Going out of town...what to do with injured hen?

[snkjohnson]

We are leaving town for a week, and of course right before we do our hens have a squabble and one is left wounded. She has a cut on her head that the other hens are of course continually attacking. I've cleansed the wound and have been applying blu-kote to it today..she's now a white leghorn with a bright blue head/neck! It doesn't seem to be deterring the others from attacking her. While we are gone, my neighbor is coming over to collect eggs and feed/water the flock but will obviously not be able to watch her all day, and since they won't be free ranging while we are gone I'm really concerned the flock will peck her to death in the coop. My question--if I section off a small part of the run (8x8 feet and 6 feet tall) and leave plenty of food and water for her will she be ok at night alone out there for several days? The run is protected with wire and covered but it gets down into the 30s at night. Should I set up a roosting bar for her? Temporary laying box? What are your suggestions to keep her healthy and happy while we are gone? I can't cancel the vacation at this point, just so that is clear. (-;

 

[Sammi_0411]

Bit of a difficult one either way u need to seperate her from flock or they gona hurt badly ....but leaving her in portion of run also quite an issue due to predators and temp if no one around often

 

[Sammi_0411]

Are u able to have her in crate in the house and neighbour can go in check on her and make sure she got food and water or would the neighbour or anyone be willing to take her in for a week in a crate? X

 

[snkjohnson]

Unfortunately no, no crate and no neighbor that can have them in their house

 

[Mamatomany123]

I think the only.options are either get someone to come check on her, leave her with the others and hope they dont hurt or kill her, or stay home.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post a picture of the wound? How deep is it? BluKote is meant for minor scrapes or cuts, but not deep wounds. You have to separate her, or she will be pecked to death. Borrow or buy a dog crate. Put in food and water. They do best left in the coop inside a crate where they still are around the others, but protected.

 

[snkjohnson]

I think the only.options are either get someone to come check on her, leave her with the others and hope they dont hurt or kill her, or stay home.

 

[snkjohnson]

Someone will be coming by daily and can see that she has food/water and is ok. She just can’t have her in her home/garage. I guess I’m just hoping for advice from others who have separated their hens..like what to use for a laying box, do I need a temporary roost for her etc?

 

[snkjohnson]

Can you post a picture of the wound? How deep is it? BluKote is meant for minor scrapes or cuts, but not deep wounds. You have to separate her, or she will be pecked to death. Borrow or buy a dog crate. Put in food and water. They do best left in the coop inside a crate where they still are around the others, but protected.

The wound is not very big, just a little cut from a peck, but she is white so the blood shows easily.

 

[snkjohnson]

The wound is not very big, just a little cut from a peck, but she is white so the blood shows easily.

It’s covered in blu-kote so it’d be really hard to see in a photo.