What did your chickens do today?

[BarredRockMom]

Here is an update on Greenie, for anyone who's wondering:
First of all, she is still alive! YEAH!!

So today, I let her out awhile and put her food dish and water on the porch. I walk away and she starts pecking at the cement. I rattled her food dish and she came over and started eating. I changed places with the water and she pecked at the water. AND GUESS WHAT? I noticed her "bad" eye is open. I didn't look to see if the eye is there, but it was actually open. BTW: Our porch REALLY got initiated to chicken poop today! lol
She may be blind in that eye, but IT'S OPEN!

Tomorrow, I will check it closer. So, anyways, I went and got some yogurt and put it in with her feed. After she went back to her cage, I noticed her pecking at it off and on again! So she is eating. Gave her some scrambled eggs tonight but as I type this, haven't gone back out to see if they are gone or not. Hope so.

Her head is all scabbed over - still looks a mess. Wonder if I should get it soft and remove the scab? Anyone? Or let it remove itself in time? It was pretty bad, so I wonder if the skin will regrow there or not - probably not any feathers ifor sure. She's not laid an egg since the first night in her little house.

I hope nobody minds that I posted this update here - Didn't know quite where to put it but thought there might be some who were wondering about her recovery. I am so glad she's better, but I also know she has a long way to go to be the chicken she used to be. Patience, patience, patience. . . Thanks to all those who have responded with advice and support! Love this site!

I wouldn't remove the scab at all. Just keep putting ointment on it & let it heal on it's own. Unless you see that the wound is oozing or smelling bad, there shouldn't be any need to disturb it. Besides, it's attached to her head & you don't want to cause her any more pain by trying to get if off. The skin will heal & who knows about the feathers? Only time will tell about that. I am SO excited to hear that her eye was open!! That is such good news!! AND SHE'S EATING & DRINKING?!!!! That is GREAT news!! I hope she likes the scrambled eggs. If she's not eating them, maybe try mashing them up into small, small pieces so that she can get a mouthful easier. This is really, really wonderful news & I'm glad to hear it. Thanks for letting us know & keep the updates coming! GO GREENIE, GO!!!!

 

[LittleBits]

The flock is always looking for treats and I didn't disappoint them. They gorged on tomatoes, some over-ripe fruit, cucumbers, yellow squash and zucchini seeds and skins. They, I gave them a little more feed because their trough was empty - and they gorged on it. Hungry little buggers!

When I let Greenie out of her house today, she actually did some CHICKEN THINGS for the first time since her attack!

She ate some of her food - wet cat food mixed in for the extra protein and WIPED HER BEAK when she was done eating! haha She also SCRATCHED AROUND in the flower bed dirt for the first time ever! I would call what she did "half a dirt bath". I think she got tired. What a joy to watch her dig up some weeds! (haha - it would've made me happy even if she had dug up the flowers!!) I let her stay out for a long time and she went back and forth to the food and water dish! She walked around and explored quite a bit, but didn't stray too far - so she used her legs more than she has been! Not any friendlier to me, but that's OK for now!

 

[LittleBits]

Originally Posted by BarredRockMom
Thanks for this advice about her scab - I'm out of oint, so will get some more tomorrow. Her eye seems a bit "blank", but it was open again today. Not really sure if she can see out of it or not. She did eat most of the scrambled eggs!

 

[jsnook3021]

My 6 month old Buff Orp. "Charlie" decided to roost in the tree above our coop 2 nights ago. We searched and searched for her and finally closed the coop doors. We kept looking until 11 pm. I stayed awake all night worrying about that little chicken...found her the next morning happy as could be in the tree above the coop. I was so relieved. She tried the same trick last night, but I saw her this time! She was not altogether happy when I pulled her down from her happy perch but the raccoon who lives in the drainage pipe across the street would be delighted with a tree top dinner. Blessings, and welcome.

 

[fatcat512]

I have been getting three eggs a day and today I got eight eggs and one from a chicken that we thought might be a roo I was so happy to hear here singing in a nestbox I didn't want to have to get rid of her gave them an extra treat today after they were done free ranging

 

[fatcat512]

I ment hear her singing not hear here

 

[hensRfun]

My older barred rock knows what a fantastic treat ripe blackberries are. When I didn't see her with the other hens free ranging, I went directly to the blackberry patch and there she was closely inspecting one side of the patch and then the other side to see if there were any new berries ripe today that she could reach. Good thing I have a four foot fence circling the patch with deer netting over it or between the hens, the dogs (yes, they love ripe blackberries too) and the deer, I wouldn't get any to eat. Oh well, I have to admit the hens and dogs got to share the handful of berries that were ripe with me. I'm a sucker for those soft pleading eyes!

 

[chic-a-deee]

Here is an update on Greenie, for anyone who's wondering:
First of all, she is still alive! YEAH!!

She is a changed chicken, twice over.

