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Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:54 pm
by WaupoosCowgirl
Ok so about 3 days ago I removed this cockerel (pretty sure, correct me if I am wrong!) from my flock, he was getting picked on. I brought him over and put him in with my ducks. Over the last couple of days he has been pecking at himself and this morning he was covered in blood! So I brought him in the house, gave him a bath and found the source of his problem. I cleaned it up and put polysporin on it and will keep him by himself until it hopefully heals. I stuck an old sock on his wing...he is not impressed. If anyone has any helpful advice I am all ears.

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:56 pm
by WaupoosCowgirl
Sorry the photos are not in order!

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:28 pm
by Killerbunny
See if you can get any BluKote. It deters pecking. Looks like a good job though, poly should work well.

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:36 pm
by WLLady
I would just check him over for lice or mites or a stuck feather or the end of a feather shaft or something...just to make sure he wasn't pecking at something itching/hurting him....and i totally agree with KB, bluekote will help stop the picking at it...although covering it up also will prevent him from pecking the red colour....
good luck! hopefully he heals up quickly!

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:38 pm
by WaupoosCowgirl
I have some bluekote at the barn for the horses! never thought to put it on the chickens. Thanks.

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 3:15 pm
by WaupoosCowgirl
Update: The sock lasted all of about 2 minutes! Anyway he is doing much better and has not pecked at himself for a day or so... I will put him in with his girls tomorrow. I went to get my BluKote and found it had froze!

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 3:27 pm
by Jaye
Great news!

Yep, 'tis the season for frozen everything, not just the water. :-)
I brought my chicken first aid kit inside for the winter.
Can you bring your blukote in to let it thaw so that you can apply some before putting him back in with his girls?

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 3:28 pm
by WaupoosCowgirl
No it kind of went all over the shelf...I will pick new stuff up tomorrow!

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 6:01 pm
by Killerbunny
euuwwww! messy. Kinda like the time I had a new sweater for Xmas and treated a chicken LOL!

Re: Chicken Love, the lengths we will go to

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:56 am
by windwalkingwolf
Yes, it's a dude. Sorry LOL. Like already said, wash it up thoroughly and look closely for ingrown feather, he should not be ripping himself apart unless severely protein deficient, which means there's something wrong with him. Other birds will see the red blood and go after him, but if he's a 'good' chicken, he can defend himself somewhat. If you have other boys that look like him, mark or band or tag him in some way so that you can tell him apart later on. Birds that have strange issues like that often develop more issues later on, and are greatly picked on by other birds because they can see/smell/sense things that we can't.