Self inflicted injury

[Phunktacular]

I have 65 Corning Cross birds that were 8 weeks old on Monday. I was originally going to process them on the previous Friday. However, the size of the birds didn't look as big as I'd have liked and I decided to put it off for another week. This isn't my first time, I've done it for a few years now and I enjoy it. When I went out to move the tractors and feed them, I noticed a single bird that had a round blood stain on it's wing feathers. I let the feed be my distraction to pick the bird up and what I found was that the bird had it's wing bone protruding from it's wing, through it's skin. It didn't appear that it was affecting the bird in any way. I looked everywhere for my blue Kote but, couldn't find it. I watched the bird for a couple of hours and noticed that none of the other birds were bothering it and the injury wasn't impacting it, at all. Only got 3 more days before processing and pretty sure that it's going to be fine.

I just curious what you guys think. Would you have done more or would you have maybe put the bird down, early?

Thanks

Phunk

 

[Phunktacular]

I also would like to add, I believe that the bird sustained the injury from jumping onto the feeder sitting on the ground and fell into it and hurt itself struggling to get out. It's one of those galvanized feeders with an open top. I've had birds get this same injury struggling in the killing cone on processing day. Don't know until it comes out of the plucker, typically.

 

[slordaz]

My concern would be that it could attract predators, and they cannot fend for themselves as well, but you have a point too that it's 3 days to processing, so maybe secure it so it doesn't attract predators, just a suggestion though

 

[townchicks]

I would process that bird immediately, for two reasons. One , for the birds sake. Compound fractures HURT! Birds are prey animals, they are great at hiding illness and pain. Rest assured, even if it doesn't show it, that chicken feels bad. Second, exposed bone gets infected easily, if infection gets into the bone, that bird can go septic quick, and you will not be able to eat it.

 

[Phunktacular]

This is the third year doing it in this location and I haven't lost a single meat bird to any predation, up to this point. The wound is healing up pretty good and stopped bleeding before I found it. I think, if I was going to lose them, the odor they put off from poo would have surely attracted predators long before now.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Personally, if the bone is protruding through skin, in this heat, I would think infection could set up in three days. I would do it early and not wait. That's just me. Good luck.

 

[Phunktacular]

Thanks for the responses. I'll go take a look at her first thing this morning. Gotta move them tractors anyway. It seems like it should be an easy call to make but, I'm not sure why it isn't. 2 more days, now..

Thanks again

 

[Mosey2003]

I would cull an injured bird immediately. It's the humane thing to do.

I had one with a broken leg that I didn't find until I picked it up on processing day and I felt really bad about that, it was hobbling around pretty normally from what I had observed. But when I butchered, I found the leg just absolutely shattered, in the drum. That can't have been comfortable.