Author Topic: Fowl Play (Read 3790 times)

Craig · « **on:** December 02, 2006, 04:54:55 PM »

Shortly after we moved in here, we were adopted by a Guinea hen that is usually a extremely amusing bird. My mail lady named him Rover because he is always at my side and does indeed chase cars. In September we added Molly the Ostrich to our avian collection and to date the two birds had ignored each other completely

I was getting ready to cook dinner this evening when I heard Darcy yell to look out the window. There was the stinking Guinea chasing the Ostrich around the pen. Rover is an odd bird in that sometimes he seems to get a wild hair up is posterior and just snaps...I've had to keep him from killing our rooster more than once when five minutes earlier they'd been hanging out together. Well for a split second it was amusing to see, but then it become obvious the Ostrich was getting frantic. Damn if before I could get out to the enclosure to stop the Guinea, Molly tried to jump the fence! Most of the enclosure is made of 6' fencing, but she tried to go over a 4' cross fence that separates her from the goats.

She didn't make it and worse a foot hung up in the wire. There she was flopping on the ground, goats running around and the Guinea still going after her. I chased the instigator off, and Molly is up, but limping badly. I never seen such a crazy set of events.

The worry now is if the leg is broken, I'll probably have to put her down. Tomorrow will tell, but I swear, if I end up butchering Molly, the Guinea hen becomes an oven stuffer roaster the next day!

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2006, 05:24:25 PM »

Craig, are there no vets down there that deal with exotic pets? The clinic that we take our dog to treats all animals. If there is a vet that can treat her, by all means, have it done. I'd be having guinea for supper anyhow.

Scott

Timgod · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2006, 05:25:35 PM »

I hope Molly the Ostrich comes through this ordeal okay. My great grandmother had a Big Guinea Hen that attacked anyone in site...with the exception of great grandmother. After several years of this, one day the guinea got a wild hair as yours did and attacked Grandma. She grabbed it snapped its neck and fixed it for dinner that night.
Size in animals is not always the indicator of which one will be the alpha. I've seen rat terriers go after rottweilers and win the battle because the smaller animal was more mature and could evidently sense that in the youger rotty.
Tim

Esther · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2006, 06:12:55 PM »

Oh no poor Molly!! I hope she is OK. Maybe just a minor sprain or muscle pull.

Joyce · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2006, 06:32:16 PM »

:'(

Teresa · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2006, 09:19:33 PM »

Very sad . . . hope everyone of your feathered friends recovers and is well.

tammie · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2006, 07:53:30 AM »

Is Molly okay? If her leg was broken she probably couldn't put any weight on it.
My Guinea hen, Ginny lived for years with a broken leg. I couldn't find a vet who would set it for me. I miss Ginny the Guinea! (she died after taking on the Rotten-weiler for the second time) It was hilarious to watch her go after any cars on "her" driveway. And I loved how the slug and snail population decreased when she was here!
Maybe Rover wanted Molly to be his girlfreind?

Tammie

Craig · « **Reply #7 on:** December 03, 2006, 05:32:17 PM »

Molly appears to be okay. She is favoring the one leg, but can get up and down, though one ankle(?) is swollen. Obviously I can't get her to the vet and the vet doesn't have a portable x-ray so saw no reason to come out. He agreed with you Tammie...since she can put weight on it, something she was unable or unwilling to do last night, it is most likely not broken.

So happily we won't be having roast Ostrich for xmas, though I was sorely tempted to have fried Guinea today.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2006, 05:55:35 PM »

Guinea would be in the roaster for me for sure...I have a hair trigger temper when it comes to mean animals, no matter what they are. But I know I'd be out there for sure ripping him with words big time...I'm sure he'd get the message &-)Maybe if he's smart, he'll just lay down and die

maryvonne · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2006, 08:37:25 PM »

My goodnes Craig. Poor Molly! I sure hope she recovers. We had some bantam chickens when the children were young. They are very small chickens and one of the roosters attacked every thing in sight. He was very protective of his hens. One of the dogs finally got fed up with him and took care of him!

