Wind can really mess with our birds

[JadedPhoenix]

Just figured that I'd throw this out there for everyone with it being spring in the top half of the planet. It has been really windy around here lately which has had some unforeseen consequences. I have had what looks like kite string or string from feed bags fly into the run from the neighbor's trash/yard. Not completely their fault since I know there are times that the trash gets gotten to before the collectors come after the families put out their cans in the morning.

Anyway, two of my chickens have had their feet bound together with that string that ended up in their run. One was so bad that she couldn't move except by flapping her wings. When I cut the string off I saw that it had cut into her poor little legs pretty deeply so I put her in my breeding coop so that she can be seen by the others but can't be picked at until her legs heal. But it just goes to show that no matter how predator proof the runs can be, we still have other things that can get inside and harm our babies.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Great reminder!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I have both hens in a breeding coop together, though I could separate them if I end up needing to. My leghorn has deep cuts all around her legs and I had to amputate a toe from my augsburger. Both are limping horribly. I put some treats in with them like salad mix and bananas to make them at least feel like they are with the rest of the flock since they were all devouring the treats nearly as fast as I was putting it down. On a positive note, I have one other leghorn who follows me around like a puppy but like none of the others, she won't let me touch her. Today she ate out of my hands. Ah, the little things in life that can brighten a gloomy day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have both hens in a breeding coop together, though I could separate them if I end up needing to. My leghorn has deep cuts all around her legs and I had to amputate a toe from my augsburger. Both are limping horribly. I put some treats in with them like salad mix and bananas to make them at least feel like they are with the rest of the flock since they were all devouring the treats nearly as fast as I was putting it down. On a positive note, I have one other leghorn who follows me around like a puppy but like none of the others, she won't let me touch her. Today she ate out of my hands. Ah, the little things in life that can brighten a gloomy day.

Oh, I hate to hear about the toe.
Hopefully they will start to heal soon.
Ah, you never know what a little individual attention means to them sometimes. I had a shy girl injure her foot a while back and had her separated in a cage in the run, but she had her own food, water and extra cuddling/tlc from me when I went to check on her. She acts very different towards me, she now talks to me and is not near as shy

 

[JadedPhoenix]

My augsburger is getting around better, especially since she lost the toe. My leghorn is the one that really looks bad trying to get around. She favors one leg more than the other and stands like a flamingo. But, she isn't letting it get her down. Of the two, she rules the breeding coop that I have them in. She makes sure that she is the first to get to the food when I put it in. I have even put a second one in the coop out of sight of the first one so that she doesn't get all of the treats. I've been making sure that I put lots of meal worms in to lift their spirits. But even without the treats, I'm glad that they are isolated from the others since even though the wire I've seen my other leghorns challenge her for position. No doubt that if she wasn't in isolation she would soon need to be due to further injury. My augsburger, however, seems to be able to rest without the picking through the fence. Once I know that her toe is healed up, she will likely end up back with the others first.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad to hear about improvements. Leg injuries do take a bit of time, I've found, so it sounds like you are doing good!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

An update on my birds. I cautiously allowed them to decide to leave isolation. One did (the leghorn with the leg injuries) but the other one didn't. She never so much as moved from where she was sunning herself. I'm sure learning to walk without a toe will affect her longer than the other with sore legs. The leghorn is now putting her full weight on her more severely injured foot so I allowed her to remain out. She is a fireball so I think she'll do fine with fighting back if anyone gives her any guff. The other one, however, is still in the small breeding coop. I put some meal worms in the food dish on the other side of the small run that she is in to encourage her to move a little bit. I'll need to clean out the coop and run tomorrow on my day off. It amazes me that it is marketed as a coop for three full-grown hens full-time. Having two in there for just a short amount of time reinforces the fact that pre-made coops are too small for the numbers that they boast. It is a good thing that I've always planned mine as a breeding/isolation coop.

After cleaning, I'll need to see how all of the wounds are doing up close and personal like. Especially the toe since that hen isn't adapting to her injuries as well.