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

[teri]

my chicks are all now eight weeks old and spend all day free ranging in the garden. they were all just basking in a huddle by the fencing when a piece of wood, 2"x2" that was leaning against the fence fell on them. they all scattered except one.it flapped about a bit and then appeared to die. it went really floppy eyes rolled back and its breathing stopped.

my husband picked it up honestly believing it had died, when my daughter spotted it open its one eye. i think it had been knocked unconcious by the wood. i have brought it inside but it doesn't look too good it can only open one eye and is flopping over to one side. i cannot feel any bumps or broken bones.

any suggestions of what to do would be great. as you can imagine the children are very worried.

Edited August 2, 2009 by Guest

[Patricia W]

It sounds a bit like brain damage tbh. I think all you can do is keep it warm and somewhere quiet and dark. Make sure it is hydrated. Then maybe take it to the vet tomorrow ? Others more experienced will come on soon.

[teri]

thanks my hubby said the same it is now in a box on its own in the house and has been for about half an hour. i am just plucking up the courage to go and check on it as it really doesn't look too good. x

[teri]

i have just checked on Lola. she now has both eyes open and is sitting up. when i picked her up she flapped he wings and cheeped, which is good as this is how she normally reacts to being picked up!

i think there is now a glimmer of hope, perhaps just a concussion rather than a permenent injury? i think she may have some bruising to her one side as she does appear to be slighty tender there.

if she survives the night i will take her to the vets.

[Patricia W]

Brilliant- hope it continues!

[Egluntyne]

That is good news. She must just have been a bit concussed.

[teri]

latest update

Lola(a.k.a. Hairdo Chick) is much better she is up and about and has been back outside for a short time. the only remaining problem is the fact that she is walking funny. she is now upright but her feet are crossing over as she walks, almost as if she were drunk. although when the dog tried to lick her she ran off in a straight line

im not sure how much of her was hit by the wood but i think she may be bruised down one side, definatley nothing broken though so its looking a great deal more promising. we really thought she had died when she blacked out.

should i keep her in the house over night i'm worried that the others may pick on her if she is a bit weak?

will mum take her back if i seperate her for too long? even though they are eight weeks old they are still with mum...who attacked me when i tried to pick up Lola!...i have heard that the mums back off at about 6 weeks....not Beauty she is still breaking up food for them and keeping them in check!

[tidygirlsuk]

I hope that shes ok.

[teri]

new update. she survived the night

i put her outside for a run round this morning and she is still a bit wabbly so i'm going to pop her down the vets later

i'll let you know how she gets on

thanks for your support

Edited August 3, 2009 by Guest

[Chook n Boo Mum]

What a feisty little girl...I'm so pleased she's made it through so far, good luck at the vet later

 

{{{hugs}}} to you all,

 

Sha x

[Chickvic]

Good luck at the vets

[likeabalalaika]

Oh no! Lola! I'm so, so sorry but hopefully she was just a bit concussed. Good luck at the vets. I'll be thinking of you both. xxxxx

[teri]

just got back from the vets and he said it looks promising!

he checked her over and said that it's most likley that she is concussed. he advised that i keep her seperate from the rest of the girls for a few more days and i need to keep a close eye on her to make sure there's no secondary infection.

she is still a bit crooked and walking slightly wonky which the vet said could be permanent, but as she is a pet rather than a farm bird she shouldn't find this a problem.

my son has cerebal palsey and thinks lola's new wonky walk is brilliant as he has his own wonky walk! bless him

this is lola for those of you who haven't seen her on any of my other postings

this photo was taken the day before her accident

[Griffin]

Glad she's doing ok now.

[Chickvic]

Glad she's ok

[teri]

lolas wonky walk is all better!!!!!

i put her out for some exercise and she ran over to her hatch mates like nothing had happened to her

i do have a major dilema now though, she has settled down with mum and the gang in the outside run. she is obviously more comfortable out there but the vet did advise keeping her seperate???

i am worried that if she spend too much time away that she won't be accepted back. should i leave her with mum or bring her back in?

[atsw]

So pleased to read that all is well again, fantastic news. With regard to re-integration, it's a tough one - too long away and going back will be problematic, too soon and all the good work could come undone. I think very close supervision is key, perhaps in the house at night for a few more days, but back with the rest of the pack during the day to roam around together. Not an easy one to call, sorry.

 

Andrew

[teri]

thanks andrew.

i decided to leave her with mum...and then spent most of the night worried sick about her went out to them first thing and everyone is fine..phew!

i decided to do this because she was so settled when i went to bring her in that i didn't want to disturb her, also when i first put her out Fuzz my only male chick gave her a sharp peck as if to say "and where do you think you have been young lady!" i think if she was away any longer he would have been a problem. my broody just went up to Lola and stood beak to beak for a few seconds, clucked and then walked off!

the wierdest thing is my dog. he has always followed the chicks around like a four legged broody but now he only follows Lola? when she stops for a rest or a prune he lies down a few feet away when she gets up he does. i had to drag him away from the coop last night as he didn't want to leave her. he is now whining at the back door because i won't let him out as he is beginning to annoy Lola

[Raina]

Sorry to hear about Lola, Glad she's fine now

 

Oh and great pic of her

[Patricia W]

She's beautiful - hope she continues to do well.

[likeabalalaika]

Yay that's such good news. Maybe her hairdo protected her.

[teri]

Yay that's such good news. Maybe her hairdo protected her.

 

you could be right ...it does look a lot like a crash helmet

[atsw]

thanks andrew.

i decided to leave her with mum...and then spent most of the night worried sick about her went out to them first thing and everyone is fine..phew!

That's really good news, and certainly the best result all round . Well done all concerned.

 

We let our chicks out into the garden with 'Mum' on Sunday as the weather was good. Quite interesting to watch. Fifi (our old hen, who has always been boss) went for one of the chicks straight away, even though she has been right next to the chicks (who are in the sectioned off part of the WIR) since they arrived. Not wanting to take any chances she was locked in her Eglu straight away .

 

Our other buff seemed unconcerned at the sight of the chicks in 'her' garden. Even so, our broody would not let her anywhere close to the chicks after witnessing what our old hen did. Mum escorted all the chicks back into the WIR after about 10 mins of scratching about in the grass outside. Very sweet to watch.

 

Andrew

[teri]

hi andrew.

i'm in the same boat!

i have let Beauty and the chicks out at the same time as my big girls just to test the water!

the chicks were fine unfortunatley Beauty and Spike my light sussex were like something from a cock fight within seconds of coming into contact with each other. i had to use the line prop to seperate them, it was quite scarry!

they ahve always been if full veiw of each other so i was surprised at Beauty's reaction. i think intergration is gonna take a long time....