Maryvonne

karen J · « **Reply #10 on:** December 03, 2006, 08:47:56 PM »

Rotisserie the Guinea with an orange-soy-ginger glaze, and let Molly rest/heal.
You can rotisserie Molly when the time comes...

tammie · « **Reply #11 on:** December 04, 2006, 08:44:24 AM »

I'm really surprised that Molly didn't stomp the @#$&^ out of Rover! I still think Rover was looking for a little "companionship"...
I used to laugh at Ginny when she would hide in the arena and wait for my daughter to come by, riding her huge monster horse. Ginny would charge at Bardo and at the last second dive into the hedges! Big, dumb blood Bardo would just keep on going... Then she broke her leg (No, Bardo didn't do it). After that she just stayed up at our house.
Tammie

tranquility · « **Reply #12 on:** December 04, 2006, 10:10:05 AM »

Tammie I was thinkin the same thing....I couldn't imagine a huge bird like Molly being skeered of a bird the size of Rover.....

Craig glad to hear Molly is doing o.k. today...hope she heals fast....
Lawanna

Craig · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2006, 05:33:58 PM »

Rover wouldn't cheat on me.<g> He seems to save his courting moves for me....some weird flying in front of me, laying down and extending his neck. Maybe he is jealous of the time I've been spending with Molly.<g> Who must be feeling better as she layed another egg today.

You Tammie ( and LeeAnne) should get a chuckle out of this what with my past anti-equine diatribes. I'm going Saturday to look at a horse/pony.....on of them Haflinger things. I would have taken any odds it would never happen, but I got pasture that needs mowing and it seems to be one solution. That and the grandkids were asking.... I'll tell the kids one thing if it makes them happy, but I'm really only thinking of getting one for the yard service.<g>

matherfish · « **Reply #14 on:** December 05, 2006, 08:16:54 AM »

A dual service pet is a good thing, Craig. The horse/pony can keep the pasture clean (well, the grass weeds eaten down) , and keep the grandchildren happy as well. Sounds like an ordeal at your place with the fowl problem. Glad your ostrich is okay.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 05, 2006, 09:04:49 AM »

A Haflinger? Cool. They are a big enough pony for adults to ride. Pretty rare too. If the pasture is weedy though, a goat might be a better option for live mowing though not as fun.

tammie · « **Reply #16 on:** December 05, 2006, 10:53:25 AM »

Nah...goats will eat the roots of the grass too, make that pasture a dirt patch. But Craig, you can't get just one horse!

I't will get lonely! You have to get 2, so they have company! They're herd animals you know!

Other wise you'll be back here yelling at LeeAnne and me about that 'D**N equine' biting you or something...
Now go find yourself a good horse shoer and for goodness sakes find a vet that has a portable xray machine!

Tammie
P.S. - don't know if I should add this... but I never meet a pony that didn't bite.
Me

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 05, 2006, 10:59:29 AM »

I have met multiple ponies that didn't bite. Took lessons for years at a stable with a lot of ponies, none of them bit. They were all show/lesson ponies ranging from tiny Shetlands to large Connemaras. So cute to see a nine year old girl flying over jumps on the Shetlands. Think Bonnie Blue Butler in Gone With the Wind without the fatal fall of course.....

Actually, I've never known a biting pony. I have known stallions that would take a chunk of out you if you weren't paying attention....

karen J · « **Reply #18 on:** December 05, 2006, 11:57:49 AM »

Ymmm, grass fed beef.

Desertponder · « **Reply #19 on:** December 05, 2006, 12:26:48 PM »

What a crazy bird!

Hope Molly will be o.k. Might not hurt to get some Absorbine liniment for horses and rub some into her sore leg.
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=30e07323-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

I think those guineas are too smart for their own good. I had one of them trot out in the road in front of my car once when I was in a hurry and headed to the fire station. The silly bird stood right in the middle of the lane watching me coming. I slammed on the brakes, tires squealed and he bolted right before I would have hit him. It was almost like he knew I was hurrying and decided to play chicken with me.

They are little troublemakers!

Johns · « **Reply #20 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:05:37 PM »

There's just one thing I don't understand about this: how in the world can you put up with the god-awful noise guinea fowl make all night long?

Craig · « **Reply #21 on:** December 05, 2006, 04:22:48 PM »

I asked the breeder and she said I could have one horse....so hah! It can be part of the bigger herd as we are about the only ones in the area equine-less, so it can pick a fence, any fence, and there will be a horse on the otherside to commune with. And she will be a barefoot horse as I'm damn sure not going to ride her! I've been noticing and none of the neighbors animals are shoed either, though there is some talk about an annual pedicure. And I can promise you that the beast will bite me only once! Will be gumming me after that. Again...in speaking to the breeder, I mentioned small children would be involved and she assured me of the sweet temperment of the horse and that there was no need for concern about the well-being of the grandkids.

