Don't Get Chickens

[Year of the Rooster]

They also make chickens saddles to help prevent these types of injuries.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Bear with me, I am horribly sick with a Sinus Infection and cough and am just browsing through and saw this post.

I think to some extent you are right OP. In my first year raising chickens I lost 6 birds to injuries and predators.

I warn new chicken people all the time that unless they are willing to take their chickens to the vet to be put down, that things happen and that at some point, you will probably need to put one down.

I also tell anyone who has bought from me that if their chickens ever need to be culled, I will do it for them because I understand how hard it can be with a "pet" chicken.

After awhile you almost get used to it.
I do think that people need a strongish stomach to raise chickens. The amount of things that can crop up are endless it seems. I have a relative that couldn't even deal with picking up a cat hairball, let alone the idea of dealing with a chicken with worms or cocci. It would make him vomit. Someone like that shouldn't have chickens.

You're own beloved pet cat or dog could injure your free ranging backyard chicken in the blink of an eye, even if he/she has never shown agression to another living thing before, and the injury could be severe and leave the animal still alive, leaving you to cull it or stitch it up, or something.

If you cannot under any cirsumstances deal with:
Poop
Worms
Blood
Injuries
Administering medication
Force Feeding
Giving an injection
Performing sutures
Removing sutures
A prolapse (this is a big one to me, if you even have one hen then you need to know how to deal with this and then must be able to perform the following)
Killing the bird

Then I too don't feel that you should have them.
For me at the end of the day it comes down to making the bird suffer. Right here on BYC, I have seen people come on and be like "My bird is seriously hurt, But I just cannot bring myself to stitch her up, put her down (with half of her innards hanging out her rear), or I cannot open her mouth to give meds, etc."
It boils my blood. Suck it up and get it done already, you'd want someone to go through the trouble and care for you if you were hurt or sick.

I JUST sold two chicks to first timers about an hour ago who showed up at my farm unanounced (dontcha hate that?!) and had to explain to them that there are no vets in our area that will treat chickens and that any vet care is up to them or some other chicken savvy person.
They were concerned but then countered me with "Well you're the chicken lady, any problems and we'll call you!"
Fine by me. I like it that way.

I also told them to come join BYC

 

[roosterjerry]

Like I said I care a lot about my flock. They are well taken care of "spoiled". The hen in question had a 4x4 inch patch of skin missing and a lot of cuts. No matter what anyone says it was the RIGHT thing to do.I get the fresh eggs and meat thing that is one reason why I have them. My post was was intended for those who do not have any yet. I have learned a whole lot here and am grateful for this site.Many people are not ready to do what it takes. I had a sick hen a month or so ago I was about to cull her and I just could not do it she was the first hen I got. With proper care she is now fine. As for the other hens I had to cull they had been attacked by dogs and would not have survived. I was just warning that you must be prepared for the worst. I guess that goes with all things in life. I do feel a little sad but like others have said sometimes it has to be done. All in all my chicken experience has been a good one. As for my Rooster I have to say he is my favorite and he is not the one that caused the wounds on the hen. It was other hens. If you have chickens and know what it takes to have/keep them then my post really was not for you. Like me I'm sure there are others that find this site before getting chickens for info. This is a great place for that. Like I said just a warning to those who don't have it in them to do what has to be done.

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
I don't think anyone questions your reason to cull. Atleast i don't! that's a judgement call and you would have known how bad it was! Sorry you lost your hen