I need advice re: my stitched-up turkey and cold weather

[jlwm]

Hi Y'all,

My seven month old big breasted white Milly (who is a total sweetie and very much a pet) just got back from the vet's after she tore open her crop on something. Vet stitched her up nicely, but here's my problem:
The vet cleaned/shaved off her feathers in about a four inch diameter circle around the wound on Milly's breast. My problem - I am leaving to go south in two days and I am worried about her getting frostbite on the shaved area.

My neighbor will come every day to check up on the birds - but still - I am concerned about this. I live in Southern Ontario and we are in the middle of a brutal cold spell right now.
Any suggestions? Am I being too much of a worry wart? I love my birdies and am relatively new at keeping them.

thanks so much in advance for any advice/hints etc.

janice

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have time to knit Milly a scarf? sorry weird sense of humor, I am not sure but hope someone comes along who knows

 

[ivan3]

If she is in a shed/barn/coop and there is clean bedding, don't concern yourself. If she is `roosting' on the ground, out-of-doors, consider rigging up the corner of a garage/etc. for temporary digs. Make sure neighbor checks to see if she's picking at suture line.

 

[thaokou21]

Quote:
You could put a shirt on milly. Get a small size shirt and cut the right holes to fit the right body parts to keep milly warm but in a way where milly can still move around and poo free with the shirt on to keep warm. Thats what I did when one of my hen crop got mess up.

 

[Qi Chicken]

I wouldn't worry about the frostbite. I would worry about the pecking. Even if you can't see any stitches (and Lord help her if you can!) the other chickens may peck at any bare area. Once they get one good peck in and blood is drawn, it's not good.

Our white roo and a black australorp were injured. We kept them in isolation for 2 weeks. When they went back they had no scabs and feathers coming back in. The black hen's feathers grew in pretty quickly but she stayed to herself for awhile, I now think to keep out of the way of other hens. The roo lost most of his saddle feathers but it was really hard to see any bare spots. But the chickens did and we have had to take him out 3 times because of severe pecking. This last time we sprayed his whole butt with blue kote. Looks like we'll just have to keep doing it as it doesn't stick to him as well as it does to us.

I think the shirt is a great idea. I'd put it on right away so you can see if it will stay on her.

Good luck!

Oh OK, Now I see that she is a turkey. And I'm not sure if you have her isolated or not. I don't know if turkeys peck the way chickens do or not!