[soozandi]

hi everyone

first post and not a happy one i'm afraid.  one of our chooks (our favourite one!) was bitten today by my dog.  this is really out of character for her, but there was another dog around who is very excitable and may have made her forget herself. she dropped the chicken straight away when i shouted and the chook ran off.  

this chicken is one who doesn't like me picking her up, but after this she was quite happy for me to do so.  i have checked the chook over, and there was a spot of blood (i think where one of her feathers came out) but that was all.  trouble is she's limping.  i can't see any broken skin or pretuding bone, but she's obviously not happy.  any ideas for what i can do for her until i can get her to the vet?  (tomorrow probably)  so far i've put her in the house and closed the pop hole, and supplied her with food and water.  i've also (and you may think this is silly!) given her some animal rescue remedy to calm her.  do you think i should bring her in over night, or put a blanket over the house?  she usually spends the night cuddled up to her two mates, so i'd like them to be with her.

i'd really appreciate your help.
thanks
sooz

ps- more dog training will be inplace immediately!

[Aunt Sally]

I think you should leave her where she is tonight.  She will have roosted by now.  To bring her indoors into a strange environment will cause her more stress.

Good luck at the vets tomorrow.  Let us know how it goes.

And a big WELCOME to the forums soozandi  

[soozandi]

thank you for your help, i feel so awful.  i'm really worried about her, bless.  luckily, she's the toughest of the three, so perhaps they will keep her warm tonight and she will feel stronger tomorow.  keep any more ideas coming...

i'd like to put some photos of the chooks on for all to see, as i rescued them from a battery farm 5 weeks ago, and they have come on so well.  how do i do it?

[Aunt Sally]

This post will help you

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=32816#32816

[soozandi]

brill, thanks.

[soozandi]

sorry to report that the vet said that it would be best to put our chook down.  she had the equivalent of a broken knee. and it would have been impossible for them to fix.  i'm so upset to have lost her. :cry:

a difficult lesson has been learnt.

[Aunt Sally]

soozandi,  I'm very sorry your chook had to be put down, very sad  :cry:

I am afraid though that I have heard your story (or similar) a number of times before.  People are shocked and surprised when their pet dog, who is so soft and wouldn't hurt a fly, attacks one of their hens.  It is indeed a hard lesson to learn.  I  personally would never trust a dog with hens, it's really too much to ask of them to totally ignore their natural instincts at every moment.   :sad:

[Gloria]

Really sorry to hear your news  :cry: soozandi, you must be very sad, especially as she was your favourite.
Our old dog seems very relaxed around our hens, but at times he really does look as though he's battling with his instincts, like Aunt Sally has said. :?