Oh my, hope she is ok. I have had 2 girls with neck wounds that recovered very well, both I suspected were from roosters!
We are having a rough few days here too. have 2 roosters completely missing, no feathers nothing. Lost 2 more that I found dead friday morning, part of my free range egg flock. They were under the roosts. And my beloved sweet beilie rooster passed away saturday morning. So I was throwing my hands in the air at this point! This cold is really taking a toll on my flock.
I had brought him in, he was acting off. After looking him over he was much too thin, so I started him on chick feed, electrolytes etc. Didn't catch it in time
I am just sick over it.
Wow, sorry to see this! It's been a rough winter. Mom keeps saying last year was worse, but I seem to recall only a few spikes down into the negatives and some meltoff days as well. Not like this year, where we've been cold for weeks with few signs of it ever warming up! Hope things start turning around over there for your birds! C'mon, spring weather!
I openly admit, I was a blubbering mess yesterday when I found my Frou-Frou like that. I love all my girls, but what I have with Frou is special. It's like she needs me as much as I need her (okay, I know I'm crazy
). I'd be totally lost without her, though! Even going out this morning, knowing she was safe up in my room, it just felt wrong not seeing her come flying out of the pop door after honk-honk-honking at me for a while as if pleading for help with the task! Now she's honk-honk-honking at me from the couch beside me, begging for me to share my crackers.
[rule][COLOR=8B4513]
As far as transitioning my chickens from inside to outside or vise versa, @jchny2000
/Janet gave me good advice over a year ago. Since my kids have flown the coop, I have extra bedrooms, (which I realize everyone doesn't have). I house the sick/hurt chicken with a buddy in a bedroom with the bedroom door closed. Janet suggested that each day I adjust the window up or down a little, depending on temps and which way they're transitioning. I know that other people on our thread have mentioned other methods like using a basement or garage for a while as a transition between temperatures inside and outside. A small $5 digital thermometer is very helpful to keep track of the transition.[/COLOR]
[rule]
[COLOR=8B4513]Pain & Suffering [/COLOR]
[COLOR=8B4513]It's sad to hear about frostbite and injuries! If anyone is interested, I posted
pain relief and
frostbite info the other day on page 3796. From what I understand, chickens definitely feel pain, but their instincts prevent them from displaying any sign of weakness. So, just because chickens seem to feel okay, they're just using their acting skills.[/COLOR]
That's just what I've been doing with my Frou.
We spend some time on the couch, and then I'll take her to cool off in the kitchen with the window or garage door open. She seems to be transitioning well, but I think it being above freezing when she came in helped with that, unlike with Louise, when it was in the single digits! Edit: And it just occurred to me that there's a window right next to us by the couch.
I think we're comfortable now.
And thank you on the pain reliever as well. I want to make sure my beloved Frou is comfortable, poor baby! My only concern is with big wounds, I've seen where it is advised NOT to use Aspirin as it can make bleeding worse. Frou'f is scabbed over pretty well, so I think she will be alright, but I thought I would put that out there.
I like raptors, too....as long as they leave my birds alone. 2" chicken netting from Amazon has worked perfectly,
Re "no crow" collars, I have found them imperfect but useful. Our five roos sound like 2 or 3, and one isn't collared. 3 are very quiet. Mine are homemade from double sided Velcro. One does have to check periodically for proper fit.
Nee subject: can you Dremel the sharp points of spurs when they are too short to "hot potato"? A hen's back was pretty badly spur injured despite wearing a saddle. I am going to order a longer saddle for her for after she heals, but would like to reduce the sharpness of the spurs too.
Happy Sunday to all!
Good point! But in nearly 10 years of chickening, I've never had problems with hawks, so they're okay--for now. I was super excited to see a Great Horned Owl in our woods the other night, though!
The property has come a long way from when it was farmland!
If I remember right, Kab dremels her rooster's spurs down. I think if you're just trying to take the point off, you should be fine as well.
morning everyone....man this feels like a heat wave i think were above freezing right now...almost feel like putting on some shorts.....lol
Break out the sprinklers and swimsuits!!
e
Edited for a typo
