CrazyBeets
In the Brooder
- Apr 5, 2015
- 24
- 0
- 35
I'm new so bare with me! I've had chickens for about a year, while my husband on the other hand grew up in a zoo (literally). We noticed one of our new chickens (got them about three weeks ago) acting odd. His solution was to wack her head off, I on the other hand cried, so now we're trying to fix her up.
We started with seven hens, then we purchased 8 more at a bird auction (six in one group, two in another). The now injured one, Pineapple, was one of the two (the other one is called JoJo, because he/she/it hasn't quite decided if it is a boy, girl, or both). She was doing fine for the first couple of weeks, then about a week ago I noticed that one of the other older ladies was under the weather, so we started them all on antibiotics. Then a few days later, Pineapple was being antisocial, then we noticed that her right wing was hanging down to the ground and she was laying down a lot. JoJo and one of the other new chickens were watching over her and protecting her from our older ladies. I took Pineapple out and put her in a playpen by herself, because I was concerned that she might have sprained her wing or got beat up. She is very light and has nothing in her snack pouch (crop is what my husband calls it), while our other chickens have a lot in their reserve. After a day alone I put her back with the rest of the chickens (who tried to beat her up, but she ran away from them).
Later that evening I went to check on them and noticed that Pineapple was laying on her back under the coop ramp. I walked right up to her and she just looked at me, but didn't get up. Apparently she tried to jump up on the ramp but fell off and landed on her good wing and now could get up (that's why she's called Pineapple, because I found her upside down). I know this because when I righted her, she tried it again and almost fell off again. So I picked her up and we wrapped her wing back into place with vet wrap and separated her from the other ladies.
Now, here's my problem--I'm starting to wonder if it was an injured wing or not, or if she is just depressed (?!) or not. When I put her in her play pen, she just lays there. I have seen her eat on her own and drink on her own (just a little), but she lays down when she does it. When she does get up, she's pretty wobbly and tips over backwards or falls on her side. I'm not sure if it is because she doesn't have her other wing to balance her? Tonight I did sit in her play pen and propped her up with one hand and gave her food with the other. She ate, ate, ate then drank and drank, then ate some more, like she was starving. When she had enough she wobbled off and tipped over onto her butt and just sat there.
I don't think she had a stroke, because her eyes are blinking normally and she can aim fine when eating. The husband is still thinking that she needs to go, but I'm willing to hold on for another week or so if you guys think there's a chance. Any suggestions?
We started with seven hens, then we purchased 8 more at a bird auction (six in one group, two in another). The now injured one, Pineapple, was one of the two (the other one is called JoJo, because he/she/it hasn't quite decided if it is a boy, girl, or both). She was doing fine for the first couple of weeks, then about a week ago I noticed that one of the other older ladies was under the weather, so we started them all on antibiotics. Then a few days later, Pineapple was being antisocial, then we noticed that her right wing was hanging down to the ground and she was laying down a lot. JoJo and one of the other new chickens were watching over her and protecting her from our older ladies. I took Pineapple out and put her in a playpen by herself, because I was concerned that she might have sprained her wing or got beat up. She is very light and has nothing in her snack pouch (crop is what my husband calls it), while our other chickens have a lot in their reserve. After a day alone I put her back with the rest of the chickens (who tried to beat her up, but she ran away from them).
Later that evening I went to check on them and noticed that Pineapple was laying on her back under the coop ramp. I walked right up to her and she just looked at me, but didn't get up. Apparently she tried to jump up on the ramp but fell off and landed on her good wing and now could get up (that's why she's called Pineapple, because I found her upside down). I know this because when I righted her, she tried it again and almost fell off again. So I picked her up and we wrapped her wing back into place with vet wrap and separated her from the other ladies.
Now, here's my problem--I'm starting to wonder if it was an injured wing or not, or if she is just depressed (?!) or not. When I put her in her play pen, she just lays there. I have seen her eat on her own and drink on her own (just a little), but she lays down when she does it. When she does get up, she's pretty wobbly and tips over backwards or falls on her side. I'm not sure if it is because she doesn't have her other wing to balance her? Tonight I did sit in her play pen and propped her up with one hand and gave her food with the other. She ate, ate, ate then drank and drank, then ate some more, like she was starving. When she had enough she wobbled off and tipped over onto her butt and just sat there.
I don't think she had a stroke, because her eyes are blinking normally and she can aim fine when eating. The husband is still thinking that she needs to go, but I'm willing to hold on for another week or so if you guys think there's a chance. Any suggestions?