has it in stock. This will discourage pecking by other birds and help it heal. If it's on her lower back just above her tail feathers, I'm inclined to believe it might have been caused by other chickens. Keep a close eye for sure.
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I'm hoping the skin and feathers will grow back, but I'm concerned because there isn't any skin left on her back. Just happy she's still with us, really!
Trimmed the other 7 hens wings tonight on both sides.
She is high on the pecking order, so the other hens aren't bothering her, but I will keep an eye out. Am thinking about keeping her in the coop tomorrow just so she'll be safe until I can get her wings clipped and some lotion on her.
Thank you all so much.