Hey all! I hope all is well! I've been busy working 2 jobs back to back to back for most of the week with 2 hours of sleep between each long shift. Finally a full night's rest last night and another tonight with a full day off for my birthday tomorrow (yay)!
Anyway... I have a chicken story to share now that it appears to be turning out with a happy ending. About a week ago one of our isa brown pullets got her head stuck in the screen door of the coop when we were closing it up for the night but no one realized it until the next day when we let the dogs out and they started biting her and trying to pull her through by her head. She has been in a cage outside my bedroom door since. I didn't think she would make it with so much skin separated from her head, her eyes injured, and quite a bit of blood loss. Day 1 and Day 2 of recovery included her laying in a corner of the cage and us force feeding her water and broths with a syringe, applying poultices and draining pus from her many head and neck injuries. Day three she would stand straight up for a bit, unable to open her eyes or move, and then lay back down just to stand up again a bit later. Day 4 she started moving to a bowl of water to drink when we splashed in it with our hands, following the sound. She also started having a regular poo again this day so we were pretty sure she was finding food on her own so we stopped dropper-feeding. The few days since she has improved considerably every day, with today being the first that she acts like a normal chicken, clucking, stretching, cleaning her wings, etc. Her eyes are open now, and she seems to be able to see fine out of them... cocking her head too "look" at things and moving away from a finger that's too close. I took pictures today also but they are too gory to share yet, I feel. I'm sorry to keep her from her friends but I know they'd pick at her and make her sick again if she was with them. She's a special one now and will probably get spoiled.
Anyway... I have a chicken story to share now that it appears to be turning out with a happy ending. About a week ago one of our isa brown pullets got her head stuck in the screen door of the coop when we were closing it up for the night but no one realized it until the next day when we let the dogs out and they started biting her and trying to pull her through by her head. She has been in a cage outside my bedroom door since. I didn't think she would make it with so much skin separated from her head, her eyes injured, and quite a bit of blood loss. Day 1 and Day 2 of recovery included her laying in a corner of the cage and us force feeding her water and broths with a syringe, applying poultices and draining pus from her many head and neck injuries. Day three she would stand straight up for a bit, unable to open her eyes or move, and then lay back down just to stand up again a bit later. Day 4 she started moving to a bowl of water to drink when we splashed in it with our hands, following the sound. She also started having a regular poo again this day so we were pretty sure she was finding food on her own so we stopped dropper-feeding. The few days since she has improved considerably every day, with today being the first that she acts like a normal chicken, clucking, stretching, cleaning her wings, etc. Her eyes are open now, and she seems to be able to see fine out of them... cocking her head too "look" at things and moving away from a finger that's too close. I took pictures today also but they are too gory to share yet, I feel. I'm sorry to keep her from her friends but I know they'd pick at her and make her sick again if she was with them. She's a special one now and will probably get spoiled.
