The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[OohLaLa]

Sorry to hear, it sounds awful, just sending you my best wishes. Good luck hoope she makes a full recovery.

Thanks. The bleeding has stopped, I don't care if she refeathers funny or not. I'm concerned about weather or not this leg will ever be useful again or not. She is eating etc and is resting so I'll give it some time and go from there.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

It's been chillier...40's at night and 60-70's in the day. He IS kinda fat...okay, pretty fat, like his mama. Thanks for the info, I'll keep my eye on him.

(That reminds me, we have a COLD front coming down on Tuesday and it's supposed to be in the mid 30's! I need to cover the lemon and fig trees.)



OohLaLa - Forgive me if someone already asked, but did you notice dried blood on the face or beaks of your other birds? Rat attack?

If it was in the 40's, then it is cold enough to turn his comb slightly blue, like I see here. Put some sugar in his water, and he will be fine.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

When do Wellies start to lay? Around 20 weeks? I do know that EEs lay ALOT later then other breeds. Not sure bout Wellies tho.

My Wellie is 17 weeks today. Small comb but it is quite red.

 

[bwalden]

When do Wellies start to lay? Around 20 weeks? I do know that EEs lay ALOT later then other breeds. Not sure bout Wellies tho.

My Wellie is 17 weeks today. Small comb but it is quite red.

They can lay that early but the later the better, in my opinion. Mine average 24-32 weeks. But there are some that start sooner. I had one that laid at 20 weeks. Her eggs were so small I honestly thought it was a "fart" egg" (very small undersized egg, sometimes with no yolk). A lot of people say hatchery stock will lay earlier than most breeder stock.

 

[Nickeyo]

purple comb can indicate heart problems

 

[Happy Chooks]

Did anyone go the the Ohio Nationals? Any wellies there? I'd love to see any pictures.

 

[OohLaLa]

It's been chillier...40's at night and 60-70's in the day. He IS kinda fat...okay, pretty fat, like his mama. Thanks for the info, I'll keep my eye on him.

(That reminds me, we have a COLD front coming down on Tuesday and it's supposed to be in the mid 30's! I need to cover the lemon and fig trees.)



OohLaLa - Forgive me if someone already asked, but did you notice dried blood on the face or beaks of your other birds? Rat attack?

I did not notice anything unusual. I check my coop and run and have a cat that makes it his mission to patrol for such creatures. Hubby said he saw my Buff Orp and a few others pecking at her Friday, but did not think it was anything alarming. I think he may have seen the start of it and they did the rest in the coop, there is no way she could have made it up the ramp with that leg. it looks like it is separated from her body the way it goes straight out.

My heart is heavy, I did what I had to tonight. She was a little sweetie and I know this is all part of being a responsible chicken owner, she was in pain and that leg position was far from question. Part of me hopes that I don't cry like that every time I have to do that, part of me hopes I don't get so casual that it does not bother me.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm so sorry. You knew when it was time, and I applaud you for having the strength to let her go. She had a good life while she was with you.

 

[OohLaLa]

I'm so sorry. You knew when it was time, and I applaud you for having the strength to let her go. She had a good life while she was with you.

Thank you

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:
I am very sorry you had to put her down. The skin damage will heal - the leg probably would not - you made a hard decision there.

I have had birds that have pecked at somebody a bit harder - or possibly one that attempted to climb the pecking order and got beat down - they were attacked by the rest of the flock when they showed blood. It is an instinct for chickens to attack and eat anything red - red means blood which is food to them. Anybody who says chickens are vegetarians has never observed a chicken closely.

About 9 years ago I had one girl that had gotten picked on her lower back - under her feathers. I heard a ruckus outside and broke it up but didn't notice much at that time. I noticed later she wasn't coming out of the coop so I took her down off the roost and checked her over. When I got to her back I was appalled. The other birds had EATEN her there down to the bones in that one spot. I took her out - covered her with antibiotic creme (without pain reliever) and kept her apart for about two weeks. When it had healed over and was a scar instead of scabs that could be pecked off I put her back in again. The feathers never grew back in so she always had that bald lower back under the upper feather cover, but she lived to be 8 years old.

Anytime a bird has a bloody spot it is best to coat it with blu-kote to prevent the other birds from focusing on it, because they will attack and eat it. I didn't know about blu-kote then, and I didn't know they would do something like that either - until after that poor girl.