Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[Chicken Momma]

I would really appreciate your advice.

 

I have two chickens, Betty and Margo, who have been with me since last September.

 

Two days ago, Saturday morning, Betty was attacked by a Springer Spaniel (not ours!) who jumped on her, pinned her down and CARRIED her across to her distraught, and mystified, owner! (We live in a fairly remote area and he had no idea there were chickens around!)

 

Betty is badly hurt. There is a deep, deep wound to her back which has been sutured by the vet and several other wounds which have been cleaned. She has lost ALL the feathers on her back and has only ONE tailfeather left. She is on antibiotics and painkillers/anti-inflammatories and is inside our house in a cat cage (oh the indignity!) I think she will pull through.

 

Margo meanwhile escaped the attack and retreated to the coop where she has steadfastly remained since Saturday morning (going on for 48 hours) I have put sugar water in the box for her and their favourite mixed corn/suet and mealworms. She has also had a little bit of yoghurt (which she is unable to resist When I put some extra straw in this morning, with the aid of a stick, she aggressively attacked the stick so I am taking that as a good sign.

 

My questions are:

 

1.Should I be more forceful in persuading Margo to come out of the nesting box? Although water and food is in there I have put them just out of reach to persuade her to at least stand up.

 

2. How do I go about reintroducing Betty to Margo. (My instinct is to put her in at dead of night so they spend a hopefully peaceful night) I am worried that M will attack Poor Bald Betty who is extremely wobbly on her feet just now (as would we all be if we had been roundly beaten up I imagine!)

 

Grateful for your suggestions

 

ChickenMomma a.k.a. Angie

Isle of Man

[jimnpaula]

Firstly, very sorry to hear this

 

My instinct would be to bring Margo in as well, at least for a while, to visit the patient. That way 'the flock' are 'together and somewhere safe'. I feel this would improve both their spirits.

Under supervision allow them both out on an easy clean floor and see if Margo pecks at Betty's back. Obviously keep them separate if she shows any interest.

If you have/can borrow spare housing then you can keep them next to each other so they can talk, otherwise perhaps daily supervised visits? That way the flock stays together and introductions would not be necessary.

If there's no pecking then great! but I'm not sure I'd trust them enough to leave them alone together.

 

Hoping it all works out ok.

Paula

[Luvachicken]

I'm sorry to hear about what has happened to your girls - I hope the injured one gets well soon.

 

Do you think the girlie you suspect to be traumatised is indeed that and not feeling broody ?

 

Get well soon girls xx

[Chicken Momma]

Thanks for responding Paula and Luvachicken. I did carry Betty out yesterday and put her by Margo. Betty did cluck a little but there was no response from Margo. I had to bring Betty back in after an hour or so as it was getting cold and really windy.

 

Strangely, I did wonder if Margo could be broody! If she was due to lay an egg around the time of the dog attack she may have decided to keep it safe. (Chicken Psychology is not my strong point )

 

Unfortunately we do not have a large area within the house (and we have two dogs!) where B & M could check each other out but what I may do is - when she is a little better on her feet and the weather is a little warmer - put Betty in the Eglu Run and supervise for a while and take her back inside if necessary. I would feel better about that than popping her in the roost at night! Actually I would be surprised if M pecked at B as - up to now - B has been the dominant one of the two.

 

Betty is due back at the vet tomorrow for a check so I will take it from there.

 

Thanks again for your thoughts. At least I have a new skill to add to my CV - Chicken Nurse/Medicator

 

Angie

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Gosh, poor Betty and you . Sounds like you're doing just the right things, I'd keep letting them see each other for a little each day and I'm sure they'll be fine when they're back together. It's not like Margo is in a "gang" which would exclude Margo when she recovers. I've had poorly hens in the house for a few days and returned them with no difficulty.

 

Good luck, you're doing a sterling job, by the sound of it .

 

(Has the dog owner offered to compensate you for the vet's bill?)

[Chicken Momma]

Thanks for all your replies - very much appreciated.

 

Thought I would give a little update.

