Injured Chicken!

[gclark94560]

Hi!

I feel your pain!

Tonight I went out to do my evening ritual of throwing scratch into the coop to get my four 5 month old ladies to go to bed. There were already three there. But only three! Panic time!!

I looked around and saw a buff mass hanging in the blueberry patch and not moving!

I threw all the scratch into the coop/pen, closed the door and made tracks to the missing Buff Orpington. She was hanging by one leg with her left foot tightly wedged in the crotch of several branches. She made some low noises at me as I approached and surveyed the situation.

I carefully lifted her and lifted her foot out of the crotch. She let me gather her up and hold her like a football in the crook of my arm. I walked around with her, stroking her and talking to her, for about 10 minutes. Finally she was talking back to me and not seeming panicked.

Finally I put her back in the coop and she couldn't walk so she was using her wing as her left leg.

An hour later she had managed to climb the ladder and go up into the nesting area so I think she will be OK!

Will know more in the morning.

 

[drumstick diva]

I bet no one told you that chickens love to get into trouble and scare their humans half to death.
They get wedged in places they shouldn't go, have buckets turn over on them, fall in pools etc. Kind of like having toddlers that stay that way.

I have a feeling your little ninja would love to be a house pet. Just in case, you might like to check out a very popular thread on byc "People with housechickens."

 

[gclark94560]

Well, this morning she got down the ramp/ladder and was waiting to go out with the others. She was mostly standing on one foot but was holding the injured one in a near normal position. Yesterday her foot was just hanging down limp!

She more used the injured foot for balance than walking.

I inspected the foot and she had a bruise on the shank and was very protective of it. I let the other three out but kept "Buffy" in the coop. I put food and water where she could easily access it.

More later.

Greg

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

 

[gclark94560]

Well - tonight Buffy ran/hopped/limped/flew 25 yards to meet me as I came to put them to bed and give them their treat!

I had scratch and meal worms mixed. I put some in my hand and offered it to Buffy and she almost ate my hand! No pain but a lot of nibbling going on!

All seems well and the girls are all safely in bed.

Over the past week I have been adding a 10 X 10 run or "screened in porch" as an add-on to the tractor turned coup. Can't wait until it's all closed in.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hurray

so glad Buffy is back to normal. I love happy endings.

 

[gclark94560]

I'm SOOOO happy to report that Buffy is fine and fully recovered!

She runs, flies and acts totally normal. She still has a discolored area on the left "Ankle" but shows no disability.

I'm so grateful I found her before she became dinner for a raccoon!

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. Sorry about your hen's injuries. I hope she will be okay. You should buy a can of Blue Kote Wound Dressing and keep it on hand. If any of your other hens start to get injured due to pecking, just apply the Blue Kote to the wound. Not only will it help heal and protect the wounded area, the terrible taste of the Blue Kote will help keep the hens from continuing to peck at the wounded area. If you're not familiar with Blue Kote, you can see it at http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/blue_kote_wound_dressing.html. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your injured hen.

 

[karen18]

I also am fairly new and discovered an injured hen today - PLEASE ADVISE -

10 months ago I bought 4 baby hens (easter-eggers) one of which, to our surprise, started "crowing" one day several months later. Up to this point they all got along fine (other then Henry - the rooster - jumping on & chasing the girls around. Today when I went to put them back in the coop I noticed a thinning patch on one of the girls (Henrietta) back/neck area between her shoulders. On further exam ( gently checking under her wings) I noticed a fairly large area - aprox 1"x2" - of bare, raw flesh, like the feathers and skin were torn off.
They all have gotten along wonderfully up to this point. I've never witnessed any agression between the hens, only Henry agressively "mounting" them, but never any injuries. One of the three girls, Baby, is the weakest as she is somewhat deformed ( I believe she has scoliosis as her head is crocked as well as her spine. I chose her because I was afraid no one would, and wanted to make sure she got plenty of love and care) but they don't treat her differently.

I suspect the wounds are from Henry, but I'm not sure. I have an Amish built 4'x6' coop with six nesting boxes and two full length roosting bars. It's cold in our area now but they still come out on good days for fun and exercise. They all roost together in clump, often jockying for position but not aggressively. I removed Henrietta, the injured hen into a cage in our garage. She also was trembling but is perfectly happy now. I will follow the saline/neosporine, etc advice above.

Is the likely culprit the rooster? He is a beautiful, well loved bird, but I can't have him harming the hens, so will give him to the farm store in my town (they have a small "petting zoo" area and will take unwanted roosters, etc) if the more experienced here advise that.

Thank you - I love this site! Karen

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I also am fairly new and discovered an injured hen today - PLEASE ADVISE -

10 months ago I bought 4 baby hens (easter-eggers) one of which, to our surprise, started "crowing" one day several months later. Up to this point they all got along fine (other then Henry - the rooster - jumping on & chasing the girls around. Today when I went to put them back in the coop I noticed a thinning patch on one of the girls (Henrietta) back/neck area between her shoulders. On further exam ( gently checking under her wings) I noticed a fairly large area - aprox 1"x2" - of bare, raw flesh, like the feathers and skin were torn off.
They all have gotten along wonderfully up to this point. I've never witnessed any agression between the hens, only Henry agressively "mounting" them, but never any injuries. One of the three girls, Baby, is the weakest as she is somewhat deformed ( I believe she has scoliosis as her head is crocked as well as her spine. I chose her because I was afraid no one would, and wanted to make sure she got plenty of love and care) but they don't treat her differently.

I suspect the wounds are from Henry, but I'm not sure. I have an Amish built 4'x6' coop with six nesting boxes and two full length roosting bars. It's cold in our area now but they still come out on good days for fun and exercise. They all roost together in clump, often jockying for position but not aggressively. I removed Henrietta, the injured hen into a cage in our garage. She also was trembling but is perfectly happy now. I will follow the saline/neosporine, etc advice above.

Is the likely culprit the rooster? He is a beautiful, well loved bird, but I can't have him harming the hens, so will give him to the farm store in my town (they have a small "petting zoo" area and will take unwanted roosters, etc) if the more experienced here advise that.

Thank you - I love this site! Karen

Yes, the likely culprit is the rooster. With three hens and one rooster, it is very easy for the hens to be damaged by over-breeding. If you aren't setup to expand the flock (and the coop/run accordingly) it would likely be best to re-home Henry.