Not to mention....this is just looking! The beast is really going to have to wow me to get a ride home. The only reason I'm even going is that it is a 4 month old filly and I have to figure it hasn't picked up any bad habits yet andI can train the thing to behave.<g>

I put some bactine on the Ostrich's sore...does that count? Wasn't getting close to that dangerous digit with anything that stings...and in some faded childhood memory, I remember Absorbine stinging.

Hard to beleive John, but my guinea is pretty quiet. The only time he squawks is when a stanger approaches or when he is looking for me and can't find me. There is no window rattling just because it is dusk or dawn...now the rooster should be so considerate.<g>

tammie · « **Reply #22 on:** December 05, 2006, 05:01:38 PM »

4 months old? Doesn't bite? 4 months old? Boy, you all do things different on your side of the world...
Gotta say I shouldn't have made a blanket assesment of ponies. I do beleive that alot of horses here develop bad habits because they are stalled so much. If they're allowed out to roam, like horses are suppose to be, those bad habits don't start.
But, a 4 month old that doesn't bite? (okay nip...) Never heard of it. I imported a stallion from Germany years ago, and have more then 50 babies born on my property. They always bite! They're mouthy and have to be taught that they can't do that...
Ah, jeez, here I go again, sticking my big old nose where it doesn't belong... here I go... Craig, you do realize that nobody is going to be riding that horse for at least 2 years, 3, possibly 4. 2 at a minimum. And then somebody has to break her to saddle, and reining, all that. And, yep, most pasture horses don't have shoes, but they still need to be trimmed... Once a year? Like I said, you all do it different over there. Even my babies, who were pastured, had to have their little hooves trimmed every 8 weeks, perferably every 6 weeks. Oh, yeah, somebody has to teach that baby to hold up their hooves for the farrier too. And hopefully she's halter broke all ready. Craig, go get a nice, broke, Quarter horse who will babysit the grandkids (and mow the grass). Dealing with babies is one of the most dangerous things I've ever done. Especially one that is just weaned from it's mom. Is she weaned? Or is the owner "weaning" her by selling her to you? That'll be fun! Most foals are weaned at 6 months... I had a few that needed to be weaned early, not many tho. Craig, my friend, please, think long and hard about this little one. Okay, I'll butt out now!
Tammie

Craig · « **Reply #23 on:** December 05, 2006, 05:52:43 PM »

Hah! So I was right originally and horses are vicious beasts! Thanks Tammie, I will go Saturday with an even more biased attitude. But in the breeders defense, it could be me mixing the facts on age and such as we have talked about a couple different ones. But I want a new one to wrangle and ride when it gets of age....no broken down swayed back mare with bad habits for my grandkids.

This is active cattle country. All sorts of cowboys around here to help with the breaking. But hoof trimming here is more of an annual event....and that is from my mail lady who's husband is a cowboy/ranch hand for one of the larger ranches in the area.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 05, 2006, 07:49:25 PM »

For grandkids to ride, a ten to fifteen year old would be perfect. A Haflinger wouldn't be swaybacked until twenty five or so.

Ditto everything Tammie said. Foals definitely are mouthy! They are darling but a ton of work and expense before they can be ridden. Kids and greenbroke young horses are not a good combo.

tammie · « **Reply #25 on:** December 06, 2006, 07:57:42 AM »

