Tonight Jeanne and I decided to let the small girls out of the pen for the first time. They puttered around not too far from the coop and did very well, munching on weeds. One of them ran into the pen after awhile and stayed there. When we looked in on her, she was just sitting with her head tucked back over her back. We checked closer and it was clear that something was wrong. She cannot straighten out her neck, and goes in circles when trying to walk. It looks like her neck is broken or there is some spinal injury. One other girl came in and started pecking at her in a mean way, so it may be that she was attacked outside and we missed it. None appeared strange when they were first let out. I picked her up and she can just lay there with her neck turned around. She is probably the smaller of the New Hampshires, the one that has already been selected as the bottom of the pecking order. Chickens can be as mean as young teens can to each other. Anyway, it is not clear that she will make it, but we put her in Esmeralda's box in the garage with food and water for the night. The rest came back in while we were trying to figure out what was wrong, with a little herding from Jeanne.
When I first went to college I was planning to become a veterinarian. This was the old days, and the dean talked me out of it because I was a woman and didn't stand a chance of getting accepted without a 4 point, which I had no plans to get. Wasn't a serious student at the time. I am often sorry now I did not pursue it. We could use a vet in the neighborhood. Boots is still recovering from the porcupine attack to the eyes several weeks ago, and now we have another hospitalized hen. We also have one suspicious character we plan to return soon, who looks alot like Pete in his early days. May be down to 8 new ones soon.
Peggy, unlicensed and unskilled veterinarian substitute
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