Courtesy Audrey Pavia
Bobbi Jo , on the far right , is now downhearted in the pecking orderliness and is ram to eat on away from the residue of the lot .
It was n’t easy father Bobbi Jo overher bout with poultry pox . Unlike her niece , Baby Jo , it take her more than a calendar week before I felt she was well enough to return to the flock . I hold off until her eyes were fully undefended and the pox lesions were round and wry ( as opposed to open and oozy ) before I turned her liberal .
When I had reelect Baby Jo to the quite a little a couple of week before after nursing her back to health , it was no big softwood . I let her loose in the morning while I was thresh scratch to the group , and she blend right in like she had never been gone . The other hens discount her and let her eat among them .
I expect the same response for Bobbi Jo , but the hen had other ideas . Bobbi Jo ’s two sister , who are identical to her in appearance and grew up with her from the moment they hatched , tore into Bobbi Jo the import I set her down on the lawn .
Taking turns attacking her , Billie Jo and Betty Jo spar with Bobbi Jo , bloody her side . I had bring such care to gently distribute antibiotic emollient on her face every dark I had her in the house , and now I was helpless as I watched while her sister pecked trap in her cheeks .
I was not the only one who was upset by this turn of event . Mr. Mabel , the dominant rooster , tried several times to break up the fight . He got in between the hens repeatedly , part them with his massive body . But the minute he turned his back , the Bully Sisters go after Bobbi Jo again . Mr. Mabel finally grant up .
I was tempted to rescue Bobbi Jo and put her back in the family , but I had to make a judgment call . She seemed goodly enough to be back outside , and I lie with fork her from the flock would only put off the inevitable . finally , she had to work her way back into the group .
It ’s been two days since I returned Bobbi Jo to the flock , and the spot has improved . She is n’t constantly being chase after and beaten up , but she ’s also not allow to wipe out in peace . She has replaced Baby Jo as the low-down biddy on the totem pole and now gets chased off whenever the other hens are eat . I am thrifty to check that the bullies are distracted with food before I toss anything to Bobbi Jo . They still stop rust sometimes just to plague her , but I keep an middle out to make certain Bobbi Jo is receive her fill .
Meanwhile , the rest of the flock seems to be have been spared the fowl pox . My babe vaccinated the four that did not show any symptom , and perhaps that is why they have n’t been afflicted by this nasty disease . All I know is that even though none of my chickens die as a result of the poultry pox , there was one casualty : Bobbi Jo ’s former place in the pecking order .
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