Minor Surgery......Am I a Chicken Doctor now?????

[dirtsaver]

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

 

[Kittymomma]

Good job! Doing farm surgery always reminds me of taking the kids in for shots or dental work when they were young--The trauma of anticipaition is almost always worse than the actuall event. I'm glad it went well and hope that she'll recover and be able to be integrated back into the flock without too much trouble.

As far as having too many roos goes....Take care of that as soon as you can. I was in the same spot last year due to a variety of family things and bad weather it got put off far longer then it should have. It was sooo much more peacefull after we finally did the deed and the hens who had been getting pretty beat on from over breeding were so much happier. I'll never again put that chore off, it really wasn't fair to my girls and didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would.

 

[CMV]

Nice work! I always find that the anticipation is much worse than the actual doing. I guess you are now Dr. Dirtsaver.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Dr.Larry Dirtsaver ChD.

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
Kittymomma the overwhelming roo problem was at the farm we got the Welsumers from. With the addition of the three Welsumer pullets we now have 14 chickens total and not a single roo in the bunch by some streak of luck.

Larry

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Kittymomma the overwhelming roo problem was at the farm we got the Welsumers from. With the addition of the three Welsumer pullets we now have 14 chickens total and not a single roo in the bunch by some streak of luck.

Larry

I'm sorry, I mis-read the post. I bet they're much happier at your house! I like my roos (well, other then the 2 a.m. crowing when the cows scratch on the hen house) but too many was a huge problem that I won't put my girls thru again.

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
Kittymomma the overwhelming roo problem was at the farm we got the Welsumers from. With the addition of the three Welsumer pullets we now have 14 chickens total and not a single roo in the bunch by some streak of luck.

Larry

I'm sorry, I mis-read the post. I bet they're much happier at your house! I like my roos (well, other then the 2 a.m. crowing when the cows scratch on the hen house) but too many was a huge problem that I won't put my girls thru again.

No problem! I kinda wish we had one roo but maybe it's best we don't.

Larry

 

[Funky Feathers]

Pictures?? Must see pictures.

 

[dirtsaver]

Quote:
Sorry but we didn't get any pics. Our hands were way too full with the task at hand! Maybe I can get a shot or two tomorrow of the "after" .

Larry

 

[Tala]

I think of myself as "Mrs. fix everything" I'm not limited to any one species --- this past week I was doctoring myself actually, but I've fixed a few chickens, and had to put a couple down too, sometimes it's hard being the "in house vet"