natbee13
In the Brooder
- May 10, 2015
- 3
- 1
- 11
Though we have read up on chickens, we have just inherited a flock of 11 chickens, 5 of which are two,6 of which are three. We have little experience with chickens, so advice would be very useful! I seem to be reading many different/conflicting things which is really confusing me!
We moved our new flock in boxes for about an hour drive. One of the hens was a little plucked when we picked her up, owner said this was new. probably stress related (this one I called Plucky). They are eating and laying some eggs (we found 4 this morning plus one that got eaten, i removed the shell once I found it).
My question is about one hen I've named Foufounes. Last night the hens ganged up on her right after we settled them in, and after, we noticed she had no tail feathers left, a raw red bum, and a limp, and the hens kept swarming her.
We let them sleep through the night, and were delighted to find eggs this morning and took it as a sign the gals are settling in nicely. Our chickens are well set up in our shed, plenty of room, straw bedding, nests, somewhere to perch, plenty of space, and adequate access to food and clean water.
I've had a chance to read up, and since there was poop all over Foufounes' red raw bum, I rinsed it with saline (couldn't find the peroxide although I have since found it) and put polysporin on her, though she didn't seem to have cuts/blood drawn. I have isolated her in a makeshift landry basket cage within the flock until I find her a better cage (likely tomorrow) and she seems to be doing OK, is eating, not sure if she is drinking ( I put a water bowl outside the cage, I'm now working on getting her a better watering system set up) despite it being a smaller space which is not ideal for me. I then also noticed another hen with a smaller patch of bright red butt.
I'm pretty sure that all of this is stress related, and I am probably making a big deal out of nothing, but I'd love tips to help reassure me that my little Foufounes isn't eggbound or full of lice. I've given the flock some apples and lettuce and bread as a treat to distract them and deter possible cannibalism, in addition to their laying mash, they seemed to enjoy that quite a bit
Trying to stay out of their space as much as possible to let them settle in, but I'm want to check in on them and have them all set up properly...
Thanks in advance!
We moved our new flock in boxes for about an hour drive. One of the hens was a little plucked when we picked her up, owner said this was new. probably stress related (this one I called Plucky). They are eating and laying some eggs (we found 4 this morning plus one that got eaten, i removed the shell once I found it).
My question is about one hen I've named Foufounes. Last night the hens ganged up on her right after we settled them in, and after, we noticed she had no tail feathers left, a raw red bum, and a limp, and the hens kept swarming her.
We let them sleep through the night, and were delighted to find eggs this morning and took it as a sign the gals are settling in nicely. Our chickens are well set up in our shed, plenty of room, straw bedding, nests, somewhere to perch, plenty of space, and adequate access to food and clean water.
I've had a chance to read up, and since there was poop all over Foufounes' red raw bum, I rinsed it with saline (couldn't find the peroxide although I have since found it) and put polysporin on her, though she didn't seem to have cuts/blood drawn. I have isolated her in a makeshift landry basket cage within the flock until I find her a better cage (likely tomorrow) and she seems to be doing OK, is eating, not sure if she is drinking ( I put a water bowl outside the cage, I'm now working on getting her a better watering system set up) despite it being a smaller space which is not ideal for me. I then also noticed another hen with a smaller patch of bright red butt.
I'm pretty sure that all of this is stress related, and I am probably making a big deal out of nothing, but I'd love tips to help reassure me that my little Foufounes isn't eggbound or full of lice. I've given the flock some apples and lettuce and bread as a treat to distract them and deter possible cannibalism, in addition to their laying mash, they seemed to enjoy that quite a bit
Trying to stay out of their space as much as possible to let them settle in, but I'm want to check in on them and have them all set up properly... Thanks in advance!
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