October 30, 2010: Broken Beaks

October 30, 2010

Saturday

The run-in with the hawk left Hawkeye with the tip of her beak broken almost completely off and Chanel’s beak cracked at the base.  I was so upset, poor Hawekeye wasn’t eating and the others were pecking at the blood specks on her.  Here, the dominant hen, was being pecked on.  I did not want her to die.  For all her ferociousness, I had come to really like Hawkeye and it seemd unfair to her, she had just started laying beautiful green eggs.  I sent a note to Bob to ask for advice. 

Later, I went out and she was hungry and was eating from my hand as much as she could, obviously having difficulty but I found if I tore off small pieces of dandelion greens, she would gobble those down.  She could no longer peck at hard foods and was having trouble picking anything up, like the food crumbles they always have to eat.  Still, to my surprise both she and Ellie laid an egg shortly after the Hawk attack and today as well. 

I did put sheets of leftover plywood I had all up against the back of the coop and about one third of the way on each side so that if the hawk comes again, atleast the birds will have two corners and the back to hide in that he cannot fly to and make them run again.  They seemed to be calmer because of it.  Right now I’ve got the boards propped up with cement path edgers but will eventually nail it in I suppose.  Should prevent drafts in the Winter too.