Mixing polish with "normal" chickens

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Today we had a bad day. Last night I decided to mix my flock by opening a small doorway between the two compartments. There are 21 'babies' born Jan 6 ish and 11 adults with one being a rooster. I left it open wide enough a youngster could get into the hen pen but I thought it was small enough to keep the big birds out. Well I was wrong. When I checked on them tonight after work, Bumble and Bee (buff brahmas) were in the chick pen, and some chicks we're in the hen pen (totally fine). But my poor baby polish Podrick I found huddled in a corner. I thought it was dead. Its bloody but alive. It's whole head has been picked of feathers and it's poor neck is the worst for bloodiness. The poor thing it's breaking my heart. I brought it home and put it back in my brooder box alone with water/med and cleaned it up as best I can. The poor thing is exhausted. It is clearly in pain holding it's head up. I don't know what to do other than put on ointment and keep it warm and pray it will survive. I feel horrible. I have integrated one polish before but back then I had more room at a different barn and way more time to integrate. What can I do to protect my baby if it survives? At this point I'm ready to kick the other babies into the full sized pen since they seem fine and hold the Polish separate until it's bigger but I don't want it to be lonely. Poor Podrick

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always a bad idea to add a single polish. They should always be added in groups or kept separately. Crests are magnets for pecking, and polish in general can act odd. I learned that lesson the hard way too.

 

[LJoWilly]

Oh no poor Podrick... I hope he recovers well. Fingers crossed!@

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Okay so to start this bird is likely in shock. He needs to be in a warm dark place. Give him electrolytes by dropper (pedialyte or equivalent) every half hour. Once he begins to be more responsive place him in a recovery cage. He may be unwilling or unable to eat or drink on his own or walk.

Syringe him a gruel of water, chicken food and a little honey (keeps the blood sugar up)often until he is able to eat on his own.

His head will scab up a big thick awful black scab. Put something on it so it won't crack or get too dry but leave it alone otherwise. If he is unable to stand/walk he should relearn with time. He may always seem a little simple, even for a polish, from taking so much head damage.

I had one just like this. Had to relearn to walk, and always a little special after but lived 8 years.