- Jul 15, 2019
- 2
- 1
- 54
One of my hens recently endured a horrible flystrike. She is the one in my flock that won't let me touch her, which has been do-able because she's also very food-driven and I could always coax her back to the coop or trick-grab her if needed, etc. She is (was) always the chubby, greedy one of the bunch. When I realized she was in need of assistance, she had noticably lost some heft and the damage was pretty gotesque. The first night we cleaned her up was very traumatic for her - she went from alert to just laying on her side with raspy breathing. I'm sure it was very painful, but it is hard to say if it was due to pain or something more. I honestly didn't think she was going to make it.
Fast-forward. It's been almost two weeks and I'm happy to say she's doing really well. She's been inside and received lots of TLC in the form of baths, Veterycin, vitamins, special foods, and baby aspirin for the first few days. All that remains is a large scab below her vent.
And her bad attitude.
She's never been particular "friendly", but every time I even look over the side of her box, she grumbles and pecks angrily.
As her healing progressed, I thought perhaps she might have had an injury, since every time I'd look at her she seemed a little lopsided. Until I realized she was dropping one shoulder every time she saw me. Then it occurred to me this was her threatening me. 
I decided it was time for her to have some outside time, so I set up a fenced area for her and her other two coopmates (I didn't want to have to chase her down when playtime was over). While I was carrying her outside to join them, she started growling, which I've actually never heard before. While I expected I might have to have to protect the sick one from a little bullying because she wasn't 100%, boy was I shocked when I put her down. She took one big poop, dropped her shoulder, and went violent on the biggest of the two. This wasn't just a little pecking and jumping around - there were feathers flying.
Now why in the world would a "sick" chicken attack another hen she is so obviously going to lose to? Is it just because she knows she's in a precarious flock dynamic and "strike first" is the best course of action? Or could this be trauma-related aggression?
How in the world am I going to re-integrate these girls?
Fast-forward. It's been almost two weeks and I'm happy to say she's doing really well. She's been inside and received lots of TLC in the form of baths, Veterycin, vitamins, special foods, and baby aspirin for the first few days. All that remains is a large scab below her vent.
And her bad attitude.
She's never been particular "friendly", but every time I even look over the side of her box, she grumbles and pecks angrily.
As her healing progressed, I thought perhaps she might have had an injury, since every time I'd look at her she seemed a little lopsided. Until I realized she was dropping one shoulder every time she saw me. Then it occurred to me this was her threatening me. I decided it was time for her to have some outside time, so I set up a fenced area for her and her other two coopmates (I didn't want to have to chase her down when playtime was over). While I was carrying her outside to join them, she started growling, which I've actually never heard before. While I expected I might have to have to protect the sick one from a little bullying because she wasn't 100%, boy was I shocked when I put her down. She took one big poop, dropped her shoulder, and went violent on the biggest of the two. This wasn't just a little pecking and jumping around - there were feathers flying.
Now why in the world would a "sick" chicken attack another hen she is so obviously going to lose to? Is it just because she knows she's in a precarious flock dynamic and "strike first" is the best course of action? Or could this be trauma-related aggression?
How in the world am I going to re-integrate these girls?
