BYC Café

[Shadrach]

Good morning Cafe.
Coffee is one the stove.
bread and salt cod on the plate.
Blue skies and sunshine here.

 

[Shadrach]

Good morning Becca.
Hows the patient?

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Good morning Becca.
Hows the patient?

Better than I expected really! She is acting like nothing is wrong. Was running and scratching with her splinted foot. I let her stay in the coop, as she jumped right up on the roost with no effort. Her toe sticks out, that is all.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Better than I expected really! She is acting like nothing is wrong. Was running and scratching with her splinted foot. I let her stay in the coop, as she jumped right up on the roost with no effort. Her toe sticks out, that is all.

We put a deep layer of straw on the floor to cushion the landing when she jumps down

 

[Shadrach]

Better than I expected really! She is acting like nothing is wrong. Was running and scratching with her splinted foot. I let her stay in the coop, as she jumped right up on the roost with no effort. Her toe sticks out, that is all.

That's great. I don't know about you, but I still worry a lot if there is an injured chicken here.
A strange thing is if I have a chicken in the house at night I sleep better.

 

[Shadrach]

Good morning Sean.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Yeah, worry is why I'm still up. I keep checking on her...she looks at me like "what, you again?"
Guess I should try to lay down again. See y'all on the flip side.

 

[Shadrach]

That's been my observation here too.
One of the newer LHs was actively working her way up the pecking order after integration. She took several good shots to the comb and wattles. I'd go out to feed them and find blood splattered on her and the feed trough. Stood out starkly on the white. She had no further injuries than those and healed fine. I hadn't cleaned her up.
I had a pullet with gross facial swelling that the vet felt was cancer. The head pullet attacked her if she tried to stay with the flock. It was horrible to witness.

I've got a bit about such observations in the book. I've even got a half finished article for BYC. However, as is common with much of the stuff I observe it goes against the established view and usual advice from those who give it.
I guess there must be some common ground between all the species in this respect.
Humans for example are generally empathetic towards an injured person. A diseased person however is often shunned and it wasn't that long ago the diseased were driven out of society.
I think chickens are much the same. This does however pose some interesting questions about chicken intelligence that many do not want to face.
I've yet to see 'the group' attack an injured chicken here. In fact, Ruffles (a hen) had a limp and it does put her at a disadvantage. Fat Bird (they've been friends for years) will wait for Ruffles if the terrain is difficult. None of the others try to bully Ruffles and her place in the hierarchy is secure.
When Fray (another hen) pissed off Dink (Frays mum) enough, Dink who is a hell on wings fighting female, beat the crap out of her daughter; there were very good reasons why she did this. But, despite the blood and injuries to Frays comb and wattles nobody else attacked her or even looked like they were going to have a curios peck.
I've got lots more examples. Interestingly my vet here gave me the advice to get the injured back with the flock as soon as possible.

 

[007Sean]

Good morning Sean.

Morning Shad, thanks for the coffee. I have donuts if you'd like some, plain and chocolate glaze.

 

[007Sean]

Mornin' Shad, could not get to sleep so I made a pot of coffee. Grab a cup and relax while you catch up.

Thanks Becca, I needed a cup.