humblehillsfarm
Crazy chicken lady
So last year, May of 2019, I received seven baby chicks from Meyer Hatchery. They were a mix of breeds and one was a Welsummer. Around week 5 they were moved to an outdoor enclosure and in week 6 my boyfriend came home and found a chick with a bloody neck. He had an urgent errand so he just quickly isolated her. Unfortunately she kept scratching at the wounded and made it significantly worse by the time I found her. There was a large flap of skin, from the front of her neck to the back which was hanging open and you could see clearly her exposed, and thankfully uninjured, neck muscle tissue. I do not have a picture of the immediate aftermath, only after it was scabbed over. So for two days, without knowing what to do, I kept her swaddled to prevent further injury. I stayed home and snuggled her and cleaned the wound. I had to go back to work though and so many people kept telling me to dispatch her. I think I cried for those entire two days. Anyways, we practiced a series of bandages, all of them failed, until we tried vet wrap with a non-stick trauma pad that was trimmed to her size. This forced her neck to be elongated because if the wrap was too short she could stretch her neck and scratch it. This worked for a week until she started growing more and became stronger so I eventually had to cobble her feet so she couldn't lift her leg. Poor thing was totally miserable and hated it. During this time we kept her in the bathroom, just free ranging in there. We'd clean her poo up 4-5x a day and with one bird it really wasn't hard to do, but when we left her alone she peeped and peeped until we had to "rescue" her. All she wanted was cuddles. Her favorite place became my neck. I'd try to get ready for work in the morning and she'd hop onto the sink and pace until I bent down for her to get on my shoulder. She'd get in our little medicine rack on the wall and even once we thought we lost her in the bathroom.... low and behold she made it up to the towel rack! Fast forward nearly a year later and she's grown up into a beautiful independent bird true to her Welsummer personality. She no longer wants cuddles, just treats. Also, her name is Scratch AKA Scratchy Bird. Here are some photos:
Here was around week 2 post-injury. I let her outside to clean the wound with Vetericyn, dabbed with antibiotic ointment, and then let it air out a bit.
This was week 1 of the injury and the very first time she ever jumped on my shoulder. I was BRAND NEW to chickens and was so scared she would fall. But my heart was so full <3
She hopped on my knee while I was watching TV and I was giving her a little break with her bandage. This was still week 2.
Week 3 and it was healing up nicely!
This was probably around week 3. At this point when she could be supervised she could be left with no bandage. I was getting ready for work and she demanded some shoulder time!
I think this may have been the end of week 3 or in week 4. She was without a bandage full time but her neck was totally bald on the back and sides. I was afraid the other chicks would still attack. One night I heard a racket in the bathroom and this is what I came to find.
I walked in the bathroom and couldn't find her!!! Where's Scratch?
Couch snuggies with her dad.
Now she is fully feathered out! Now our problem was it was reaching in the high 90s, she is totally acclimated to an AC, and the other birds pick on her. We'd try to put her out with them and she'd throw a temper tantrum until we caved and brought her in for more snuggles.
My heart was so full <3
And here she is on the last day she ever jumped on my shoulders. She is a fully integrated flock member now and all grown up. She's laying beautiful brown speckled eggs. She's one of those birds who will always have a special place in my heart.
Here was around week 2 post-injury. I let her outside to clean the wound with Vetericyn, dabbed with antibiotic ointment, and then let it air out a bit.
This was week 1 of the injury and the very first time she ever jumped on my shoulder. I was BRAND NEW to chickens and was so scared she would fall. But my heart was so full <3
She hopped on my knee while I was watching TV and I was giving her a little break with her bandage. This was still week 2.
Week 3 and it was healing up nicely!
This was probably around week 3. At this point when she could be supervised she could be left with no bandage. I was getting ready for work and she demanded some shoulder time!
I think this may have been the end of week 3 or in week 4. She was without a bandage full time but her neck was totally bald on the back and sides. I was afraid the other chicks would still attack. One night I heard a racket in the bathroom and this is what I came to find.
I walked in the bathroom and couldn't find her!!! Where's Scratch?
Couch snuggies with her dad.
Now she is fully feathered out! Now our problem was it was reaching in the high 90s, she is totally acclimated to an AC, and the other birds pick on her. We'd try to put her out with them and she'd throw a temper tantrum until we caved and brought her in for more snuggles.
My heart was so full <3
And here she is on the last day she ever jumped on my shoulders. She is a fully integrated flock member now and all grown up. She's laying beautiful brown speckled eggs. She's one of those birds who will always have a special place in my heart.
