I saw some blood on Astrid's (one of my Leghorn) comb, and I realised that she had been pecked, severely.
There was so much blood.
I know that combs and wattles bleed profusely, but usually they stop before too long.
Her comb was still bleeding, but I was struggling to find out which of the blood pools were just blood, and which were injuries. She struggled so much, that it was hard to hold her and clear her up.
I bent down to take a look, and I saw that she had blood everywhere.
Her neck feathers and her face were soaked in it . Her earlobes were covered in it. Her comb had blood apparently coming out of many places.
I picked her up and brought her in the house to try and deal with it.
I started with wet kitchen roll, trying to "sponge off" what I could. I didn't know where to start. I checked that her eyes were OK (they were).
There was so much blood.
I know that combs and wattles bleed profusely, but usually they stop before too long.
She was panicking, and I was concerned that she might have a heart attack.
Over the course of the next half hour, I managed to get a lot of blood off her neck and her face.
Her comb was still bleeding, but I was struggling to find out which of the blood pools were just blood, and which were injuries. She struggled so much, that it was hard to hold her and clear her up.
We have blood all over the glass door now, and all over the floor.
I ended up using Septi-cleanse powder to try and staunch the bleeding. She was very stressed (at being captive), so I put her out in the garden.
A bit later, I checked on her, and could see that she still had loads of fresh blood. More powder. Some purple spray.
She desperately wanted to get back in with the others, but I was not happy about it. In the end, I let her back in, and watched what was going on.
While waiting, I wondered who had attacked her.
A bit later, I checked on her, and could see that she still had loads of fresh blood. More powder. Some purple spray.
She desperately wanted to get back in with the others, but I was not happy about it. In the end, I let her back in, and watched what was going on.
While waiting, I wondered who had attacked her.
Then I remembered Poppy crouching for me.
Last night, Astrid was in the orange cube with Poppy. Could she have done it?
I opened up the Cube to see if there was any evidence.
It was like a scene out of Dexter. There was blood spatter, everywhere. Again, I know these scenes are not as bad as they look. Usually its the hen shaking her head that causes the blood to spray everywhere. But this really was everywhere. .
I started to try and scrub it clean. Astrid came in the Cube , so I put it back together so she could sit in it. She had gone back into the Run by the time I finished.
Poppy appeared. And then Poppy started harrassing Astrid.
I ended up putting Astrid in the orange Cube, with some food and water hooked on the wire accessible from the mezzanine, and I blocked off the access to that part of the run.
Later I checked on the camera, and she was waiting by the mesh, wanting to come out into the main run. I went and let her out She went into one of the wooden nestboxes.
Our setup is a huge covered run, which has 2 cubes with separate runs attched on one side, a fruit cage ( with a cube inside) attached to another side, and access to an outside netted area from a 3rd side. We can close off any of the sections at any time.
Last night, Astrid was in the orange cube with Poppy. Could she have done it?
I opened up the Cube to see if there was any evidence.
It was like a scene out of Dexter. There was blood spatter, everywhere. Again, I know these scenes are not as bad as they look. Usually its the hen shaking her head that causes the blood to spray everywhere. But this really was everywhere. .
I started to try and scrub it clean. Astrid came in the Cube , so I put it back together so she could sit in it. She had gone back into the Run by the time I finished.
Poppy appeared. And then Poppy started harrassing Astrid.
I ended up putting Astrid in the orange Cube, with some food and water hooked on the wire accessible from the mezzanine, and I blocked off the access to that part of the run.
Later I checked on the camera, and she was waiting by the mesh, wanting to come out into the main run. I went and let her out She went into one of the wooden nestboxes.
Our setup is a huge covered run, which has 2 cubes with separate runs attched on one side, a fruit cage ( with a cube inside) attached to another side, and access to an outside netted area from a 3rd side. We can close off any of the sections at any time.
Most of the other girls, including Poppy, were sitting in the fruit cage part of the run, so I shut the auto door so they couldn't get in to the main run. There were three of four girls in the netted outside area, but they didn't seem too interested in Astrid, so I left that hatch open.
Sunshine, the other leghorn, went and stood by the door to the nestbox. I don't know if she wanted to go in and lay, or if she was concerned about Astrid.
Just in case, I waited until she went about her business before leaving.
Sunshine, the other leghorn, went and stood by the door to the nestbox. I don't know if she wanted to go in and lay, or if she was concerned about Astrid.
Just in case, I waited until she went about her business before leaving.
I'm so disappointed in Poppy. I know she's a chicken, and chickens do what chickens do, but it was spiteful and unnecessary. And she knows it. That's why she was crouching for me. She wanted some reassurance that she was a good girl.
A little later, I went and checked on Astrid, and saw that she had left the nestbox. She was in a corner, and one of the younger girls (Violet or Bot) was pecking at the blood on her neck.
I took some warm water out to the run to try and clean her off, but there was just so much blood, and all the hens were interested in what I was doing, and in the blood on Astrid.
Someone else couldn't resist a peck, and her comb started again.
I was going to bring her back in the house, but I know she finds that stressful. So, I ended up putting her back in the orange cube run, with the entrance shut so no one else can get in. She'll stay there until she's had time to recover properly.
Ive put some scrambled egg on the mezzanine for her, as well as food and water.
I'll leave her for a while and then see what the situation is. I may leave her there overnight, which will infuriate Poppy who sleeps in that Cube normally.
I took some warm water out to the run to try and clean her off, but there was just so much blood, and all the hens were interested in what I was doing, and in the blood on Astrid.
Someone else couldn't resist a peck, and her comb started again.
I was going to bring her back in the house, but I know she finds that stressful. So, I ended up putting her back in the orange cube run, with the entrance shut so no one else can get in. She'll stay there until she's had time to recover properly.
Ive put some scrambled egg on the mezzanine for her, as well as food and water.
I'll leave her for a while and then see what the situation is. I may leave her there overnight, which will infuriate Poppy who sleeps in that Cube normally.
