- Nov 14, 2010
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For a year and a half, I've had two roosters. I had Squeak, my Rhode Island Red, for three years, and about two years ago, his son, Pip, hatched. When Pip started acting like a rooster, crowing and all that, he was too scared to confront Squeak. But as time went on, they started fighting a bit. The fighting got more common, but it was never serious until yesterday. Yesterday, when I went to check on my baby chicks and their mothers out in the front yard, I decided to check my main flock as well. Pip was lying in a patch of soft dirt, having a dirt bath and looking very content. I saw something dark on his beak and figured it was dirt, since he had been digging a minute ago. I found out later that it was blood. As for Squeak, he was huddling under the coop, hiding his head. I managed to get him out, only to find that the left side of his face was a bloody mess. After shooing Pip away, I carried Squeak to my front yard and put him in a little run while I searched the medicine cabinet for anything useful. I cleaned as much blood off Squeak's face as I could, then patted a little betadine on--he certainly hated that!--sprayed his face with antibacterial spray, and gave him antibacterial ointment. Then I bandaged it up. He's lost a handful of feathers from his head, he has about a dozen cuts, but worst of all, he lost his left eye. This is worst injury any of my chickens have gotten. Squeak spent the night in the same room as the baby chicks and their mothers, and seemed very pleased to be able to watch the hens fuss over their chicks. This morning he stood up in his cage and crowed at me, but still seems exhausted and like he's in plenty of pain. I'm sure that if I can keep his wounds from getting infected, he'll be fine. I've had a one-eyed rooster before who turned out to be fine. Squeak seems to be managing so far.
Oh, my. That turned out to be a lot longer than I intended. My apologies!
So, my question is: Did I do everything right, and is there anything else I can do for Squeak?
Oh, my. That turned out to be a lot longer than I intended. My apologies!
So, my question is: Did I do everything right, and is there anything else I can do for Squeak?