Arizona Chickens

[avismeansbird]

Lost my first chicken today. They were happily digging around the backyard about 10am, when a coyote jumped the fence and took Uberious (long story on the name). She was a barred rock, almost 4 months old, and the leader of our small flock of 4. We have a large and secure coop and have read all the warnings about predators, but I guess I assumed that if something hopped our fence it would be loud - barking, squawking, etc., and not on a lovely Saturday morning. Our chickens were also so big, I figured nothing was going to mess with them. I didn't count on a silent predator. Foolish.

My oldest daughter went outside and saw the coyote with Uberious. She started screaming and crying. When we calmed her down enough to find out what was wrong, we searched all over the neighborhood, but didn't find anything but feathers. My daughter made a grave with a headstone, and buried a feather with her first Advent calendar chocolate. She wrote a eulogy on the headstone that begin with "We loved Uberious. . . " and ended with "I hope she loved us, too." I thought I owed it to her and to to Uberious to tell the story to those who would understand. Thank you all for your knowledge, experience, and loving support.

 

[Mahonri]

My olive egger hen has bumble foot...I think. Two nights ago she was roosting in the nesting box. Last night she was on the floor of the coop and today she is limping horribly. I first noticed her this morning when she was laying down with her wing out.

I picked her up and noticed that she kept her right foot (the one she was favoring) curled.

I soaked her feet and here's what they look like...


left foot


right foot.

I've read up on bumble foot surgery, but if someone is experienced and is willing to help I'd sure appreciate it. So would my hen.

All my others look fine. How did this happen??

She had a piece of wood or some other object stick her in that right foot.

Wish you lived closer, I'd just come show you how to do it.

Get gauze, medical tape, neosporin, sugar, iodine and a SHARP knife or safe razor blade.

1. Cut around the scab, pull it off, squeeze out as much pus etc... as you can.

2. WASH it real well.

3. place a small amount of neosporin in the wound.

4. mix a small amount of sugar and iodine. Place over the neosporin in the wound.

5. Place clean gauze over the wound

6. tape it into place.

On my girls it usually takes about 3 to 4 treatments of the above every 3 to 4 days... I leave the last dressing taped on and usually in a week she will have removed it herself. by then, it should be healed nicely.

 

[notinoz2007]

Lost my first chicken today. They were happily digging around the backyard about 10am, when a coyote jumped the fence and took Uberious (long story on the name). She was a barred rock, almost 4 months old, and the leader of our small flock of 4. We have a large and secure coop and have read all the warnings about predators, but I guess I assumed that if something hopped our fence it would be loud - barking, squawking, etc., and not on a lovely Saturday morning. Our chickens were also so big, I figured nothing was going to mess with them. I didn't count on a silent predator. Foolish.

My oldest daughter went outside and saw the coyote with Uberious. She started screaming and crying. When we calmed her down enough to find out what was wrong, we searched all over the neighborhood, but didn't find anything but feathers. My daughter made a grave with a headstone, and buried a feather with her first Advent calendar chocolate. She wrote a eulogy on the headstone that begin with "We loved Uberious. . . " and ended with "I hope she loved us, too." I thought I owed it to her and to to Uberious to tell the story to those who would understand. Thank you all for your knowledge, experience, and loving support.

so so sorry to hear that. brought tears to my eyes, sweet kid..

 

[Mahonri]

BTW... there is no Jude 2:24. Jude is only one chapter.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Lost my first chicken today. They were happily digging around the backyard about 10am, when a coyote jumped the fence and took Uberious (long story on the name). She was a barred rock, almost 4 months old, and the leader of our small flock of 4. We have a large and secure coop and have read all the warnings about predators, but I guess I assumed that if something hopped our fence it would be loud - barking, squawking, etc., and not on a lovely Saturday morning. Our chickens were also so big, I figured nothing was going to mess with them. I didn't count on a silent predator. Foolish.

My oldest daughter went outside and saw the coyote with Uberious. She started screaming and crying. When we calmed her down enough to find out what was wrong, we searched all over the neighborhood, but didn't find anything but feathers. My daughter made a grave with a headstone, and buried a feather with her first Advent calendar chocolate. She wrote a eulogy on the headstone that begin with "We loved Uberious. . . " and ended with "I hope she loved us, too." I thought I owed it to her and to to Uberious to tell the story to those who would understand. Thank you all for your knowledge, experience, and loving support.

We've had a number of coyote sightings in our neighborhood recently. Yesterday morning just before 8 we were heading down our street to an eye doctor appointment for my son when my mother asked "what is that; is it a dog?" Thank goodness she saw it; we'd just let the cat outside, so made a rapid u-turn, grabbed the cat and put him back inside. After we got home, I notified the neighborhood; other side of the neighborhood someone saw another coyote t about the same time. I suppose if the one I saw had started running full out (instead of slowly loping along) it could have gotten to the other sighting, but I really think it was probably two different ones. Both large and quite well-fed looking. And both out quite a bit after daylight. A third neighbor reported seeing a large well-fed coyote on a different day. And a fourth said there had been one sighted a couple of weeks earlier. Lovely.

 

[Fuzzybird]

Poor Uberious. Bold Coyote, geeze. Sorry for your loss.

 

[rufus]

Ohhhhh! Look at this. And it is dirt cheap at Arizona State surplus equipment sales. http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/all,az/browse/cataucs?catid=26

Twelve foot by twelve foot by seven foot ten inches high. I don't think any coyote could get into that.

Current bid is $25.00.

 

[squeakyballs]

I'm sorry to hear that, Avis :-(

 

[squeakyballs]

The Food Conspiracy's coop tour was awesome and very inspiring! Did anyone else go?

 

[City farm]

BTW... there is no Jude 2:24.  Jude is only one chapter.

Thank you for the correction.!
Part two of Jude is the duty to fight for God's truth.
Doxology,
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before the glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, to Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more! Amen

That is verse.. Now I need figure out how to make the correction on my settings. I tried to add something to my profile. It didn't work.
Hopefully somebody will be here this evening from BYC.. They can help me out on my iPad. I need a lesson.!