Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: pushrod on May 12, 2008, 19:03
-
I know cocks often cause the hens to lose feathers on their back when they tread them, but my buff orp cock has taken it a step further :shock:
Somehow he has managed to put a 4" slash on the side of one of the hen's backs and it goes straight through into the body cavity as if she has been slashed with a stanley knife. It looks truly gross, but amazingly the hen is still perfectly happy.
Anyone ever seen this sort of injury before and can they get better. He is going into isolation while all the ladies get a chance to recover.
-
:shock: :shock: :shock: No I haven't seen such aggressive treading, are you sure it was him and she didn't catch herself on a bit of wire :?
-
Use the purple spray on the hen and examine the cocks spurs. If they are sharp and pointed, which it sounds as though they are , take the hack saw to them and take the sharp end off leaving a blunt stub. It might also be worth trimming the claws.
-
Use the purple spray on the hen and examine the cocks spurs. If they are sharp and pointed, which it sounds as though they are , take the hack saw to them and take the sharp end off leaving a blunt stub. It might also be worth trimming the claws.
Surprisingly the spurs are very small and innocuous - less than a cm and blunt as well - that was my first thought . Although he is a big bird he is only a year old - hence the small spurs.
No wire or any sharp edges in their house and run jellyhead - he is the only suspect.
-
:( :( OH
-
How many hens do you have ?
Are there enough to keep him from over abusing any one hen ?
Have your thought of using saddles or getting rid of the cock unless you need fertile eggs).
-
How many hens do you have ?
Are there enough to keep him from over abusing any one hen ?
Have your thought of using saddles or getting rid of the cock unless you need fertile eggs).
Now that i've got some new chicks he unfortunately has gone to market. He was a very fine looking bird, but also very noisy so i suspect the neighbours are pleased :lol:
-
How's the hen that was injured :?:
-
Amazingly it is still laying and seems very perky. The gash on its back is still partly open and oozed clear liquid when i last checked and sprayed it with a bactericide. Hopefully she is going to make a full recovery.
Do you buy or make the saddles you mentioned in your previous post?
-
No cockerels here pushrod so neither. I think they might be quite difficult to make. Have you had a look on google ?
This person has made some
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/1/1-6/Joyce_Dixon.html
-
you might want to close that wound - with something like "steristrips" a bit like sticky tape for wounds available at any pharmacy. Then apply a good antiseptic spray.
Here is a site for poultry saddles:
http://www.regencypoultry.com/shoparea.asp?p=c20e84c3-38f1-436b-aa5f-f0988a0ee2c1
-
Thanks for that link Foxy. I've added it to our "useful stuff" sticky
-
Thanks for the link, might have a go next time i have a mature cockerel.
edit : thanks for your link as well foxy
-
:lol: :lol: :lol:
-
you might want to close that wound - with something like "steristrips" a bit like sticky tape for wounds available at any pharmacy. Then apply a good antiseptic spray.
I did think about that or even stitching it my self but decided in the end to leave well (or not well :? ) alone as the bird seems ok. Hopefully without the cockerel it will be able to heal.