About 2 1/2 weeks ago something got into our coop / run to help itself to our last hen and our rooster (who we had had since we moved in here...he came with the house). Each of the previous 2 weeks something had gotten in and taken a hen each time. This last time, we finally found the hole under the fence afterward. Let me add a small disclaimer...this coop / run was here when we moved in...it's been our first experience with chickens. Anyhow, the predator took the rooster, Tom, and we saw no trace of him again. Our last hen, Blaze, was injured. She isn't able to use her left leg at all...she hops. We put her in a dog crate in the garage with newspapers under it, with small bowls of food and water. We give her fresh water each day, make sure the pellet bowl is full, and change the newspapers each day, and most days give her a "goody bowl" with chopped tomatoes, blueberries, etc. (not a lot!). Also, when we are going to be working outside in the yard we carry her with us and put her in the grass nearby where she can have fresh air and maybe peck at some grass and bugs while not being in danger from predators.
About a week after she was injured, I found maggots on the newspaper when I went to change it. I turned her over and found a wound we hadn't seen, in the area between her vent and belly. That night we got rid of the maggots. First we washed her rear end and belly in a pan of warm water. Then Woofy held her while I picked the maggots out with needle-nose pliers. We used a blowdryer to dry her off, and applied Bactroban to the wound with a Q-Tip, then packed it with DE. The next day we saw one weak maggot that fell off, and not a one since then. For about 3 more days, each evening, we washed her rear end and belly, blowdried her, then re-applied the Bactroban and DE.
Another disclaimer. About the needlenose pliers...that's what we had on hand to get the maggots out with. Any means necessary, right? And the blowdryer...it was a chilly morning and we didn't want to leave her with a wet underside...
She seems pretty much fine now. When I take her outside with me she's constantly hopping back into the garden to try and eat my flowers...lol The thing we're worried about mainly is whether she will ever again have use of that left leg. She holds it pulled up to her belly at all times. When Woofy tried to extend it she was VERY upset...she also won't grip with the toes on that leg, and clearly dislikes any moving of it.
We got hardware cloth today and plan on re-enforcing the fence around the coop / run. After that's been done, a neighbor (whose cat is one of the prime suspects in the murders) offered us a few of his pullets and a rooster. If we do that, we also worry that Blaze may be picked on. She's just over a year old.
Any thoughts, advice, etc would be welcome...TIA
About a week after she was injured, I found maggots on the newspaper when I went to change it. I turned her over and found a wound we hadn't seen, in the area between her vent and belly. That night we got rid of the maggots. First we washed her rear end and belly in a pan of warm water. Then Woofy held her while I picked the maggots out with needle-nose pliers. We used a blowdryer to dry her off, and applied Bactroban to the wound with a Q-Tip, then packed it with DE. The next day we saw one weak maggot that fell off, and not a one since then. For about 3 more days, each evening, we washed her rear end and belly, blowdried her, then re-applied the Bactroban and DE.
Another disclaimer. About the needlenose pliers...that's what we had on hand to get the maggots out with. Any means necessary, right? And the blowdryer...it was a chilly morning and we didn't want to leave her with a wet underside...
She seems pretty much fine now. When I take her outside with me she's constantly hopping back into the garden to try and eat my flowers...lol The thing we're worried about mainly is whether she will ever again have use of that left leg. She holds it pulled up to her belly at all times. When Woofy tried to extend it she was VERY upset...she also won't grip with the toes on that leg, and clearly dislikes any moving of it.
We got hardware cloth today and plan on re-enforcing the fence around the coop / run. After that's been done, a neighbor (whose cat is one of the prime suspects in the murders) offered us a few of his pullets and a rooster. If we do that, we also worry that Blaze may be picked on. She's just over a year old.
Any thoughts, advice, etc would be welcome...TIA
