Initially I thought I should post under "Chicken Behavior" because it certainly was "chicken" of my husband to do this! But after thinking about it I realized the big ol' redneck didn't understand the ramifications of his actions; he actually thought he did **gulp** good! Yesterday afternoon he called me and said his cousin wanted to get rid of his chickens: 20 or so laying hens, a roo and misc. chicken related items and he only wanted $100 for the lot. Knowing his cousin is unemployed and probably needs the money I said ok. I never dreamed my darling hubby would do what he did next. He brought them home, added them to MY coop then came in the house and proudly announced that the new chickens were settling in for the night! OMG, right?!?!?! Last night it was in the mid 30's and I had nowhere else to put them, so I left them for the night. I was going to put together some sort of quarantine facility in the barn today but was not given this luxury! After a rather sleepless night I got up just before dawn and opened the chicken door thinking my flock of 17 including a roo and the latest additions could forage together in the pasture all day and get aquainted. Too late! Although much larger than my original roo (who was going to freezer camp after jacking me up yet again just yesterday but that's a whole other story!) I found the new roo hopping around on one foot and bleeding from his comb! I'm not sure if he was damaged in transit (to my horror all of em' shoved in a large dog kennel I've learned this morning) or if Rudy jacked him up too! Please help! What sort of damage control do I need to do? I feel so bad for my girls with the late night invasion and all and I feel bad for the newest additions to my flock. They must be traumatized beyond belief! Thanks y'all!!!
Okay -- you already know, vaseline/antibiotic ointment/blood stop powder. Check out the foot -- they often spur or peck each other's feet when they're sparring. Put one (probably the new one) in a dog crate in the coop or in the house. Give everybody a warm breakfast -- oatmeal, cooked rice, something....WARM not hot, and some treats. Dust all the birds for mites with diatomaceous earth or 5% carbaryl (Sevin), check to see if any have raspy or noisy breathing or are breathing heavily through their mouths (the new ones). If so, add an antibiotic powder to their water as a preventative/curative. Offer them warm (not hot!) water for today. Enjoy the fact that you have new birds...go in the house and have a hot chocolate.
In addition to the all the good advice above, check the new girls for leg mites & bumblefoot. If you can, let them outside - they'll be able to get away from each other = less fighting. Congrats on the new crew! What breeds did you get?
Y'all are so awesome! Thank you for the great advice and allowing me to vent! I'm trying to recognize that hubby meant well. I made oatmeal and mixxed in some scrambled eggs but the new girls don't know what to think about that! Cousin Billy never cooked for them or even gave them treats. I feel more like this is a rescue since I know he hasn't had the $$ to feed them well. My girls are pampered and these will soon get used to it! With my 16 hens I was getting 6 eggs a day even with the cold weather and shorter days. I know that these new gals are good layers too and have had good health. I've already gotten a egg from one of them! I'll post some pics but I think they are sex links, both black and red stars. My original flock consists of golden wyandotts, cuckoo morans, blue andalusians, and ameraucanas. I have a couple more cuckoo morans, buff opps and wellsumers in the baby pen. What a great excuse to have a new coop built! lol! We're gonna have chickens/eggs comin out my ears!
