A month ago we got three Welsumer pullets about 12-15 weeks old. They had been in a coop with 35 other chickens of various ages and way too many roos. Their necks and heads had been torn to pieces but the previous owner had them pulled out before we got them and the wounds were starting to heal except that one of the girls had a chunk of skin and feathers hanging from right behind her left ear. Since it was not an open wound and starting to heal we figured to leave it alone. At least that was the plan until we introduced them to the rest of the flock yesterday! That hanging flap of skin and feathers was just too much temptation to some of the other girls and several of them started picking at it and it started bleeding where they pulled on it.
With much debate and nervousness, out came the knife and whetstone,styptic powder,bluekote and other medical stuff. Yeah I grew up on the farm and helped perform a lot of livestock doctoring but that was over thirty years ago! We were both nervous but with Eva holding the girl and me wielding the knife the job was done with very little ruckus. In fact, the pullet didn't make a sound and held very still. After we got the job done she sat quietly while the styptic stopped what little blood there was. She ended up sitting in Eva's lap for an hour before we put her in the recovery cage.
She was eating and acting like nothing happened in no time!
And I'm sure glad that job is over! I really was not sure I could do it, but it had to be done.
Larry
With much debate and nervousness, out came the knife and whetstone,styptic powder,bluekote and other medical stuff. Yeah I grew up on the farm and helped perform a lot of livestock doctoring but that was over thirty years ago! We were both nervous but with Eva holding the girl and me wielding the knife the job was done with very little ruckus. In fact, the pullet didn't make a sound and held very still. After we got the job done she sat quietly while the styptic stopped what little blood there was. She ended up sitting in Eva's lap for an hour before we put her in the recovery cage.
She was eating and acting like nothing happened in no time!
And I'm sure glad that job is over! I really was not sure I could do it, but it had to be done.
Larry