Crime Scene...

[micstrachan]

This morning I discovered blood in the coop after all the girls came out and seemed well.

Upon closer inspection, it’s a LOT.

I checked combs. Nope. It’s Buttercup’s foot.

Maybe just a broken feather, but I’m a little scared to see what I find, since we’ve been battling rats. I just found a place they could get into the actual coop through the attached shed.

Wish us luck...

 

[micstrachan]

There is a big clump of dried blood... I think it’s just a broken feather that bled like crazy. Poor baby. I think she broke it before going to roost last night.

Regardless... I’ll be in there blocking holes with hardware cloth today. It’s right where the roof beams meet the wall.

Buttercup is slightly favoring the foot. Can broken feathers hurt? I might need to look closer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd wash the foot off with warm water so you can see what actually going on. Broken feathers and toe nails can cause quite a bit of bleeding, but that is a lot of blood.

 

[micstrachan]

There’s a HUGE chunk of dried blood wedged between toes and stuck in feathers. I washed gently once by squirting warm, slightly soapy water. I’m pretty sure it’s just from a broken feather, but I don’t want to pull that giant scab out to confirm. I just trimmed feathers a little and applied a generous amount of coconut oil around the bloody chunk and surrounding area in hopes it keeps softening up so it can fall off. I can’t see an injury, and I’m pretty sure nothing has been chewing on her toes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you can't see anything by tomorrow and the clump is still there maybe soak in a nice warm foot bath with some Epsom salts mixed in. Don't let her drink the water ES is also a laxative.

 

[Diana_burns04]

This morning I discovered blood in the coop after all the girls came out and seemed well.
View attachment 1981295

View attachment 1981296
Upon closer inspection, it’s a LOT.
View attachment 1981297

I checked combs. Nope. It’s Buttercup’s foot.
View attachment 1981302
Maybe just a broken feather, but I’m a little scared to see what I find, since we’ve been battling rats. I just found a place they could get into the actual coop through the attached shed.

Wish us luck...

My coop.Is my shed

 

[Diana_burns04]

Have she stepped on her feathers!!

 

[Diana_burns04]

Have she stepped on her feathers!![/QUOT

Have she stepped on her feathers!![/QUOTEQUO

 

[micstrachan]

If you can't see anything by tomorrow and the clump is still there maybe soak in a nice warm foot bath with some Epsom salts mixed in. Don't let her drink the water ES is also a laxative.

Thanks. I ended up pulling a big chunk off, but let the rest be. I saw her attempting to clean it up later. Her behavior is perfectly normal, but she is still slightly favoring that foot. I think I’ll soak and/or wash it again tomorrow, and perhaps soak it with vetericyn.

I blocked off the holes AND found a place where rats had chewed THROUGH the wood building from underneath the coop into the “sunroom,” which has a pop door to the coop open at all times. So now I think if anything is living under the coop, there is no escape route. Perhaps not my best move.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

If she has a bleeding feather you will need to pluck it to stop the bleed. Hope she is ok.