I found her yesterday morning wedged between a metal trash can I use for feed and the wall of the coop, like she was trying to scrunch herself back as far as she could. Poor girl, she was one that didn't even have a name, though now she's Harriet (after Harriet Tubman who had a lot to overcome, too). She's about 2-21/2 years old and she's a Cuckoo Marans.
She has a few injuries but none that seem fatal. I think it was one of those situations were the geese started picking on her and backed her into a corner (they rarely sleep in the coop but my husband closed things up for me and didn't check). Then, since she was bleeding, the other chickens started pecking at her.
She's having a hard time standing but since I don't know how long she was wedged in there, I don't know whether it's a break or just a sprain. Is there any way to tell? Should I wrap it and put a splint on it anyway? She can stand up enough to turn around in her tub (it's a large one so she has room to practice walking if she's so inclined.
Her top beak is gone but her bottom one is still there. About 1/4-1/3 is torn away from her on one side but the rest if fully intact. Her comb is mostly gone and she isn't opening one of her eyes, but she does seem to have a will to live.
Right now, she's in a tub here in the house (where I figure she'll be for quite some time) with hay for a cushion. She doesn't seem ready to eat on her own yet. As she gets better, I'll put one of those water bottles that attach to cages because I think she should be able to push the little ball in with her beak and have the water roll onto the bottom beak. It's a perfect little scoop.
I tried giving her a bit of hard boiled egg but she doesn't seem interested in solid food right now. I mixed some yogurt with some ensure, thin enough that I could put it in a syringe. She did eat some of that, though not as much as I'd like. I think she's still pretty traumatized so I'm not pushing it. I've been giving her water with a syringe an we've got a little system worked out where she looks up at me and makes drinking motions with her tongue and I give her as much as she wants.
I set her on my lap (with the appropriate chicken poop towel underneath her) and pet her and give her water and feed. She sits quietly and looks around and seems content to sit there and be lavished with attention. She's so soft and sweet. It's been a while since I've had a chicken that liked being petted.
Since I do need to help her eat and drink for now, how often should I give her water? I know her body needs it and I want to make sure she gets enough. Should I give her water every couple of hours? Less? More? My syringe is 6ml and she usually drinks two full syringes at a time. I don't stop until she turns her head away and offer her more here and there while she's sitting with me.
What about feeding her? Should I try to get her to eat every time I give her water? Are there better things I can be feeding her? Personally, I can't stand ensure but I have a few boxes left from when my dad had cancer and I figured it has vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. in it. Yogurt is good for just about anything than breathes and is warm blooded so I know that's okay. She isn't quite ready for solids yet but would mixing a raw egg in with whatever help? I also have milk, which all my girls (and boys) seem to love. I thought about putting a bit of honey in her slurry because it has such amazing healing properties, but thought it would be too thick and sticky. Any particular vitamins she needs?
As long as she seems willing to fight, I'll fight right along with her so I'd like to make sure I'm doing everything I can (and doing it right) to help her heal. Since I don't really know if she's got anything going on inside, I'm reluctant to give her an aspirin but I know pain management is important for healing. However, while I'm sure she's hurting, she's not suffering and doesn't experience any pain when I pick her up.
Poor girl, she looks like she was rode hard and put away wet!
Cindie
She has a few injuries but none that seem fatal. I think it was one of those situations were the geese started picking on her and backed her into a corner (they rarely sleep in the coop but my husband closed things up for me and didn't check). Then, since she was bleeding, the other chickens started pecking at her.
She's having a hard time standing but since I don't know how long she was wedged in there, I don't know whether it's a break or just a sprain. Is there any way to tell? Should I wrap it and put a splint on it anyway? She can stand up enough to turn around in her tub (it's a large one so she has room to practice walking if she's so inclined.
Her top beak is gone but her bottom one is still there. About 1/4-1/3 is torn away from her on one side but the rest if fully intact. Her comb is mostly gone and she isn't opening one of her eyes, but she does seem to have a will to live.
Right now, she's in a tub here in the house (where I figure she'll be for quite some time) with hay for a cushion. She doesn't seem ready to eat on her own yet. As she gets better, I'll put one of those water bottles that attach to cages because I think she should be able to push the little ball in with her beak and have the water roll onto the bottom beak. It's a perfect little scoop.
I tried giving her a bit of hard boiled egg but she doesn't seem interested in solid food right now. I mixed some yogurt with some ensure, thin enough that I could put it in a syringe. She did eat some of that, though not as much as I'd like. I think she's still pretty traumatized so I'm not pushing it. I've been giving her water with a syringe an we've got a little system worked out where she looks up at me and makes drinking motions with her tongue and I give her as much as she wants.
I set her on my lap (with the appropriate chicken poop towel underneath her) and pet her and give her water and feed. She sits quietly and looks around and seems content to sit there and be lavished with attention. She's so soft and sweet. It's been a while since I've had a chicken that liked being petted.
Since I do need to help her eat and drink for now, how often should I give her water? I know her body needs it and I want to make sure she gets enough. Should I give her water every couple of hours? Less? More? My syringe is 6ml and she usually drinks two full syringes at a time. I don't stop until she turns her head away and offer her more here and there while she's sitting with me.
What about feeding her? Should I try to get her to eat every time I give her water? Are there better things I can be feeding her? Personally, I can't stand ensure but I have a few boxes left from when my dad had cancer and I figured it has vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. in it. Yogurt is good for just about anything than breathes and is warm blooded so I know that's okay. She isn't quite ready for solids yet but would mixing a raw egg in with whatever help? I also have milk, which all my girls (and boys) seem to love. I thought about putting a bit of honey in her slurry because it has such amazing healing properties, but thought it would be too thick and sticky. Any particular vitamins she needs?
As long as she seems willing to fight, I'll fight right along with her so I'd like to make sure I'm doing everything I can (and doing it right) to help her heal. Since I don't really know if she's got anything going on inside, I'm reluctant to give her an aspirin but I know pain management is important for healing. However, while I'm sure she's hurting, she's not suffering and doesn't experience any pain when I pick her up.
Poor girl, she looks like she was rode hard and put away wet!
Cindie