We had a Shetland one time named "Baby". Baby would buck off every kid that got on her. But if that same kid got back on she would never buck them off again! Just testing the kid... One of my kids broke her wrist coming off of Baby. Of course that was the same kid that had 50 stitches in her leg from some barbed wire in the irrigation ditch, where she was riding Baby. The same one who had emergency brain surgery after she was kicked in the back of the head - 4" x 2" fracture that went into her brain... Not riding Baby that time.
Then there was "Prince", another Shetland pony. When he had had enough of the kid he would take off, straight for the hitching post. If the kid didn't bale off he'd duck his head, run under the hitching post, and wipe the kid right off! Kind of funny to watch...
I think I have a personal problem with ponies...
Now my daughter has her "baby", Bardo, all 18h of "dumb blood". He's a sweetie pie! I'll miss him when they move to Seattle. Oh, I'll miss the kid too...
Craig, I sure hope the Haf you're going to be looking at isn't the 4 month old. I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell the parents when they call me, looking for lessons. Yes, your daughter is going to get hurt. Let's just hope it's not serious. She will get bit, horses have teeth. She will get stepped on, and kicked, horses have hooves... She's going to fall off. Horses do have brains, they're not machines. We do everything we can to minimize the risk - everyone wears safety helmets, closed toe shoes, kids are never left unattended while grooming the horse, they're on a lunge line with the instructor controling the horse for at least 6 lessons. Ect, ect.
All of my lesson horses are over 17 years old, none have sway backs...
Okay, I'll get off my "hay bale" and take my big old nose out of here!
And how is Miss Molly doing today?
Tammie

Desertponder · « **Reply #26 on:** December 06, 2006, 08:06:12 AM »

Oh, Molly's leg has an open wound? No, don't put any Absorbine on that.

I was thinking it would help her if her leg was just swollen.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 06, 2006, 09:22:53 AM »

An 18 year old horse took third place in the Shell Derby at Spruce Meadows recently. Saw it on Fox Sports NW last night.
This is Olympic level show jumping. The horse that won was 15 if I remember correctly. Horses in their teens are not old and sway backed and an experienced horse is a better partner with inexperienced people than both being green.

I never had any injuries from ponies but I lost my big toenail twice being stepped on by horses and have had three concussions being thrown from horses. No broken bones and no serious bites or kicks.

Tammie has far more experience than I have. I've only been around other people's horses. My mother would even stop the car so I could pet them if we drove past a pasture when I was litttle. There were some Shetlands (Frosty and ?) down the street and a horse, Buttercup too. All the neighborhood kids would pet them. Buttercup lived to be ancient. My mother started dating a man with a horse boarding/training operation when I was 9. I rode there until I was 18 even though they both married other people.

Craig · « **Reply #28 on:** December 06, 2006, 09:39:23 AM »

I have to thank you Tammie and LeeAnne for keeping me from making a apparently a big mistake. The way this whole thing started was I have been looking for a couple donkey to serve as lawn service and I saw the Haf and knew the owner as she is the one we got the Ostrich from.

I still do not like/trust horses...that hasn't changed....but figured I could teach a young'un to be a horse I could co-exist with and the grandkids could have fun. But after the descriptions of your experiences with concussions, broken bones and such....I remember now better than ever why it is I don't like horses....so it is back to looking for donkeys for me.

I honestly cannot believe you can get a good horse that is in its teens....no one is going to sell their 'favorite' horse after that long an association; nd that is the one I want, the favorite one. Not the one that has been nothing but trouble for ten years.

No harn, no foul since I hadn't mentioned the possiblity to the grandkids anyway. Hell, they are young, I'll just tell them the donkey is a rare long-eared horse.<g>

Molly appears to be doing fine, btw. She still has a bit of a limp, but her appetite is back as is her bad attitude. Back to trying to remove my fingers if I'm not fast enough giving her her treats.<g>

tammie · « **Reply #29 on:** December 06, 2006, 01:57:40 PM »

Craig it's easier to find the "favorite" horse then you might think. Kids outgrow their horses. Not as often as they outgrow shoes, but they still outgrow them. My daughters first horse was a 15.2h quarter horse - good brain, young enough to progress. Her second was a 16.2h T-bred. A little hotter, but still sane. Her third is the one she has now - 18h Holsteiner. Super athletic, beautiful gaits. Unbeleivable horse for what we paid! All of them have been the "favorites". The first 2 were used for lesson horses here. The first one still is. The second one I retired to his own "herd". A little girl now rides him a few times a week, and as she says 'When Toffee is tired he just turns around and goes home'. Perfect for him. I acually have never sold a horse, except for the foals. I've always given them away. That way I know they're going to a good home. Several have gone to the theraputic horse programs.
So for all my rambling it comes down to this - yes you can find the "favorite"! Especially at this time of the year!
I'm really sorry LeeAnne and I talked you out of this... Call you local humane society, they usually have horses that have been rescued.
Donkeys are jerks!
Tammie