Monday
Linda
This morning started out like most mornings. The thermometer read 20 degrees this morning, so the first chore of the day was to stoke up the fire. We have been leaving the chickens in the coop until about ten o’clock so they will lay their eggs in the nesting boxes. All six of our hens are laying now.
My cousin is out of town for a few days so I had to go over to his farm and feed up the donkeys, goats, and barn cats. I can’t forget Sandy their fat Lab. She will be waiting impatiently for her breakfast. I always take Ruby with me so they can have a visit and a little playtime.
Nothing else was on the agenda today, so I thought I would can up one of those Cushaw pumpkins Vickie gave us. I got all my canning supplies ready and sharpened my knives. Apparently I sharpened them too well because I ended up slicing my thumb. I got the bleeding under control and put a bandaid on. Tough to do one handed. It still wanted to bleed, probably because I have to take an aspirin a day and it thins the blood. My pumpkin lay there on the table cut open with seeds spilling out. I had to finish the job or it would spoil and go to waste. The best thing I could think of to do was put on a plastic glove and finish canning the pumpkin. It worked great.
I canned ten pints. I’m usually very careful, but today was just one of those days. I went to take a lid off of a pot, without pot holders ( idiot) and the steam burned my fingers on my right hand. So, now both hands are bunged up. I hurried up and cut a leaf from my aloe plant to put on my burning fingers. It immediately soothed them. They burned most of the afternoon, but I kept applying the aloe and now they feel fine.
Later on I noticed one of my hens was not hanging with the rest of the flock. Went to check her out and noticed that she was limping and had a tear in the skin on her back near her wing. A chickens skin is very thin. I’m not sure what caused it, but I suspect it could be from the Roosters jumping on her back. The poor thing looked pitiful.
I was able to catch her by throwing a towel over her. It was hard to tell the extent of the injury while trying to hold her covered in a towel. Mind you my hands were not in good working order, but I was able to clean the wound with warm soapy water and peroxide. She will have to be separated from the flock or they will begin to peck at her if she shows illness. I put straw in our large dog crate and gave her some water. That’s the best I can do for her. I will be surprised if she makes it. Chickens are susceptible to shock and infection. Most injuries are fatal. We can only hope that she will recover.
It’s painful to see my animals hurt, but that’s part of farm life. Injuries are bound to happen and out here and you have to be able to take care of them yourself. After the events of today, hopefully I make it to bed without stubbing my toe or having to bandage a bloody dog paw.
Off-Grid in West Virginia 
well goodness gracious girl….ONE OF THOSE DAYS. Kinda of reminds me of one of those silly movies, where the main character ends up getting hurt on everything they do, and at the end of the skit, they have casts, bandages, crutches, eye patch, etc etc….
the old farm thing was not to let your chickens out of henhouse till temp over 40 degrees
sounds strange but egg production falls off for me if i let them out when below 40
also dash of red[cyanne] pepper on top feed will pick up egg production if laying falls of,with plenty of water,
but do not give more than dash on top of feed more than 3 time a week or do not give to bantams,sometime overdoses and kills if overused
other old farmer cure all is pine tar,available at feed stores for chicken injurys
they or other birds wont pick if cover wound with pine tar
just some old stuff my grandma passed on to me
enjoy
Ron,
Thank you so much for the info. I had heard about using cayenne pepper before but not about keeing your hens inside if it is below 40 degrees or using pine tar. It makes sense though. The pine tar would put a protective coating on the wound. I will check into it. Thanks again.
Ron,
Real good info you have provided. Were still picking up good information and know we can learn from others.
glad you enjoyed
with the pine tar treatmet, there is no need to seperate injured hen from others
that way aviod the reintroduction fights
in summer pine tar keeps flies out of wounds too
neighbor used to have chickens
he thought i was chicken wisperer because of the red pepper trick
but in his case i gave him story that i got this from old lady down road, and if i gave out her secret to anyone it would not work
i was only allowed to tell 1 person just before i croak to make it work
so i would ask him all kinds of questions about his hens when he came over to get ”the secret”
questions about phaze of moon, temprature,cloudy, sunny, what mood hens seemed to b in, anything at all
then would mix with the red pepper other spices that really smelled, garlic,oregino, cinniman, nutmeg, and even those wierd things that came with spice rack that no one in right mind would ever use in any combo possible
and add suger or flour or oatmeal to bulk it up
never let him watch the mix process
while running the blender i would let him try to learn the secret chant in chicken noises and see me doing the sacred dance that was required
that was a site. i weigh over 250#
this guy was collage grad and his wife was a teacher
she would take potion to school and have chemestry teacher try to analize
they even called late neighbor ladys kids in other states to get ”the secret’
they all told him”mom knew lots old stuff, but we never learned”
after he got rid of chickens i told him it was just the red pepper
he was not amused as i or anyone else that was in on joke