So I went to feed yesterday and there was blood all over in the coop. It was on the walls the nesting boxes and on the floor. While trying to sort out where it came from and thinking maybe someone had been bad one of the hens walked in with blood all over her head and comb. After bringing her in and cleaning her up I noticed that the back of her comb was torn from the base of her head in about a 1/4 of an inch gash. I brought her in cleaned her up and put some antibiotic on it to stop the bleeding and she was fine to go back out. As I continued my chores I noticed the water bucket had frozen over (it was 18 the night before) and there was a head shaped hole with blood on the ice just above it. I am thinking that she went to drink and got her comb stuck to the ice and pulled it to get it off. Has anyone else had this happen? These chickens have been living together since April with no problems and they are all really friendly and mellow. I do see the roosters breeding them, but I never see them being mean. They do their dance the the girls squat down. For the most part they don't even grab the girls feathers at all so I am not thinking it could be attack from another chicken. The only evidence other than the blood in the coop was the blood on the water bucket.
Quote:Sorry to hear about your chicken It could have been an accident. Sometimes roosters can accidentally hurt the hens from mating.
Sounds to me like your right and it was the bucket. Poor girl hope she heals fast. Do you have a way of heating it so it doesn't freeze?
I bought my supplies, and I am about to make the cookie tin heaters. Search BYC and get some ideas. Sounds like an ice bucket injury to me.
I have it in the coop which doesn't get as cold and it hasn't frozen since but I am gonig to have to look for a heating source for it for once the winter gets colder because being in the coop even though it's insulated won't help after that.
