Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[cheekymonkey68]

As a very new chicken keeper, I returned home from work today to find that someone (possibly my lovely postman)

had separated the chickens. My darling popcorn has blood pouring from her back by her tail and the other chicken is pecking at it...luckily the other two had been put in the outside free range area.

 

On further investigation poor Popcorn has a deep puncture wound, so I took her to the vet, who cleaned it out and has given me antibiotics to give her and saline solution so i can clean her wound and keep her inside for the rest of the week... OH is rigging up an inside chicken run.

 

Have ordered purple spray and more nettex and a bumpa bit for my over zealous bluebell.

Im so shocked and worried for my dear Popcorn she lays the biggest eggs and is such a good girl she was great at the vets and has settled down to sleep in the back bedroom in the cat box, I hope I dont lose her. (Am I over reacting ???)

 

Im so upset, it was shocking to see how the chickens react to a bloody cut

 

How will I integrate her back with the others ??? Should I get rid of the pecking chicken ??

[fluffy chick]

Don't panic you have done right.

 

Chickens will peck at blood and get into a bit of a frenzy. Were they friends before this? If so you may find getting her back in with them easier. While she is healing (don't be tempted to put her in before) let them see each other. Then put her back in with them at night time so they wake up together, be up early to make sure they aren't fighting. If they are take her out again and try again after a few days.

 

Nice posty!

[lindafw]

Wow you are amazing...I would n't have been so organised getting everything...and what a wonderful postmna

[Redwing]

You've taken the right actions so well done for that

 

You would be surprised at the wounds that a chicken can recover from, its really quite amazing how sturdy they are really

[cheekymonkey68]

Thanks for all your comments, I feel a lot more reassured now. The chooks were friendly with each other before, there is only one girl which pecks and eats the feathers... so I can pretty well know who caused the injury. I used nettex which worked for about 1 week and then I thought the problem had stopped , but its started again over the last two days...Tower had been getting very upset when all three other chooks try to have a dustbath, as she seems to like eating the dustbath!

I'm wondering if Tower has a deficiency of some sort as her eggs are very pale and blotchy, while my other bluebell lays brown uniform eggs.

Inside kitchen run is built and filled with aubiose, roll on tomorrows oral dose of antibiotics and wound cleaning session in the sink!!

Thanks you very much for your help :)

[cheekymonkey68]

 

had to add to the indoor run as Popcorn decided she wanted to see over the top! She's doing really well today and laid a big egg, her wound is starting to scab over nicely, she seems fine. I took her out to see the other chickens, as they seemed miserable and I had two softies from my bluebelles, they seemed to perk up a bit once they saw her!!

[KimmyCustard]

Two of my girls seem to enjoy feather pecking, my two black rocks have bald bums as a result! I have tried Nettex (didnt work), Stockholm Tar (sealed a little wound but didnt put them off), duct tape over the new growing feathers (worked for a while but then their feathery knickers were discovered!). I have run out of ideas as to how to stop it, my auntie has chooks and she said to try soap as they hate the taste of it. Not tried it as yet.......

 

What a lovely postman, I wonder how he knew what to do?!

[cheekymonkey68]

Hi Kimmy,

I've been working from home today, and so I just went out and sprayed all the outside chickens with nettex including the perpetrator, bumper bit arrives on thursday so when It arrives and I get it on...I'll let you know if it works. I think my postman was so worried he either went next door or called my nieghbours in the pet shop in the village, they used to have a lot of chickens so probably advised, there seem to be at least two more lots of chooks round here as I can hear two roosters one from each side!!

Popcorn has been calling all day and wanted cuddles, didnt like the antibiotics much, shes been drinking sooo much water shes now got squits! Lovely!

[fluffy chick]

I'm pleased the wound is scabbing over. To avoid hen pecking some people find it helps to give them more space, or more free range time. Also I have toys, hanging treats and branches to keep them occupied.

[cheekymonkey68]

I'm pleased the wound is scabbing over. To avoid hen pecking some people find it helps to give them more space, or more free range time. Also I have toys, hanging treats and branches to keep them occupied.

