Questions for those of you with "special needs" chickens

[Happy Chooks]

dianer29........That's fine, that's your opinion and feelings on the subject. Sometimes it is the kinder death though. I was with both my dog and cat when they were put to sleep (3 months apart). They were suffering and I made the hard decision for what was best for them, not just easier for me.

Gritsar.....no problem. You didn't hijack. I probably shouldn't have used the nasty "C" word.


But honestly, I'm not here to talk about processing or not processing chickens. I'm here for help on what to do for my little guy. That's why I'm looking for others that have gone through similar circumstances, and for their experiences so I can decide how to "protect" him from the other chickens. His only downfall is that he is too slow and likes to hide in my lead hens nesting box.

He got pecked pretty good today, I found him hiding in the nesting box. And my brahma was ticked off that he was there, cuz after all, she's the princess and HAS to use THAT box. I think I'm going to fence off an area for him in the run. That way he can still interact with the others, but hopefully be a little more protected from getting pecked. I'll have to carry him back and forth from the coop every day, but hopefully it will give him the time he needs to catch up in development.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Poor little guy

I think it's a great idea to fence off an area so he can still be with the flock but they can't harm him. I'd give it a few weeks before you try and let him back in with them. Chances are that will work. Good luck with your special needs rooster

 

[gsim]

I have one of the 'special needs' chooks too. She does not get picked on. I spotted some of that on the roost at lights out twice and smacked the offender off of the roost and shut off the lights so she could stay on the floor overnight. After a repeat the next night, I did not see it again. She does not mix in with the others when treats are brought out because of her bad leg. I always save some treats for her. She has learned to get up in the roost earlier than the others so always gets her spot. She is last off the roost in the AM. I think she was hurt by a mid-air collision because one day when they were all 2 mo old, I just noticed her limping and had not seen one limping the day before. She was last to get the red face and comb, and the last to get her voice. She is smallish for a Barred Rock.

Since we had prayed for a healthy flock before we ever ordered them, we took it that this special needs chook might just be a test of our faithfulness. The rest of the flock lays like gangbusters beginning at 4 months old, without having artificial light; So we are blessed with a healthy flock. So she has her life to live, and she mixes quite a bit with the others except when it is time to try to muscle in for a share of treats. She wants to be in with her mates because I used to take her to the garden with me so she could scratch for treats, but all she wanted to do was to stay at the end nearest to her pen and her flock-mates. Once she even flew to the top of the garden fence, 5 ft tall to perch there staring at her run and flock-mates. So I do not take her on any more field trips.

I tried to feed her glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyalauronic acid aminos for her leg, but saw no improvement over a 2 month span, so I gave it up.

 

[dianer29]

new 2 chooks: Since we are the top of the food chain we can decide what is to be done and not done,this gives us the power to decide for others. Good luck on your caretaking and hope all meets with positive results . The weaker sometimes get thinned out to keep the population going by fellow flock members. A separate housing choice within the flocks range of sight ,sounds,etc might resolve things .

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I don't know your financial situation, but this is just a thought. We have a small dog training crate, probably suitable for a full grown pug-sized dog. We are going to use it as the new pup's nighttime crate before he graduates to his big crate.
Anyhow, something that size would keep your little fella from getting picked on while still being with the flock. Walmart and pet stores sell them. It wouldn't take up much room in the coop, has a plastic tray on the bottom that slides out for easy clean-up and it's portable; making it very easy to pick up to take inside and out.
I'd offer you this one, but we'll be needing it very soon.
Good luck with the little guy. Both of my special needs hens have been such a blessing in my life.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Well, I failed again. I fenced off an area in the run for him, got his food and water in there. But when I put him in he FREAKED. He was flying into the fence trying to get away from the older hens. I didn't want him to hurt himself so I took him out.

He's now all by himself in the small coop. He's absolutely terrified of the hens and he's injuring himself trying to get away from them. I just hope that he will get along with the new Ameraucana babies I'm getting. (hopefully next week) He's going to be twice their size, but maybe he'll be the gentle giant.

Now I'm beginning to think he doesn't see all that well. I noticed he's a bit "off" on what he's pecking at.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Gritsar, I thought of that too. I may do that if he doesn't get along with the babies. But what kind of life is it for him to be in a crate all the time? At this point being around them just terrifies him, so I think he needs a break from being beaten up.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Also, I noticed that all of you that have "special needs" chickens have hens. I'm curious: would you keep a "special needs" rooster?

I know speckledhen has a rooster, but I also know he wasn't always crippled. My guy has had issues from the start, but he's obviously a fighter, or he wouldn't have made it this far.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I would absolutely keep a special needs roo. Lilith sometimes goes long periods of time without laying eggs, so it's not like I'm keeping her just because she lays eggs. Roosters are my favorite chickens.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
I sure would in a heart beat