Britannia Ovens (esp Range cookers) your experience

[HENthusiastic]

HI.

My ex battery hen Matilda has been with me for one week. Today, in the last hour it looks like she has snapped the claw on one of her toes. It is leaving droplets of blood. Shes walking fine, and scratching, but every now and then she holds the foot up. I know you are supposed to separate a hen if its been injured by the others, but is it the same for this kind of injury. The others aren't taking any notice at all, so its my instinct to leave her to it. Havent got any purple spray, but will get some. I will try to add pictures. ANy advice please? Worried new chicken owner.

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg312/Henthusiastic/?action=view&current=poorlyfoot010.jpg

[Egluntyne]

Oh dear.

 

Try rubbing it with soap. That should stop the bleeding.

[theherd123]

Dont worry too much if the other girls arent bothered by it and your instinct is correct about keeping her in with her pals.

 

I would however clean the claw with warm salted water or water and diluted tea tree oil as it will act as an antiseptic.

 

Once its clean and dry see if you can just pop her into bed to save it getting very dirty again in the soil. By tomorrow it should have sealed over and be ok.

[HENthusiastic]

Thanks so much for your help guys. Its so reassuring to be able to post here and get answers so quickly. The bleeding has stopped itself, thank goodness. I have tried to wash her foot, but its not easy because she is not at all used to human contact yet. I decided to give her a rest before trying again, but shes put herself to bed. I'm going to see how things are in the morning. Thanks again. It so great, I never feel alone with chook problems when Ive got omlet.

[Roxanne]

One of my ex-batts has done the same thing - twice, same back toe, in the last few weeks.

I pick her up backwards and tuck her head under my arm so she is facing behind me. Holding her legs, I used antiseptic wipes to clean the wound and then sprayed it with antiseptic wound spray which is supposed to help protect the wound. I did this a few times during the day and then again just before the went to bed and in the morning it had stopped bleeding.

It is quite scary at first but seems to respond to treatment.

There is also a dry powder antiseptic puffer by the same manufacturer. I bought mine from the local pet shop - originally for my greyhound!

I can't tell you who the manufacturer is becaus ethe stuff is in the hen house and it's dark outside .

Good luck.

[Lesley-Jean]

I've only had one hen with a bleeding foot and I used wound powder on it. It worked a treat

[Suzie]

One of my ex-batts did exactly the same thing this week too. I wonder if it's because their claws are longer they are more likely to catch them on things? I popped mine into a bowl with some warm salty water (which she kept trying to drink) to clean the wound and popped her back in with the others (it had stopped bleeding by then though). I was paranoid the others would peck at her wound though. It seems fine now, but I keep checking to make sure iit's not getting infected.

[HENthusiastic]

Thanks so much for all your replies. Her foot is totally fine now. I managed to clean it. Its stopped bleeding and the others didnt pay any attention to it at all. It was a real support being able to post here and hearing your experiences adn advice. THanks again.