 

Over the last couple of days I have been carrying Betty out into the Chicken Garden and medicating her there. We are both getting quite good at it! Then I have been leaving her to stagger around the garden and peck about a bit while Margo remains stolidly in her nest box. There has been a bit of muttering between the two but they have not been able to reach each other. (M's muttering was rather of the "keep-your-distance-I have-eggs-here!!" Which she hasn't by the way)

 

This morning I took Betty out as usual and removed the food and water from the nestbox (I have been coddling (poor choice of words? ) M for a few days. When M came out I quickly shut the coop and let her grumble round the run. Betty is watching with interest/trepidation? Who knows!

 

I then decided to open the run door and let M out to freerange - which she did - grumbling all the while and trying to get back into the nestbox) I watched the two of them closely - ready for any argy bargy. Eventually M went over to Betty and the two pecked about together while M had a 30-second dust bath. Then they came face to face and both raised their heads. M had a half-hearted peck at Betty's head but B just raised her head higher and it was over.

 

Then I made my mistake - keen to get back in to get my cuppa and reluctant to leave them together - I let M back into the run - and opened the nestbox. I don't know it just seemed a bit unkind as she was getting in such a state. She squawked and made a beeline for it.

 

Now she is back in the nestbox chuntering away and Betty has settled down for a nap in the outdoor rest area (posh name for a bunch of hay/thatch from the lawn)

 

All in all I am happy with the progress made so far.

 

Isn't it great what you learn? Before this happened I was kinda worried about handling them but you gotta do what you gotta do!

 

Oh by the way - the dog's owner did offer to meet the vet's fees - even offered me a bit more for the upset which I refused. If anything he was as upset as I was. Thing is - I am a dog owner too and I know you can't blame a dog for being a dog! 99 times out of a 100 they will obey you but the hundredth time ....

 

My next challenge is to get Betty fully rehabilitated and back in the coop. I could wish that Margo had not chosen this moment to go broody but it is what it is Next time she comes out I will make her tough it out (is that mean?) I have also heard putting a brick or something in the nest box helps. Anyone have any experience of that?

 

Thanks for your support folks!

 

Angie

Isle of Man

[Forestchook]

Next time she comes out I will make her tough it out (is that mean?) I have also heard putting a brick or something in the nest box helps. Anyone have any experience of that?

 

It's not mean. As I understand it they can be very single minded about being broody. As a result they can lose condition, so you are doing it for her own good it the long run. Re a brick in the nest box; I put 2 four pint milk bottle filled with water in each nest box to discourgage mine. That night I found the broody squeezed in with/on top of them them so you might need a bit more than a brick.

 

Hope Betty continues to improve.

N

[Chicken Momma]

Thanks Forestchook - appreciate the feedback. I've taken the food and water out of the Eglu (still available just outside in the run of course) and next time I will remove Margo from the nestbox (where are my oven gauntlets ?) and shut her out for a while and also try the plastic milk bottle trick. Happily, when she DID come out she scratched around and gobbled up whatever she could find and she looked in excellent health.

 

Betty and I are back to the vets tomorrow. She has been eating well so I am confident she is on the mend.

 

All good in the circs! This all happened last Saturday morning and it's only Friday now!

 

Warm regards

Angie

Isle of Man

[daxigirl]

That's really good news.

[Chicken Momma]

That's really good news.

 

 

Thanks Daxigirl! Judging by the fact that Betty was MUCH harder to catch this afternoon (once round the Eglu!) than previously, I am hopeful

 

Betty also made a beeline for a flowerpot full of clover I had put there for the girls.

 

Tomorrow I shall see if I can get them together again - possibly with the use of honeydew melon (which neither can resist!)

 

[Luvachicken]

I'm so glad that things have worked out well for your girls.

[Chicken Momma]

I'm so glad that things have worked out well for your girls.

 

Thanks Luvachicken!..

 

 

After a long chat with a friend this evening (who has kept hens since forever) she will give me some goose eggs tomorrow for Margo to brood on/hatch. She reckons that I can then put Betty One Feather (I am now using her Indian name ) in with M who will be so concerned about 'her' eggs that she will not be inclined to pick on Betty and by the time she has finished being broody B will be back to full health.

 

Sounds like a plan!