I have put the "babies" in general population. they are 3mo old now, and all was well for the first 2weeks. but yesterday I noticed one of the young roos has been injured. He was out in the run with the rest of the birds, and he was standing, and walking, but slowly. And every few feet he would stop and close his eyes as if to take a break. I assume one of the bigger birds got him, and pulled out a good chunk of feathers around his neck/throat and a bit of skin possibly too. Its not actively bleeding, but it is bloody on the edges. he has several broken feathers surrounding a big bald spot maybe 2inches diameter, and I can see the bulge of his crop through the wound. It looks yellow (skin and fat? I assume-not looking like pus). He's been removed from the coop/run and isolated in a rubbermaid tub with chicken wire lid in the garage - the "sick room." He is eating chicken feed halfheartedly, but gobbled up the couple earthworms I tossed him this morning. He is drinking water, slowly and in small doses and poop looks normal. I think his lack of gusto for the food/h2o is due to where his boo-boo is,and its prob a little sore. He's not "talking" and in fact is silent. And these birds are generally grumbling and humming all day. Do I need to let him heal on his own? Is there something I need to put on this? Can I use neosporin or peroxide? Because, heres my dilema....
I have too many roos as it is. I have already decided which of the 7 gets to stay. This injured bird is not one. He is bound for the freezer in a few weeks. I dont want him to have prolonged suffering, and he IS a nice, gentle little fella. But I cannot have 7 roosters and 9 hens in a 400 sq ft run, and expect everyone to get along. It appears it has started already I really was hoping to let the little ones grow a bit more to a respectable table size. They were getting butchered at 5months old, or whenever the youngster pullets started to lay, whichever came first. So, that said, I dont want to spend a lot of $ on this bird and his boo boo. I also dont want to eat a sick bird, or one that has an infection. I also dont want to just let him die slowly of infection if I can help it. He really is a nice one, and of the 7 males total, he was in the top 3 of "keepers" but I can only pick one, and he didnt make the cut. So, whats the best course of action here? do I get him healed just in time to slaughter? Do I give him a week in isolation to get his strength back up a bit an then see how it goes putting him in the mix again? Or do I just go ahead and get him to the butchering block now? Hes prob only 3-4lbs alive. I was hoping to get roughly 3-4lbs each table ready out of these guys. I can take them all to slaughter today, but the prob with that is my Amish chicken slaughter guy wont do less than 5 at a time (for a BUCK a piece. Thats right , $1 each). Theyre just kinda puny at the moment, and in another few wks they should be bigger. If I take him, I have to take all of them.
Hes a black australorp by the way. Any advise is appreciated
I have too many roos as it is. I have already decided which of the 7 gets to stay. This injured bird is not one. He is bound for the freezer in a few weeks. I dont want him to have prolonged suffering, and he IS a nice, gentle little fella. But I cannot have 7 roosters and 9 hens in a 400 sq ft run, and expect everyone to get along. It appears it has started already I really was hoping to let the little ones grow a bit more to a respectable table size. They were getting butchered at 5months old, or whenever the youngster pullets started to lay, whichever came first. So, that said, I dont want to spend a lot of $ on this bird and his boo boo. I also dont want to eat a sick bird, or one that has an infection. I also dont want to just let him die slowly of infection if I can help it. He really is a nice one, and of the 7 males total, he was in the top 3 of "keepers" but I can only pick one, and he didnt make the cut. So, whats the best course of action here? do I get him healed just in time to slaughter? Do I give him a week in isolation to get his strength back up a bit an then see how it goes putting him in the mix again? Or do I just go ahead and get him to the butchering block now? Hes prob only 3-4lbs alive. I was hoping to get roughly 3-4lbs each table ready out of these guys. I can take them all to slaughter today, but the prob with that is my Amish chicken slaughter guy wont do less than 5 at a time (for a BUCK a piece. Thats right , $1 each). Theyre just kinda puny at the moment, and in another few wks they should be bigger. If I take him, I have to take all of them.
Hes a black australorp by the way. Any advise is appreciated