Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I like cabbage so I always take a tax before giving one to the Princesses!

I like to use cabbage in place of crackers or bread with a really ripe soft cheese like an aged brie, cambonzola or whatever triple cream goodness I can get my hands on. I’d like to give up dairy, but… the cheese!

 

[micstrachan]

Are they planning to do blood work? Lilly's colitis was identified as a low grade infection by blood work, not culture. The culture was normal.

The two courses of antibiotics really improved her life. I can send you the tests that they ran which identified the infection.

Or you may just want to treat with an antibiotic to help rule out any infection.

Bob, which antibiotics did they use? Gram positive, negative?

 

[BY Bob]

So with all the health issues my girls have experienced lately, I’m feeling a little paranoid and micro-analysing everything about my girls. I’m seeing poops that, to me, don’t look entirely healthy and was hoping for some other opinions.

I found this yesterday in the run:

Spoiler: Poop 1

View attachment 3116603

And I found this this morning. I didn’t see who did it but I think it might be Tegan:

Spoiler: Poop 2

View attachment 3116612

One or two outlier poops do not worry me. I need to see consistently off poops before I get concerned.

All that worries me is the possibility of blood in the top one. But I need to see more than 1 bloody poop before I get worried. Have there been more of the same?

 

[BY Bob]

x3

We try to do the best for our birds with avian vets, but they still don’t know. It’s a shame Covid got in the way of us having face-to-face conversations with the doctors. The Avian Vet who treated Ruby was actually honest… She told me repeatedly that we just don’t know, and we can just treat and hope it works. She also told me last time that Ruby definitely had a mass on her left side. She was successful in helping prolong Ruby’s life, which is what I wanted. Afterward, I’m not sure if I did the right thing, but the Avian Vet was helpful. If we had had face-to-face conversations, I would have asked the hard questions, and may have ended up putting Ruby down earlier.

When Ester got sick and her crop stopped moving, another Avian Vet at the same office was unable to drain fluid from her. That sounded exactly like what had happened with Ruby and I opted to have her euthanized. When I was sort of apologizing for my decision, the Avian Vet said euthanization is not something they would even consider if they thought it was the wrong thing to do. It turned out it was the right thing to do; I just had to come to that conclusion on my own.

 

[BY Bob]

Bob, which antibiotics did they use? Gram positive, negative?

Broad spectrum, Doxycycline

 

[Marie2020]

I like to use cabbage in place of crackers or bread with a really ripe soft cheese like an aged brie, cambonzola or whatever triple cream goodness I can get my hands on. I’d like to give up dairy, but… the cheese!

I know what you mean

 

[Marie2020]

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

 

[Marie2020]

I am sending hugs (hugs hugs hugs)

Last year My one gal was very lethargic and had runny poops water really. And finally I figured out she was in a huge heavy molt. I fed her scrambled eggs for a few weeks and gave her warm sugar water. After a month she started to pick up. I really thought she might die!! Took a good two months for her to get over that.
Do you think Minnie is molting?

As for Bernie, as long as she is eating and pooping I would just let her be. She will eventually stabilize.
Animals don't have the same hang ups with disabilities the same way people do.

Blanche keeps laying eggs with paper thin shells, I think she is molting as she has feathers growing back on her head, and wings. She is eating pooping and running about like a mad thing so I don't worry too much about her.
I think if your gal is hale and hardy I wouldn't worry too much.... I know they say laying soft eggs is hard for them but if your gal doesn't seem to be straining I would think she is fine.

You are taking amazing care of your gals, and I look for advise from you all the time.

Agatha shell's are soft again and she got one stuck yesterday morning. I'm stopping the calcium if it's bad this morning I don't want her hurting anymore she was straining badly. I'll be out making sure she's okay soon

 

[Marie2020]

That's great. I love when they pair up and get along!

I have to watch out for my Agatha this morning Bob so have to go.
I just want to see how you and everyone here are doing?

 

[Ribh]

I love that you’re itty bitties can be picked up so easily with one hand!

Yes. I've had a couple of really big ladies & they were extremely difficult to handle. The Japs & D'Uccles are lovely. They don't panic & I only need the one hand.