Vampire Gardener
Chirping
- Apr 25, 2023
- 47
- 39
- 56
On this past Wednesday, November 22nd, a hawk attacked one of my chickens and messed her up pretty bad. Her back was a bloody mess and I took her to my vet who gave her a couple stitches, gave me antibiotics to give her, and charged me 360 bucks. Oh my goodness. My hurt girl is in my bathroom and she seems to be doing okay. It is very difficult getting her to take the antibiotic. The only thing I've been able to do is put it in tomato juice. All my girls absolutely love tomatoes.
My other girls (8) seemed a little scared but none were showing any symptoms. Then I noticed what looks like blood in their poop, not in the hurt girls poop, but a couple of the other girls. I don't have cameras in my coop so I don't know who is doing it. They have been separated from Rory, my hurt girl since Wednesday. I noticed the poop on Thanksgiving and I do feed them tomatoes so I thought maybe I was seeing tomato pieces in the poop that didn't get digested.
But there is still some today and I quit giving them tomatoes for a few days. So I'm attaching pictures. The girls also have gone from being able to forage in an electric fenced area that is roughly 50 x 75 feet to a locked up run which is an 8 x 12. They also have access to the 4x8 coop as well as under the 4x8 coop. Based on square footage they should be fine if not happy about.
I have bad luck. I bought the predator proof netting and received it a few days before Thanksgiving. I knew as the leaves were falling they would be more easily noticed, I just didn't do it in time. It is possible that I could have two unrelated issues. Since they have been foraging, other birds also have the ability to get to the girls food and could spread something to them.
So questions. Could stress cause this? Should I start them all on something since I don't know who is doing it? Here is more info below to answer all the questions in the read first post.
Any help would be appreciated.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
I have 3 Australorps, 2 RIR, 1 RI Blue or Production Blue, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes. - All born on April 24, 2023.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
They seem to be normal, energetic just not happy they can't roam around the yard anymore.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since Nov 23rd - 3-4 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
I noticed it in two different poop piles so I think more than one is doing it.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Nothing of note on the eight birds in the coop.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Stressed by having a fellow flock mate attacked by a hawk.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
I give them crumbles in water and pellets, plus water. They get treats that include: cauliflower and cabbage leaves, tomatoes, apples, mealworms and chicken scratch. I give them little bits from my garden. I also on occasion give them wheat grass and weeds but the weeds are pretty much dead now. They scratch in dried leaves and have pine shavings in their coop. I have in the past given them the whole apple until I learned that the seeds are bad for them. I probably stopped that a week or two ago.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
It looks normal other than the red blood. On occasion there are the smelly runny ones. But I haven't had one of those with what looks like blood yet.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I haven't done anything so far other than stopping tomatoes.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would prefer to treat myself if it is possible. I will take to the vet if needed but my vet charges a lot.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Picture attached.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use.
Pine shavings.
My other girls (8) seemed a little scared but none were showing any symptoms. Then I noticed what looks like blood in their poop, not in the hurt girls poop, but a couple of the other girls. I don't have cameras in my coop so I don't know who is doing it. They have been separated from Rory, my hurt girl since Wednesday. I noticed the poop on Thanksgiving and I do feed them tomatoes so I thought maybe I was seeing tomato pieces in the poop that didn't get digested.
But there is still some today and I quit giving them tomatoes for a few days. So I'm attaching pictures. The girls also have gone from being able to forage in an electric fenced area that is roughly 50 x 75 feet to a locked up run which is an 8 x 12. They also have access to the 4x8 coop as well as under the 4x8 coop. Based on square footage they should be fine if not happy about.
I have bad luck. I bought the predator proof netting and received it a few days before Thanksgiving. I knew as the leaves were falling they would be more easily noticed, I just didn't do it in time. It is possible that I could have two unrelated issues. Since they have been foraging, other birds also have the ability to get to the girls food and could spread something to them.
So questions. Could stress cause this? Should I start them all on something since I don't know who is doing it? Here is more info below to answer all the questions in the read first post.
Any help would be appreciated.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
I have 3 Australorps, 2 RIR, 1 RI Blue or Production Blue, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes. - All born on April 24, 2023.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
They seem to be normal, energetic just not happy they can't roam around the yard anymore.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since Nov 23rd - 3-4 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
I noticed it in two different poop piles so I think more than one is doing it.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Nothing of note on the eight birds in the coop.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Stressed by having a fellow flock mate attacked by a hawk.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
I give them crumbles in water and pellets, plus water. They get treats that include: cauliflower and cabbage leaves, tomatoes, apples, mealworms and chicken scratch. I give them little bits from my garden. I also on occasion give them wheat grass and weeds but the weeds are pretty much dead now. They scratch in dried leaves and have pine shavings in their coop. I have in the past given them the whole apple until I learned that the seeds are bad for them. I probably stopped that a week or two ago.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
It looks normal other than the red blood. On occasion there are the smelly runny ones. But I haven't had one of those with what looks like blood yet.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I haven't done anything so far other than stopping tomatoes.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would prefer to treat myself if it is possible. I will take to the vet if needed but my vet charges a lot.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Picture attached.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use.
Pine shavings.
