Chicken Attacked?

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
I'm letting the hens out of their cage to free range, but only for a little bit. I'm gonna make sure I know where each one is at all times

 

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
Here's what he looks like now, he's laying in this position because I'm rubbing his chest and he just melts to the ground. There's scabbing, it looks wet because I sprayed more dirt repellent on him, and it looks green/blue because of the hen cream. If even turned my fingers blue from rubbing it on him lol

Also, is it safe if he tries to dirt bathe, or if another hen accidentally kicks dirt on him while bathing?
And now he's back at mating with the hens

 

[WiddleChix]

He looks like he's healing up really well! It doesn't look inflamed or irritated and looks like it's scabbed up really nice like it should be. I don't think dustbathing should be a problem, I mean you know they're gonna do it anyway wether you like it or not

I would just watch it and if it looks like it's really getting dirty then clean it with some warm water and antibacterial soap just to keep it clean and make sure it doesn't get infected, don't use hydrogen peroxide whatever you do (if you decide to clean it more) because it'll kill the new tissue/skin growing in. Hey, atleast you know he feels back to himself if he is back with the hens, he probably feels like a hero

 

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
I put them back in because I had a feeling the hens would leave Hickory as he's just standing around and he'd eventually wander off. He hates being sprayed with the dust protector just like a little kid refusing to take their cough medicine, haha! But I'm very glad he's able to drink and eat still. Right after I got through completely cleaning their water container from some alagae, my bantam kicked dirt all in it and I had to redo it all again. She just really hates my hens

 

[WiddleChix]

Jeez don't you just hate it when you take the time to clean everything for them and they get it all dirty right away?! How's everything today?

 

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
Hickory was still on the roost when I got home, so I took him down and he's still lowering his head. His wounds are looking better though, the big gash on his neck is scabbing and everything's clean. And I caught yet ANOTHER (and bigger) skunk this morning. Luckily I didn't get sprayed again, and nothing in the other trap. Still no signs of Butterscotch, but I went looking even more for feathers but didn't find anything

 

[WiddleChix]

Yeah I'm sure Hickory is still sore from the attack, you know how if you scrape your knee or something even though it scabs up it still hurts, especially if you said you saw bruising.

Foxes and coyotes are pretty smart, I'm surprised you haven't seen more traces of it though tbh. Did you get sprayed the first time? Lol. I haven't had to deal with skunks, so I'm real glad I've never encountered one/been sprayed.

How long has Butterscotch been sitting on nests in the woods? I'm trying to think if maybe she's just sitting on a nest until it hatches and that's why you haven't seen her. I know if broodies sit on a nest somewhere away from their coop they'll come back a couple times during the day for food and water and you won't see them til they come back with chicks. Maybe someone you love with could check during the day or you could set up a game cam to see if she's coming during the day. Getting a camera you could also see what's going on with predators at night. I've been thinking about getting one just to see what comes by at night if anything.

 

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
From her previous time with sitting on a stash in the woods, i was able to find her exact spot because my mom said she saw a fluffed out hen hang around the others, then bolt back somewhere into the woods. She can't tell the difference between my brown hens, so as soon as I got home, sure enough me and my dog found her. She's the only broody hen out of the bunch, too. And we set up a game camera where the feathers and the trap is to see activity there (and maybe how skunks can even climb that high!). I surprisingly didn't get sprayed both times, they were even two different skunks and the second one was more alert and bigger. My mom, however, has doubt that Butterscotch will ever come back, but I still have a little hope. When she sat in the nesting box, I had to take her out to let her drink and eat because she'll sit in there for days. I put some chicken pellets in her box so she didn't starve so much, she ate those. But it sucks because my parents have work all day and my sisters away in college so I have only my dog to watch after everything. But I agree that the game camera could work well

 

[WiddleChix]

Sorry! Been at school all day. Yeah a game cam is a good idea especially if no ones home all day. Yeah you know will broodies she might not be seen for awhile cuz she's stuck on her best especially if they're about to hatch. Anything new today?

 

[YoshiWolfox]

@WiddleChix
Nothing new, I put more ointment on Hickory yesterday and he's still acting the same today. Nothing in the traps yet but I'm not giving up there. I'm gonna check the cameras tomorrow though