4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[mayflower]

This late afternoon, after returning from a village fete with our Grandaughters, went out to give the girls their treats and found them all pecking something under the cube. This is so unusual and thought that maybe a mouse or snail had got into the run. Then I noticed the blood...all over the aubiose and coming from May's foot. After examining her we found that she had broken off her back claw nail. Hubby held her while I applied pressure to stem the flow for a full ten minutes. She was so sweet and compliant and did'nt seem distressed at all. But the blood kept flowing, so we sectioned off part of our walk in run with her own food and water supply. Then I made sure that I cleared up every trace and smell of blood as I knew she would be at a high risk for an attack. After a couple of hours the blood had stopped, then we washed her feet in warm soapy water which she enjoyed and removed the barrier to return her to the rest of the flock. We still do'nt know how she injured herself. I am 100% certain it was'nt caused by another hen because it would have taken several hard pecks to break the nail which she would have to remained still to let it happen. Furthermore, she is high up in the pecking order and the other hens like her, so an attack is unlikely. What I am so pleased about is, that due to Hubby's wisdom when building the run with the cube inside it was extremely easy and quick to set up a see through barrier to isolate her for her own protection. Hopefully, by tomorrow May and the others will have forgotten this episode. It's such a shame because all the hens have been doing so well, and on average laying between 3 and 4 eggs daily. However yesterday was E day as all hens laid an egg. Apart from today's incident, all hens have regrown their feathers and appear healthy and contented.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Wow, that must've have given you a fright . Sounds like you took control of the situation brilliantly - I hope she recovers quickly .

[Egluntyne]

It is surprising how far blood spreads isn't it.

 

Poor girl. It sounds as if you have got things ticking over nicely.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Mayflower, this doesn't directly apply to your situation/crisis, but cobwebs are very effective (I have found) in stopping bleeding. I never clear all mine away and keep in mind where I can gather a clump in a time of need.

 

This really has worked for me in an emergency.

 

All best to you and May!

[mayflower]

That's interesting. Funnily enough when Hubby and I were in the run whilst holding May I noticed at the top of the run alot of cobwebs and made a mental note to clear them away tomorrow. ! So I will leave them there as part of the medicine cabinet. Thanks!

[Olly]

Wow - that's a good tip! It's an old country remedy, to put a cobweb over a wound, never tried it but I remember my mum talking about it.

 

If you don't have any cobwebs, apparently pressing the wound into some soft soap also does the trick.

[..lay a little egg for me]

Mayflower, this doesn't directly apply to your situation/crisis, but cobwebs are very effective (I have found) in stopping bleeding. I never clear all mine away and keep in mind where I can gather a clump in a time of need.

 

This really has worked for me in an emergency.

 

All best to you and May!

 

My farrier told me this too, and used it on a bleeding abscess on my horse's foot.

[Suzie]

This happened to me too this morning. I opened the eggport about 7am to find blood everywhere in the eglu. Finally realised that it was coming from Avril's back claw. She was walking quite normally and the wound had stopped bleeding but still whipped her out for a bit of a clean up. She wasn't happy about being plonked in the sink (OH away so on my own) but it was the only place I could put her to clean the wound easily, she kept trying to drink the salty water though.

 

I cleaned the eglu out completely and scrubbed away every trace of blood and after making sure the wound was clean and not bloody popped her back in the run. I then had to go to work (was 45 mins late) and am praying she'll be OK when I get home.

 

I've only had the ex-batts just over a week and they're still not that happy about being handled. I did find that putting a tea towel over Avril made her a bit calmer and stopped her jumping out of the sink whilst I was trying to clean her foot. I think because it was dark it made her a bit more settled. Not sure if it was the best idea, but I couldn't stop her running away and clean her foot at the same time.

 

It was one of the more original excuses i've used for being late for work this morning though.

 

I'm wondering now if i should have cut the girls claws. They don't seem that long but maybe that's why it got caught.