Update on Kate our injured hen

Kate spent the day languishing in our bathroom. She is a bit brighter tonight. She is very alert, her eyes and comb are bright. I worried last night and again today when at work that she'd die. But she is fighting on. She really doesn't want to be touched though. Can't say I really blame her.

I did some more research today and spoke to the wonderful Vanessa, an environmental planner.  Tomorrow if Kate seems to be healing I will let her into the garden with the other girls, under supervision! I am concerned about infection and more fighting.  I am using an antibiotic spray on her wound.

In the meantime I will make changes to their coop.  I have learnt that the top chook should be sleeping higher than the other girls. They've always cuddled up together.  But now that they are getting older they need to establish their hierarchy.  So I will work out a way to add roosts. We also need to make a daytime run that we can move around the garden to give them more space and more variety.

I believe that their diet is good. I try hard to make sure they have variety - mash with warm water and milk powder, scratch mix, scraps, weeds and grass. I clean their coop regularly and change their water.

I am worried of course about what will happen if I put Kate back in the coop.  If needs be we will re-house the unhappy pecking one.

It is so sad, I have tried hard to give them a good life. I feel a failure. But I will press on and seek chookie bliss. They are sooo special to us.  We are determined to win!