When we first got her in April, she was flighty, ran around and away from me, generally was not friendly at all. Low gal on the totem pole. Other hens would chase her away from food, never really pecked at her, just chased her. Then whatever happened between her and Roo - a major disagreement, for sure - made her scared to death, but she was fast, ran away from him and totally spent her days and nights alone. I put her in her own cage for several weeks as she didn't seem to be getting enough food, looked skinny, etc. In there, she became more friendly to me, let me pick her up, and started gaining weight, too! Then we decided to put her back in w/ the others - WRONG MOVE. Did the same thing, so I put her own roost in - up higher than the other one - since she could fly up there. Nailed a little dish and hung her water on the window hardware cloth. (Spoiled her as best I could!) She lived like that for about 2 weeks - pretty much stayed in the coop unless I brought her into the run. Then she would hardly let me put her down and started flying to my arm or shoulder when she thought I got too far away. She would set on top of the feed shelter and look at me with soulful eyes. Wouldn't get down on the ground. One day, I put Roo in the coop and left about 4 hens outside. She almost jumped down several times when she saw he wasn't there, but changed her mind each time. This was the time period thatI could let her out of the run/coop and she would follow me around like a puppy! Then...the Roo attack. When I found her that morning, I was SO sick. Should've never put her back in w/ them.

So for awhile, in her little own house, she's scared of me; has had trouble w/ her legs - might be just an imbalance because of her eye - hadn't been eating and drinking. I didn't think she was going to make it. She is still skinny. I let her out, talk to her, pet her, etc., but find she sure can run when she wants to! Everytime I get near her, she squats down, then takes off... she makes these odd movements of her head, kind of like an older person ('scuse me anyone who does this,

young or old - I'm not saying you are acting like a chicken or anything - 'cause I sometimes do the same thing!!! lol) swinging their arms to get up out of a chair - only she does it w/ her head. Can you picture that?

She makes a certain type of noise anytime I get near her - the same cluck every time and tries to get away. So gone is the trust that she had for me while protecting her from the Roo. I really miss that!

So today, I let her out awhile and put her food dish and water on the porch. I walk away and she starts pecking at the cement. I rattled her food dish and she came over and started eating. I changed places with the water and she pecked at the water. AND GUESS WHAT? I noticed her "bad" eye is open. I didn't look to see if the eye is there, but it was actually open. BTW: Our porch REALLY got initiated to chicken poop today! lol
She may be blind in that eye, but IT'S OPEN!

Tomorrow, I will check it closer. So, anyways, I went and got some yogurt and put it in with her feed. After she went back to her cage, I noticed her pecking at it off and on again! So she is eating. Gave her some scrambled eggs tonight but as I type this, haven't gone back out to see if they are gone or not. Hope so.

Her head is all scabbed over - still looks a mess. Wonder if I should get it soft and remove the scab? Anyone? Or let it remove itself in time? It was pretty bad, so I wonder if the skin will regrow there or not - probably not any feathers ifor sure. She's not laid an egg since the first night in her little house.

I hope nobody minds that I posted this update here - Didn't know quite where to put it but thought there might be some who were wondering about her recovery. I am so glad she's better, but I also know she has a long way to go to be the chicken she used to be. Patience, patience, patience. . . Thanks to all those who have responded with advice and support! Love this site!

Oh dear god....the poor chicken. So the roo nearly killed her???? I guess you werent there to protect her & left her at his "mercy" (that's probly what little chooky thinks) I would say she is traumatized. Fear does things to animals....it teaches them to avoid anything to do with the trauma. Im soooo sorry ur lovely little girl got this way from the roo. I guess she will just have to spend the rest of her days away from the flock....u cant introduce a lone chook to a flock...the flock will torment & kill it. Just spoil her like u used to....let her do it in her own time. Food is usually the best way....like ur yoghurt peace offering....that is good. My chooks loved tinned corn kernals. Just little things like that on the front porch, with maybe a little roosting nest thingy close by....she will come round but it will take time. Id say just leave the scabs to come off in their own time....any discomfort u cause to her may put her recovery with her trust issues back abit. She will have to stay separated from the rest of the flock & that dominant roo. She can be ur special little pal for the rest of her days. Good luck, & keep her & urself safe.

 

[cute chicks here]

My older chicken died of egg laying problems and now I only have one. She follows me around the yard and when I sit down she jumps on my lap. She also perches on the arm of my lawn chair when I sit outside to watch her. She is very healthy and doing well but I think she needs a chicken friend.

 

[LaLa Chickie]

T
Quote: I had a video, but I can't find it. My Nephew shared with me that the Rabbit, inside the chicken coop eating the Rabbit feed. The 2 Pullets both tried to go in and the Rabbit put both front paws in the dish as to say NO and waited til they backed off...too funny. Wish I could find it, I'd post it for you. The Rabbit tunnels under everything but always stays in their yard. It's been 3 yrs now