 

what toys do you have ??

 

I have a tree branch they can jump all over and a dust bath (which caused the whole incident), I'll be letting them free range whilst im out just to avoid anymore pecking until I get the bumpa bit fitted, I noticed my speckledy is looking decidedly bald on her bottom today, so sprayed them all again before bed.

 

they have the wir and free ranging of about 60m, that should be enough space for 4 chooks ?

 

thanks for your support, I felt like I was a bad chicken mum yesterday !!

[fluffy chick]

Crikey you have loads of space for 4 chooks! I bought some normal bird toys, for parrots and such to hang from branches. They prefer edible toys though and those ball things with treats that fall out while they push them around.

[Chortle Chook]

Poor Popcorn but thank goodness she is doing well now - all due to your prompt actions and that of your wonderful postman. Have you thought of emailing Royal Mail in case they have a newsletter the story could go in?

 

As for bad bluebell chicken - if the bumper bit does not work I think I'd just have to send her on her way. It is not long since you have had her is it, so would the place you bought her from take her back for you?

[cheekymonkey68]

I spoke to a postie the other day and asked him to find out who was on that day and thank them for me... apparently it was my normal saturday postman so I'll catch him this saturday, with some eggs!! He also was in the newspaper recently I believe for helping an elderly man who had fallen over and broken his hip, so I think we have rather an amazing team of posties in the Hindhead and Haslemere area

 

Popcorn got her back sprayed purple on Sunday and went out in a seperate run, but kept doing battle with the electric fence and escaping into the run with the other girls who didnt peck her back side. I put the bumpa bit on the offending Tower.

Then Simon and I went to dig up the area we are making into three raised beds. We let the chooks out and they had four hours of bliss seeing who could get the worms out of the turf the quickest!! We initially had to feed Tower who was a little slow on the uptake with her new bumpa bit, but she soon stopped sulking and joined in, and after an hour she was getting pretty nifty with it! Evening came and they all tootled off to bed together, so I have left them to it since. I check Popcorns bottom every day just to make sure everything is ok, and the scab is starting to come off ..... im going to purple spray her every morning just to make sure...

I havent seen any pecking since Sunday morning before the Bumpa bit.....so far so good, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[The Mcconnochies]

We had a seriously bullying chicken that had caused at least 2 significant wounds to other chickens. We used a bumper bit and it had an instant result...no more bullying...injured chickens healed and thrived and now the 'bully' is the most adorable thing possible. She just follows me round the garden.

 

It sounds like you had a tough time but take heart...things can improve.

 

[Chortle Chook]

So glad the bumpa bit is working

Well done you (for all the tlc you gave), Tower (for getting used to her bb) and Popcorn (for her speedy recovery)

Also bravo to your OH for all his hard work. I showed your picture to my OH. A bit of male competition might work wonders.

[Plum]

Well done Popcorn and you. Love the picture of them all hard at work

[nikkichick]

I'm so glad things seem to be on the mend for her!

 

well done for your hard work!

[cheekymonkey68]

All still looks well with them all and Tower seems to have stopped eating feathers for the moment!! But I had two softies in the poop trays this morning, from the same girl as we had three good eggs.... not sure which one they came from... I have invested in some egg shell improver! I gave them brussel sprouts for the first time today and they played football so cool!

Hows Attila the hen and poor Tikkas bottom doing ?? I PM'd my number if you need it.... Im now working from home for the next two days as well!! If the weathers good I'll set up my office outside, that should be a giggle.

[nikkichick]

Tikka is still a bit naked (to the point where she has fluffy wings and neck but not much else). It's definately attila.

 

Hopefully investing in a wir will improve the situation and give them a little more space!! we'll also invest in some more toys like a ladder when the have more room!!

 

I will drop you a text sson, i think saturday if the weathers ok! We don't have the usual bumper bits, we bought some white ones that just look like little rings, maybe i should have bough different ones and i won't have had such a tramatic time getting it on!!