*GRAPHIC WARNING* Help severely injured quail!

[Midzibirds]

One of my coturnix quails was attacked by something last night. She must have stuck her head out through the holes in her run wire and a cat I think tried to grab her. Anyway a whole strip of flesh including feathers and some skin maybe 2 or more inches long was ripped off from her head in one piece. Literally from ear to ear under her chin across the front of her neck has been removed leaving rawn skin/meat. I think I can see her neck muscles. It unbelievable that she wasn't killed outright!

anyway it has stopped bleeding. There didn't seem to be much blood actually. I brought her in my house and flushed out the wound with clorhexidine wash. It's pretty open and raw/moist looking so I don't know if I should put any Creams on it. I have some antiseptic cream and some triple antibiotic ointment. Also should I cover it or leave it open?
She seems quite sleepy and shocked but is able to stand and walk about a bit and has eaten and drank a bit.
If the skin has been peeled off in a strip will she be able to recover and grow new skin? Or does she need stitches or something? It looks so bad.

 

[nchls school]

While it looks terrible I have seen worse in quail; and it healed.
I would suggest keeping her warm and isolated from other quail until it has scabbed over or longer. Other quail will peck at the wound making it worse. It will heal but, likely, if the areas are heavily damaged feathers may not grow back. Keep the wound clean until it has scabbed. Offer favored treats and vitamins/electrolytes in her water. Good luck.

 

[Midzibirds]

Thank you. I'm hoping she will be able to recover but I'm worried about infection.

I feel awful but I have literally just noticed one of my other quail hens is also injured. What the heck happened last night, I don't know! The second quail has some serious beak damage. The left side of her bottom beak has been ripped loose and there is damage right up inside the cheek at the root of the beak and her eye is swollen shut. I've trimmed the shard of beak back and she seems absolutely normal, acting as if nothing has happened and even laid an egg. I will try to get photos of her injuries too.

Is it possible these two females were fighting around daybreak and have injured each other? I can't imagine how both of them have injuries around their heads when they must have stuck their heads right up to the wire mesh for a cat or fox (the only predators around here) to have been able to reach them. It seems so strange! The other quails in the same enclosure are fine and it is clear that nothing got inside the run.

 

[Rooapalooza]

Can you take a picture of your enclosure? I agree you should keep the injured ones warm and isolated so their wounds don't get picked on. Good job with the wash!

 

[nchls school]

Most likely something started/scared the quail. Quail when scared fly straight up. If the top is hard/rigid, head damage occurs; even death. Consider putting a flexible screen/netting as the enclosure's top.

 

[Lemon88]

Quail are so so tough. I have seen a quail with its skull exposed and one with its neck muscles exposed worse than that and they survived. If you keep it from being infected and keep the quail as relaxed as possible it has a chance of surviving. Best of luck it is so terrible that your poor birdies have to go through this.

 

[Lemon88]

The injured birds weren't mine, but I know they put antibiotic ointment onto the wounds.

 

[mixedUPturk]

@Midzibirds first of all

I think your birds will be okay.

As prey animals they have an incredibly remarkable ability to heal and continue on in normal fashion as to try not to attract attention because the weak are targeted by predators.

Triple antibiotic ointment is okay But with NO pain meds to it. I keep Blu Kote on hand for dealing with injuries and i suggest you do too.

Im really sorry that this happened and like @Rooapalooza said please show us your setup and maybe we can help. A 1" x 1" wire mesh for example is large enough for a coon to pull a little birds head through and that is regular pred behavior, i would not think theyre fighting by these injuries.

Again @Midzibirds