Reminder---sometimes it's not just back-baldness....

The other night I was feeding and noticed that Clementine (one of my favorite hens) was looking a little ragged (over-zealous roo). I ordered her a "saddle" and have just been keeping an eye on her. I did trim the rooster's nails and beak, too.

Anyway, last night I was feeding and she was screaming & running from Barnabus (the rooster). I picked her up and decided I'd put her in a cage to grow some feathers back and give her a break (she's his favorite). I'm not sure what made me look but I started looking at her more closely...her back wasn't completely bald, just down to the fluff. I lifted a wing and was HORRIFIED to see a HUGE hole in her side. I looked at the other side and sure enough, another hole. Bloodly (not fresh but scabbed) and the skin was all peeled back. I felt TERRIBLE! Poor Clementine!

I got the wounds cleaned up and she's on antibiotics. She's still separated but so is the rooster from the rest of the girls until my husband has time to hold him for me while I saw off his spurs!

I'm sure I would have lost her had I not been paying attention and checking her over. I have another hen (a lemon blue) that looks way worse (more bald) but I checked her & she didn't have the holes in her sides although Clarence (her roo) has bigger spurs.

Needless to say, the worst of the worst have been separated, all of my roos are getting a spur "pedicure" and I'm now going to be watching them like a HAWK.

 

Yeah....thanks...she seemed okay this evening...she'd eaten all of her food, was drinking her water with antibiotics and she even laid an egg!