Gracie123
In the Brooder
- Feb 20, 2017
- 40
- 12
- 29
We recently put some eggs under our broody hen and sadly only one of them hatched. She spent the first seven days keeping it in the coop (an old shed that we converted, but a large area to run around etc... with food and water) and then the last three days she has been taking it out to forage in the orchard with the rest of the flock.
It was all going so well until today.
I noticed from a distance that she had some orange markings on her back, and wondered if her colouring was developing (she's supposed to be gold laced orpington, but so far completely black fluff) but when I got closer I realised she's had a piece of skin roughly the size of a 50p piece ripped off her back.
It looks superficial e.g. no tissue damage underneath, but it is a large wound. The hens were very upset and wouldn't let us near her initially. We've moved the chick back into the coop and mum has gone straight in with it.
What should I do?
1) I could bring it in and keep it alone in a brooder until it's bigger, but I think mum would be devastated and then I'd have to try and reintroduce it on it's own.
2) I could bring mum and chick in to live in the brooder, but it's a medium sized dog crate and not really made for a large buff Orpington chicken!!
3) I could lock mum and baby in the shed each day, but they wouldn't be getting any sunlight at all.
4) I could leave it out with the flock and hope for the best.
Also, any tips for helping with the wound?
Should I try to clean it with anything or just leave it be?
The chick is running around and seems okay. It's still chirping, but not excessively so. It seems pretty happy with it's mum to be honest, but the wound is really bad.
It was all going so well until today.
I noticed from a distance that she had some orange markings on her back, and wondered if her colouring was developing (she's supposed to be gold laced orpington, but so far completely black fluff) but when I got closer I realised she's had a piece of skin roughly the size of a 50p piece ripped off her back.
It looks superficial e.g. no tissue damage underneath, but it is a large wound. The hens were very upset and wouldn't let us near her initially. We've moved the chick back into the coop and mum has gone straight in with it.
What should I do?
1) I could bring it in and keep it alone in a brooder until it's bigger, but I think mum would be devastated and then I'd have to try and reintroduce it on it's own.
2) I could bring mum and chick in to live in the brooder, but it's a medium sized dog crate and not really made for a large buff Orpington chicken!!
3) I could lock mum and baby in the shed each day, but they wouldn't be getting any sunlight at all.
4) I could leave it out with the flock and hope for the best.
Also, any tips for helping with the wound?
Should I try to clean it with anything or just leave it be?
The chick is running around and seems okay. It's still chirping, but not excessively so. It seems pretty happy with it's mum to be honest, but the wound is really bad.