You all know I'm raising about 20 partridge rocks. I also have three black australorp pullets, who are four months now. They did not like the little buggers. Only recently have they decided the seven week olds might be chickens. So today is a stunner.
Late this afternoon I heard one of the BA's hollering and fussing and went outside to see what the fuss was. The dogs were indoors so that fear was abated.
I came out to find the BA attacking a hawk eating a PR and a torn and bleeding BA trying to make him leave. She'd given it her all, taken a wound and kept trying.
There were slices from behind both ears and under her jaw that met at her keel leaving hanging tattered ribbons of feather and skin from each side of her face and a five inch long wound.
And still she tried to defend a chick she didn't even like.
I've never even considered taking a chicken to a vet. Ever. IT'S A CHICKEN!!! Until today. I scooped her up, took her in the house to the bathroom and started pulling feathers from the wound. I figured she was a gonner but was stunned to find all the underlying structures intact. I pulled feathers, washed and flushed the wound, all of which she took awfully well. Then called my dog vet. My dog vet refered me to a livestock vet. The livestock vet said he's see her.
In the end he figured he could suture her and that leaving open a wound that huge wasn't an option. 30 stitches later, she at least doesn't look as much like a Freddy Krueger victim. She's resting in the kitchen cage.
Okay I spent money on her, but dang... bravery like that - she earned it.
Now, here's hoping she makes it. But I gave her a chance.
This photo was taken 2 hours before it happened.
Late this afternoon I heard one of the BA's hollering and fussing and went outside to see what the fuss was. The dogs were indoors so that fear was abated.
I came out to find the BA attacking a hawk eating a PR and a torn and bleeding BA trying to make him leave. She'd given it her all, taken a wound and kept trying.
There were slices from behind both ears and under her jaw that met at her keel leaving hanging tattered ribbons of feather and skin from each side of her face and a five inch long wound.
And still she tried to defend a chick she didn't even like.
I've never even considered taking a chicken to a vet. Ever. IT'S A CHICKEN!!! Until today. I scooped her up, took her in the house to the bathroom and started pulling feathers from the wound. I figured she was a gonner but was stunned to find all the underlying structures intact. I pulled feathers, washed and flushed the wound, all of which she took awfully well. Then called my dog vet. My dog vet refered me to a livestock vet. The livestock vet said he's see her.
In the end he figured he could suture her and that leaving open a wound that huge wasn't an option. 30 stitches later, she at least doesn't look as much like a Freddy Krueger victim. She's resting in the kitchen cage.
Okay I spent money on her, but dang... bravery like that - she earned it.
Now, here's hoping she makes it. But I gave her a chance.
This photo was taken 2 hours before it happened.
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