Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[BigBlueHen53]

Poor Shorty! And poor you, at least until it was all said and done. Thank goodness they do heal quickly and then tend to "forgive and forget" once it's all over.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, tragedy struck one of the Buttercups tonight. No, she's alive, but Shorty lost her kick-ass spurs.

It was all my fault. I'm old and my eyes are old and losing depth perception. I was in the run moving not very fast when my foot made contact with a Buttercup who ran off screaming and cussing. I assumed at the time that I didn't break anything since she was able to move so quickly.

However, as I was getting the hens settled in at roosting time, Shorty was very agitated and clucking under her breath, sort of sounding like a broody. She was restless and couldn't seem to settle onto a spot on the perch. I then noticed she had a bloody shank.

I grabbed her and took her indoors to have a look. Her spur was hanging, nearly severed at the shank. I told her I was going to have to hurt her to make it stop hurting.

I wrapped her in a towel, covering her head to quiet her. First I twisted off the uninjured spur to judge how big the nub was on the damaged spur. Then I proceeded to remove the spur sheath on the damaged spur. My intention was to remove the spur sheath in order to try to save the spur, but the nub detached as I was trying to remove the sheath.

The painful part was over. I put Vetericyn on the remaining spur and on the other shank where the injured spur had been, popped an aspirin into her beak and returned her to the coop.

Shorty was still agitated, had hopped off the roost and raced back into the run, and then back inside the coop again. I noticed she was bleeding from the detached spur. So I grabbed her and took her back inside and bandaged the shank. Either the aspirin was taking effect or the bandaging helped reduce the pain. Either way, Shorty settled onto her perch.

I've had my share of injured chickens, but this is the first time I had one that so loudly advertised that she was in pain. I expect her to heal up pretty quickly with no after effects of this unfortunate accident.

I'm sorry to hear about Shorty

 

[AntiqueB]

Poor Shorty, and poor you. I'm glad it was not serious, though, and that she let you know something was wrong.

 

[azygous]

Shorty is still very upset and annoyed, and I can't tell if she's actually going broody or if it's behavior to match her pissed off mood. Can I say "pissed off" now? Years ago I'd get clobbered by the mods for bad language. But "pissed off" best describes Shorty's mood this morning. She's cussing under her breath, running around and puffing up, and generally mad at the world.

The injured leg doesn't seem to be bothering her as much as the other one where she now has just a spur nub. As it hardens, it will stop being painful. I'll pop another aspirin into her, and that should help a lot.

She is very vocal, screams like I'm pulling out all her feathers, when I pick her up to tend to her. And she's also not endearing herself to the rest of the flock, either. They're quite annoyed with her. Basically, she's the worst patient I've ever had. But then, she's a Bad-ass Buttercup.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

, Shorty.

 

[tripletfeb]

Shorty is still very upset and annoyed, and I can't tell if she's actually going broody or if it's behavior to match her pissed off mood. Can I say "pissed off" now? Years ago I'd get clobbered by the mods for bad language. But "pissed off" best describes Shorty's mood this morning. She's cussing under her breath, running around and puffing up, and generally mad at the world.

The injured leg doesn't seem to be bothering her as much as the other one where she now has just a spur nub. As it hardens, it will stop being painful. I'll pop another aspirin into her, and that should help a lot.

She is very vocal, screams like I'm pulling out all her feathers, when I pick her up to tend to her. And she's also not endearing herself to the rest of the flock, either. They're quite annoyed with her. Basically, she's the worst patient I've ever had. But then, she's a Bad-ass Buttercup.

Shorty reminds me of me today! Just all around cranky. Fist bump to you, Shorty, it will get better, I promise

 

[azygous]

Shorty is much better. She no longer seems to be in any pain. I didn't even bother with her second aspirin.

Interesting observation and possible insight:

Shorty was behaving just as broody hens do when they are touched. The biggest clue that she probably wasn't really broody was she never had any interest in a nest box beyond laying an egg. Today she is showing no signs of being broody at all.

It now occurs to me that this shines a light on why broodies cluck rapidly and puff up with wings held out from their sides. Like a little Buttercup in pain, broodies feel vulnerable. Like Shorty was doing when anyone came near her, a broody puffs up to appear larger and more imposing to discourage anyone approaching her in her vulnerable state.

I always just assumed broodies behaved that way because the broody hormones put them in a bad temper. I believe now that it's a defense mechanism.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Shorty is much better. She no longer seems to be in any pain. I didn't even bother with her second aspirin.

Interesting observation and possible insight:

Shorty was behaving just as broody hens do when they are touched. The biggest clue that she probably wasn't really broody was she never had any interest in a nest box beyond laying an egg. Today she is showing no signs of being broody at all.

It now occurs to me that this shines a light on why broodies cluck rapidly and puff up with wings held out from their sides. Like a little Buttercup in pain, broodies feel vulnerable. Like Shorty was doing when anyone came near her, a broody puffs up to appear larger and more imposing to discourage anyone approaching her in her vulnerable state.

I always just assumed broodies behaved that way because the broody hormones put them in a bad temper. I believe now that it's a defense mechanism.

Interesting! Possible article?

 

[azygous]

Interesting! Possible article?

I would love to but it's been many years since I've had a broody and no future prospects. Besides, good research would involve careful observation of a broody incubating and raising chicks. I no longer am able to do that because of lymphoid leucosis in my flock.

You all will need to observe and report what you see in light of my observation that broody behavior may revolve around a defense mechanism.

 

[SourRoses]

It's a really good theory.

Last week, our old bossy boots Susie, got to come out with the flock for some free time, and as usual for her she hung out around the house. Our neighbors hens sometimes come over, well Susie saw the strange hen under the RV. She went running under there and I squatted down to watch her as she floofed right up like a broody. Her wings were stretched out more than a usual broody pose.
Usually when hens fight it seems to be a pecking competition or a chest thumping thing. This looked different and I wondered why. But that white hen went running like she was scared for her life, lol.