Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Opa]

The damage one chicken can inflict on another is unbelievable. This past spring, when I placed two pullets in the with the rainbow flock, the rooster immediate exerted his dominance by pecking both birds. I watched as he struck each on the head with his beak. One was immediately rendered unconscious and didn't regain consciousness for several minutes. When she did she was unable to walk or even hold herself upright.

My first instinct was to finish the job the rooster had started but instead I place her in another cage. For over a week I had to use props to hold her in an upright position and hold both food and water within her reach. During that time she manage to wear her tail feathers off so that she now resembles a rumpless araucuna.

While she has regained full mobility and is an excellent layer I am convinced that she suffer brain damage from the rooster's welcoming greeting and it even affected her vocalization as she now sounds like a goose with a sore throat.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I can't remember anyone else with questions, but i am not seeing my post replying to whomever asked me about mirrors on the coop:

I would be hesitant to put a mirror as a detractor for the hawk, i had a rooster that fought and woo'ed his reflection in the car depending on his mood that day. That hawk was pretty ummmmm super duper angry that i was standing between him and my chickens!
Instead i will now be the crazy chicken lady with the broom. I need some fireworks to scare him away. Those things can rip you open!! This guy easily has a 2 foot wing span, and he goes pretty high up trying to hide from me.

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

Backyard farm mom, you do need to smell her crop. The brain damage is also a possibility.

Nugget is seperated from the others with Noodle... they love eachother.

As soon as I heard the others pick on them, those 2 were seperated. It happened so quick and was unexpected because they had been together for 3 days and around eachother for weeks! (The possible brain injury happened 2 weeks ago or so)
No combs have changed, and I make sure crops are nice and full! And emptying!
I gave her vitamins and electrolytes and yogurt...
There is no weezing, runny nose, visable injuries, smell, difference in poo, eating...
I will cook some yolk up! I am sure that will be a YUMMY treat!
I do believe Nuggets balance is getting better slowly with each passing day.
I have not seen any parasites on any of the chickens...
I just think she is thriving with brain damage... it is all my fault.

I don't know what else to do. I will just keep babying her and, hopefully, she will continue to improve.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[1muttsfan]

Thanks Wynette

Fuzzy, I think the mirrors are supposed to go on top of the coop and run facing up

 

[Wynette]

fuzzy, I don't recall the original mirror comment, but have you tried stringing CD's up over your runs, or the areas your flock ranges? I've heard the reflection, when they are blown in the breeze, scares the hawks away. This was recommended by another Michigander, a friend over on the west side of the state; she says it works like a charm!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Perhaps, but can you imagine the commotion if the hawk actually dove into it?

(I have a camper coop, so it would make a pretty good thud) I am more worried that he will take it as a territory threat, though.

 

[swampducks]

I let my 5 adult guineas out to free range again today with momma 'scovy and her 9 little charges. I looked Out of the corner of my eye I see my dog Ziggy do "something" in the ducklings vicinity. Next thing I know Ziggy was flying across the yard with momma in hot pursuit. She just kept at him. He didn't look all that scared but he didn't seem eager to go back. All ducklings are fine. Ziggy was reprimanded.

 

[babigyrl22]

The damage one chicken can inflict on another is unbelievable. This past spring, when I placed two pullets in the with the rainbow flock, the rooster immediate exerted his dominance by pecking both birds. I watched as he struck each on the head with his beak. One was immediately rendered unconscious and didn't regain consciousness for several minutes. When she did she was unable to walk or even hold herself upright.

My first instinct was to finish the job the rooster had started but instead I place her in another cage. For over a week I had to use props to hold her in an upright position and hold both food and water within her reach. During that time she manage to wear her tail feathers off so that she now resembles a rumpless araucuna.

While she has regained full mobility and is an excellent layer I am convinced that she suffer brain damage from the rooster's welcoming greeting and it even affected her vocalization as she now sounds like a goose with a sore throat.

I lost a bird this year becuase she got pecked really bad in the head. I had to move her into the brooding pen until she healed but she was kind of off, mentally, even after she healed. Then one day I found her in the next box with my mean brooding hen (who had raised her). I thought it was odd that she would be in there because my brooding hen is so mean....well, she was dead. My brooding hen pecked her to death.

Do you think she tried to stay in the nest box becuase the brooding hen was her surrogate mom as a chick? It was really sad. She was one of my own chicks that Big Boy fathered before he went to go live with Robin. Boooo

 

[Wynette]

I lost a bird this year becuase she got pecked really bad in the head. I had to move her into the brooding pen until she healed but she was kind of off, mentally, even after she healed. Then one day I found her in the next box with my mean brooding hen (who had raised her). I thought it was odd that she would be in there because my brooding hen is so mean....well, she was dead. My brooding hen pecked her to death.

Do you think she tried to stay in the nest box becuase the brooding hen was her surrogate mom as a chick? It was really sad. She was one of my own chicks that Big Boy fathered before he went to go live with Robin. Boooo

BBG, I could be wrong, but I honestly don't believe they think in this way. That must have been horrible to find her....

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

Fuzzy... It was me that suggested the mirrors.
I read that "disco balls" could be hung, cds, and even about mirrors ontop of stakes in the yard higher than the chickens (like a T)
I would give it a try if he is persistant