Rooster Vs. Husky...

[19hhbelgian]

Well, closed the coop tonight thinking I had everybody in... I was wrong

Left 3 of our 4 dogs out, a few minutes later Dixie, our rescued Husky came back with my cuckoo polish roo in her mouth

I quick opened the door for her (she was very proud of herself, and was bringing him to me

) & got him away from her. His neck was completely limp. I even moved his head around to double check because there was no blood like happens when they do have a broken neck. I felt terrible, and was looking at the poor guy, when I realized he just BLINKED at me

His neck was still completely limp though, so I figured she simply didn't "successfully" complete the job. Plus, his legs were limp, wings just hung... Figured he was definitely paralyzed. I asked DH to do the deed, but he told me to wrap him up & put him under a heat lamp, and see how he is in the morning. I didn't want to prolong any suffering, but DH insisted, so that's what I did.

Well, I went out to check on the roo (figuring he'd most likely be in chicken heaven), and found him sitting up, looking around, on the other side of his pen from the blanket! Apparently he played possum, that is the only explanation I can come up with... I don't care what he did, it saved his life! Do chickens often do this, or did he simply faint because he was so scared??

Here he is:

Here's the perpetrator:

Dixie always brings her toys to me when she first picks them up, and she doesn't hold them tight - she actually shoves them as far back in her mouth as she can. I think she thought that since it didn't move, it was just another toy, and she wanted me to throw it for her

I'm lucky it was her and not the 4th dog that I hadn't left out. The smallest one, but the deadliest too. "Possum" as I have now re-named my roo, has some feathers missing on his back, but no outter injuries that are serious. I'm just

and praying there aren't any internal injuries that I cannot help.

** hope this was the correct topic to put this under!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i had one of my bantam faverolles fall from the coop rafters one night and i thought she broke her neck in the process since she didn't move it correctly and acted like it was the heaviest thing about her. i panicked and brought her in the house and later that night after observing her i kept saying to my dh that he may have to put her down for me. he kept saying that for the 3 days i had her in the house with a bandage around her neck trying to see if that might help her. after the 3rd day of seeing her trying to flop her braced neck and head around, i took the bandage off and she pulled her head back in towards her body like it never happened. she was still a little stiff but happier.

she just had a concussion from the fall and i still have her and it has been 5 months with no issues since. she became weak from mites and lice, she was the only one who got affected by them and it made her weak enough to fall out of the roost.

 

[KKatknap]

That's amazing! Hope your little "Possum" makes a full recovery

BTW - Cute Husky!!

 

[19hhbelgian]

Thanks

I'm really hoping he is ok inside as well as out. And thanks for the compliment on Dixie! I love her to death (even after this - it wasn't her fault).

That's pretty funny about the neck brace. She probably didn't know what to do with her neck all wrapped up!

 

[Ibicella]

Yes, they do often do that. It's called "Tonic Immobility." It's a defense mechanism where they get a large dose of seratonin to their brains and their muscles relax and they go limp. Playing "dead" confuses predators, who's eyesight is most often motion oriented. Not moving helps them be overlooked. Also, if they are caught, it helps give them some protection from injuries (which is why mice can seemingly come back to life and run off after being tossed around by a cat playing with it) or being horribly stressed if they are eaten. Lots of animals can do it, chickens, rabbits, mice, sharks, possums, snakes...just to name a few. It's one of the nicer inventions of Mother Nature.

Your dog probably didn't understand why the chicken fell down "dead" and like you said, thought he was a toy or just something she wanted to show you. I'm glad to hear she's got a soft mouth, and he's doing ok! "Possum" is a stunningly handsome roo and Dixie's just too cute for words. I'm glad for your happy ending!

 

[GroundParrot]

Oh man, that dog is just the Face of Evil... or she's got the cutest smile I've ever seen on a pup! So glad your roo is better.

 

[19hhbelgian]

That's interesting. I never knew chickens would do that. Possum is doing really well today. He is in the shed keeping my serama, Checkers, company

He's alert and eating/drinking, so I'm a very lucky rooster owner. Dixie is all kinds of mischief, but she is actually a pretty good dog... That picture says it all!

 

[Lachlan]

Awwww your husky is adorable

 

[PandoraTaylor]

happy endings....

 

[tigerlilly2588]

Awwww! I hope he makes out ok!!! The same thing happened to me a few years ago and my husky Madeline tore a big hole in my pore little banty roosters back. I took him to the vet and had him x-rayed and got'em all stitched up. It was like 36 stitches or something but he did fine and the vet kept telling me how tame and sweet my rooster was...lol...I told him "of course...i raised him, he's my pet!" Silly vet I guess he'd never seen a tame chicken Anyway hope your boy gets to feeling better!