Scary!

[3KillerBs]

No photos, because I was too worried about Rameses's welfare to stop and take them, but I had a frightening incident that could have been a lot worse.

I keep some baling twine hanging on hooks in the coop for use when I need to hang things, tie them up, etc. I don't know how Rameses got access to a strand, but when I went out to tend my birds today I saw him looking wrong -- not moving the way he ought to. I looked closer and found that he'd managed to get both legs totally entangled in some of the baling twine so that he was hobbled down to short steps.

I got one of my sons, who I could trust to work carefully with scissors and wire cutters because he's very neat-handed and precise, grabbed a towel, and caught my big guy without much trouble because he couldn't walk very well.

Rameses didn't panic as I put him on his back, wrapped a towel loosely around him, and arranged him so that I could hold him in one arm and control his feet with the other as my son freed him. There are a couple slightly irritated spots on his feet, but nothing serious.

Possibly the trickiest bit was getting him freed from the towel, turned back over, and set down safely without him panicking and hurting either himself or me. I was really afraid that he'd flap and break a wing or kick and spur me, but it worked out and he's moving around the coop reminding his sons that he's still boss.

It would have been interesting to get a weight on the big guy, but I wasn't going to put him through that after the trauma of having his legs tangled. I'll have a look at him on the roost tonight to see how his feet are.

 

[fuzzi]

No photos, because I was too worried about Rameses's welfare to stop and take them, but I had a frightening incident that could have been a lot worse.

I keep some baling twine hanging on hooks in the coop for use when I need to hang things, tie them up, etc. I don't know how Rameses got access to a strand, but when I went out to tend my birds today I saw him looking wrong -- not moving the way he ought to. I looked closer and found that he'd managed to get both legs totally entangled in some of the baling twine so that he was hobbled down to short steps.

I got one of my sons, who I could trust to work carefully with scissors and wire cutters because he's very neat-handed and precise, grabbed a towel, and caught my big guy without much trouble because he couldn't walk very well.

Rameses didn't panic as I put him on his back, wrapped a towel loosely around him, and arranged him so that I could hold him in one arm and control his feet with the other as my son freed him. There are a couple slightly irritated spots on his feet, but nothing serious.

Possibly the trickiest bit was getting him freed from the towel, turned back over, and set down safely without him panicking and hurting either himself or me. I was really afraid that he'd flap and break a wing or kick and spur me, but it worked out and he's moving around the coop reminding his sons that he's still boss.

It would have been interesting to get a weight on the big guy, but I wasn't going to put him through that after the trauma of having his legs tangled. I'll have a look at him on the roost tonight to see how his feet are.

So glad it turned out okay.

 

[AntiqueB]

That's a scary thing to happen for sure! It's a good thing you saw him before he was badly injured.

 

[3KillerBs]

That's a scary thing to happen for sure! It's a good thing you saw him before he was badly injured.

Especially with his sons in the pen too, who could have taken advantage of his limitations.

Fortunately, my boys are quite laid back.

 

[Galaxy_rules]

No photos, because I was too worried about Rameses's welfare to stop and take them, but I had a frightening incident that could have been a lot worse.

I keep some baling twine hanging on hooks in the coop for use when I need to hang things, tie them up, etc. I don't know how Rameses got access to a strand, but when I went out to tend my birds today I saw him looking wrong -- not moving the way he ought to. I looked closer and found that he'd managed to get both legs totally entangled in some of the baling twine so that he was hobbled down to short steps.

I got one of my sons, who I could trust to work carefully with scissors and wire cutters because he's very neat-handed and precise, grabbed a towel, and caught my big guy without much trouble because he couldn't walk very well.

Rameses didn't panic as I put him on his back, wrapped a towel loosely around him, and arranged him so that I could hold him in one arm and control his feet with the other as my son freed him. There are a couple slightly irritated spots on his feet, but nothing serious.

Possibly the trickiest bit was getting him freed from the towel, turned back over, and set down safely without him panicking and hurting either himself or me. I was really afraid that he'd flap and break a wing or kick and spur me, but it worked out and he's moving around the coop reminding his sons that he's still boss.

It would have been interesting to get a weight on the big guy, but I wasn't going to put him through that after the trauma of having his legs tangled. I'll have a look at him on the roost tonight to see how his feet are.

That sounds freaky for sure. I’m so clad everything was fine in the end.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh poor guy! Glad you were able to get him untangled, heart stopping stuff to find them in these types of predicaments!

 

[WoDia]

I’m so happy to hear that Rameses is going to be fine! It’s shocking to find a bird in a situation like that. It happened to one of my roosters. When I used to allow my flocks to free range (before too many predators put a stop to that), my barred rock rooster wandered into the barn to jump on the hay bales (like always) and got himself all tangled in the twine we had hanging from cutting off the bales. He was a mess…. both legs and a wing. It was so sad to see him just standing there as if waiting to be rescued. Fortunately, he didn’t struggle and injure himself. I hope Rameses feet are no worse for wear!

 

[3KillerBs]

I’m so happy to hear that Rameses is going to be fine! It’s shocking to find a bird in a situation like that. It happened to one of my roosters. When I used to allow my flocks to free range (before too many predators put a stop to that), my barred rock rooster wandered into the barn to jump on the hay bales (like always) and got himself all tangled in the twine we had hanging from cutting off the bales. He was a mess…. both legs and a wing. It was so sad to see him just standing there as if waiting to be rescued. Fortunately, he didn’t struggle and injure himself. I hope Rameses feet are no worse for wear!

Rameses was still walking around with about 6 inches between his legs. I'm honestly surprised that he wasn't already paniced.

 

[WoDia]

Rameses was still walking around with about 6 inches between his legs. I'm honestly surprised that he wasn't already paniced.

Sounds like he took it very calmly. I hope the slight irritation to his feet goes away quickly!

 

[3KillerBs]

Sounds like he took it very calmly. I hope the slight irritation to his feet goes away quickly!

I took him off the roost at bedtime and carried him out into the light for a good look. He's fine.

He takes being carried around very calmly, having been removed from the nests every night for weeks when he was a maturing cockerel not quite sure about his welcome on the roosts.

Then I picked up his sons so that they wouldn't get any ideas about being better than he is.

I didn't put any one a scale, but just having them in my arms I can tell that Seti, the black October hatch cockerel, is nearly as big as Rameses already but his brother, Rameses II, isn't as large -- reinforcing my choice of Seti as Rameses's replacement.