Lucky Lucy

[My2butterflies]

I want to share my near loss I had on the 4th.
Late morning the guineas are out foraging, my husband, kids, and I are working on a garden. We have our three dogs out with us. Boxer(dad), pitbull(mom) and their son. It was hot and we were expecting company so we had a deadline we were working against.
Noon is rolling around and we need to leave to get ice. I yell for the dogs to put them inside before we leave and we can not find our pup. I was sad that he would choose to run off on his birthday of all days.
So we give up and leave to get ice in town.
After returning my husband decides to go out looking for him. As we walk to the truck our pup comes out of the corn field. Walking slow and covered in mud. I was irritated but wasn’t going to yell at him on his birthday.
The day goes on and our company comes over. They brought their pitbull over and it chased my guineas and so did my pup. Grrr... No one was caught. One guinea jumped in my pond while running away, but was unharmed.
As we near 6pm I see a corps of a bird hobble across the driveway One of my guinea hens has been severely plucked, neck gashed, multiple puncture wounds, and covered in MUD.

It now makes sense why my pup was slow coming out of the corn. He knew what he did and that I’d be angry. Of course the chance to punish him had long passed. So now I’m left with a hen that looks near death

Since we had company over I tried not to left it bother me too much and just set her up in a dog kennel to be as comfortable and protected as possible.
The next day I gave her a bath to get a better look at what I was dealing with and to clean her wounds.
I had to put a sock on her head to calm her down. She had a shocking amount of fight in her still.

The bubbles on her neck are from the peroxide. Despite her nearly 2” gash on her neck she eats, drinks, and has intact vocals.
I kept her locked up for a few days but she started calling to the group and it was making them and her crazy. I decided to open the door and let her go. I couldn’t bring myself to put her down, and she surprised me everyday with her strength to keep going.

 

[BZZB]

How does she look now?

 

[My2butterflies]

**I hit post before I was done**

This is the day I let her go.

And a few days later

Her mate(Ricky) has been at her side since she rejoined the group. He keeps a very close eye on her. These were taken today.

Lucy and Ricky preening themselves after enjoying some bird seed from the feeders.
I’m still in shock that she is doing so well and acting completely normal in spite of her near death experience and sever injuries. She is a fighter!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I want to share my near loss I had on the 4th.
Late morning the guineas are out foraging, my husband, kids, and I are working on a garden. We have our three dogs out with us. Boxer(dad), pitbull(mom) and their son. It was hot and we were expecting company so we had a deadline we were working against.
Noon is rolling around and we need to leave to get ice. I yell for the dogs to put them inside before we leave and we can not find our pup. I was sad that he would choose to run off on his birthday of all days.
So we give up and leave to get ice in town.
After returning my husband decides to go out looking for him. As we walk to the truck our pup comes out of the corn field. Walking slow and covered in mud. I was irritated but wasn’t going to yell at him on his birthday.
The day goes on and our company comes over. They brought their pitbull over and it chased my guineas and so did my pup. Grrr... No one was caught. One guinea jumped in my pond while running away, but was unharmed.
As we near 6pm I see a corps of a bird hobble across the driveway One of my guinea hens has been severely plucked, neck gashed, multiple puncture wounds, and covered in MUD.

It now makes sense why my pup was slow coming out of the corn. He knew what he did and that I’d be angry. Of course the chance to punish him had long passed. So now I’m left with a hen that looks near death

Since we had company over I tried not to left it bother me too much and just set her up in a dog kennel to be as comfortable and protected as possible.
The next day I gave her a bath to get a better look at what I was dealing with and to clean her wounds.
I had to put a sock on her head to calm her down. She had a shocking amount of fight in her still.
View attachment 2245824View attachment 2245825View attachment 2245826
The bubbles on her neck are from the peroxide. Despite her nearly 2” gash on her neck she eats, drinks, and has intact vocals.
I kept her locked up for a few days but she started calling to the group and it was making them and her crazy. I decided to open the door and let her go. I couldn’t bring myself to put her down, and she surprised me everyday with her strength to keep going.

Oh my word - poor poor girl!!!! It’s a good thing that your pup was more concerned with plucking than eating! I just can’t believe the amount of plucking though, or that he let her go! My dog managed to catch Scout Red in late spring, the bird who has since been such a great mom. I though that my dog really plucked a lot of SR’s feathers, but that was nothing next to your lucky to be alive girl!!!

 

[My2butterflies]

Oh my word - poor poor girl!!!! It’s a good thing that your pup was more concerned with plucking than eating! I just can’t believe the amount of plucking though, or that he let her go! My dog managed to catch Scout Red in late spring, the bird who has since been such a great mom. I though that my dog really plucked a lot of SR’s feathers, but that was nothing next to your lucky to be alive girl!!!

Yes I can’t believe he plucked so much off her. And I don’t know how she is alive. Maybe she played dead and he lost interest?
I always keep a close eye on my dogs, the pup in particular because he pays too much attention to the birds. I’m beyond furious with myself that this happened at all. He is strictly on a tieout now if I’m working while he’s outside with me. Or walked around on a leash. It just kills me that we have so many predators in the area and yet the only one that’s ever been a problem is my own dog

 

[My2butterflies]

Some pictures I took this afternoon of Lucy and her man Ricky.

The scab on her left backside is coming off and I’m seeing feathers coming in!

 

[CHlCKEN]

**I hit post before I was done**

This is the day I let her go. View attachment 2245838View attachment 2245839
And a few days laterView attachment 2245834View attachment 2245833
Her mate(Ricky) has been at her side since she rejoined the group. He keeps a very close eye on her. These were taken today.
View attachment 2245837View attachment 2245836View attachment 2245835
Lucy and Ricky preening themselves after enjoying some bird seed from the feeders.
I’m still in shock that she is doing so well and acting completely normal in spite of her near death experience and sever injuries. She is a fighter!

Those injuries were awful! I’m so glad she got back in her feet, you really did a tremendous job saving her life. Next time (which I hope their won’t be one) wait until she’s fully feathered again before letting her back out, I don’t know about guineas but I know chickens peck and peck at bare skin leaving the bird dead. Also remember to keep your dogs on leashes net time you let them out, or at least never let them out of you sight

 

[My2butterflies]

Those injuries were awful! I’m so glad she got back in her feet, you really did a tremendous job saving her life. Next time (which I hope their won’t be one) wait until she’s fully feathered again before letting her back out, I don’t know about guineas but I know chickens peck and peck at bare skin leaving the bird dead. Also remember to keep your dogs on leashes net time you let them out, or at least never let them out of you sight

The injuries were very horrific. I appreciate the kind words, but I can’t take credit for saving her. I only bathed her and cleaned her wounds. The rest has all been on her.
I didn’t want to let her out till she feathered up, but she was getting too agitated being away from the flock. There were also some problems between my flock boss and her mate Ricky. Things are back to being calm and peaceful now that she’s back.
I did keep a close eye on her interactions with the others when she rejoined them. One hen tried to peck at her and Lucy wasn’t having it. She chased the hen down and gave her feathers a tug. After that no one messed with her.
It’s been such a relief to see her healing up.

My pup has been on tie outs, leash, or constantly in my line of site. The only time I relax my watch on him is when the guineas are all safely cooped up.

 

[Sydney65]

goodness, I teared up until I got to the one where she strutted back to the flock. So glad she's doing well.

 

[My2butterflies]

A few updated pictures of Lucy.

Im a little worried that she might have a bald spot near her rump. She is otherwise still doing really well.