Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

I hope it's OK to give an update on Honey here.

It's more than ok. I think we were all wondering without daring to ask.

Honey went blind a week ago as mentioned before. We have no idea why. It took two days to go from fine to no eye sight. I can only guess water belly pressing some nerve?? I cannot find anything connecting these two though. Going blind could be independent from water belly.

Or there could be a common cause for both conditions ? I think water belly is a symptom because organs are either under pressure, or not functioning right, it can come among other things from hypertension. I don't know about chickens, but in humans extreme arterial tension could cause blindness with other very different symptoms.

We thought she would pass soon, but after another couple days we found out that she is still as eager to eat as before she went blind. She is just not able to eat!

I've read for blind chicken, they can still peck at food if shown where it is. But Honey is not able to aim, so it seems. Again looking like some neurological issues.

We have been creative and try to hand feed her food that has a large surface area so she can still eat some when she does her random pecking. We have hold a whole corn, a whole zucchini, big slice of apples, etc.. She also has been good at eating pasta.

She is a complete house chicken now. She still has a will to live.

You are doing great. Yes, Honey is very lucky to have you, and she is amazing too for still showing a love of life.

The only thing I can think off to help her is to try to establish some habits / routines both in time and space. There is a slight possibility that the fact she is unable to aim comes from not being used to her new situation, in which case knowing when and where things are located could help after a while.

 

[BDutch]

She is a complete house chicken now. She still has a will to live.

I hope she can enjoy life a bit longer.
The tip Molpet gave crossed my mind too. I would follow that up too, preferably with chick feed.
And as Manue says, routines in when and where may help too.
I wonder where do you keep her in the house? In a cage or free ranging in one of your rooms, where she has company from time to time?

 

[lightm]

Sometimes they say soaked feed, so they get both food and moisture.

It's more than ok. I think we were all wondering without daring to ask.

Or there could be a common cause for both conditions ? I think water belly is a symptom because organs are either under pressure, or not functioning right, it can come among other things from hypertension. I don't know about chickens, but in humans extreme arterial tension could cause blindness with other very different symptoms.

You are doing great. Yes, Honey is very lucky to have you, and she is amazing too for still showing a love of life.

The only thing I can think off to help her is to try to establish some habits / routines both in time and space. There is a slight possibility that the fact she is unable to aim comes from not being used to her new situation, in which case knowing when and where things are located could help after a while.

I hope she can enjoy life a bit longer.
The tip Molpet gave crossed my mind too. I would follow that up too, preferably with chick feed.
And as Manue says, routines in when and where may help too.
I wonder where do you keep her in the house? In a cage or free ranging in one of your rooms, where she has company from time to time?

Thank you all.

Since she does not wander around, we just have her in the living room (hardwood floor) and clean after her.

 

[BDutch]

Just to share:
My Tintin is a very probable a boy and Ini mini who becomes 10 yo next month is laying after her long winter break.
Also glad I cant contribute in chicken illnesses.
For those who lost my thread and like to read more /like to respond: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...breeding-projects-5-🪺-🪺-and-6.1574045/page-45

 

[ManueB]

I'm going to see my parents for a few days. My mum has some little health issues, nothing serious, but it will mean a complete lifestyle change ; at 76 she was still spending all her free time scuba diving or mountain hiking and those days are over. My partner will care for the chickens in the meantime.
Blanche is stable in her slightly better but still poorly state, so I am pretty sure she will hang on until I'm back. Most of the chickens seem to be almost or completely rid of lice, except Nieva. I'm worried a bit for her and Kara whose comb have turned very pale. I thought lice didn't eat blood, but they look slightly anemic. It could be due to the heat wave we had, but they also nap more and go to bed earlier than the other chickens.

I put chopped parsley and dandelion in the chicken's mash today : I thought they would leave it out because they don't touch either when foraging, but they ate all of it ! In France people say to use nettle for Iron but it doesn't grow where I live, it's far too chalky. I might harvest some at my parent's place.

Lilly's bumblefoot is finally officially over. It doesn't look completely normal because of the scar left by the surgery, but there is no infection in there anymore.

In that corner the older hens like to stay doing nothing before roosting. The younger chickens used to cross the netting in the garden but now the fence stops them.

Same place in the morning.

Broody Léa is really aggressive with the other chickens. Normally I can't touch her, but her being broody allowed me to realise she has put on a lot of weight since last year. In fact I should weigh her while she is broody, because I won't be able to when she is back to her usual self !

Merle has gone off the broody trance since yesterday . It's so nice to have her back to her usual antics ! Until the next attempt in a few weeks.

Blanche

Kara

Merle and Chipie.

 

[LaFleche]

I'm going to see my parents for a few days. My mum has some little health issues, nothing serious, but it will mean a complete lifestyle change ; at 76 she was still spending all her free time scuba diving or mountain hiking and those days are over. My partner will care for the chickens in the meantime.
Blanche is stable in her slightly better but still poorly state, so I am pretty sure she will hang on until I'm back. Most of the chickens seem to be almost or completely rid of lice, except Nieva. I'm worried a bit for her and Kara whose comb have turned very pale. I thought lice didn't eat blood, but they look slightly anemic. It could be due to the heat wave we had, but they also nap more and go to bed earlier than the other chickens.

I put chopped parsley and dandelion in the chicken's mash today : I thought they would leave it out because they don't touch either when foraging, but they ate all of it ! In France people say to use nettle for Iron but it doesn't grow where I live, it's far too chalky. I might harvest some at my parent's place.

Lilly's bumblefoot is finally officially over. It doesn't look completely normal because of the scar left by the surgery, but there is no infection in there anymore.
View attachment 3802180
In that corner the older hens like to stay doing nothing before roosting. The younger chickens used to cross the netting in the garden but now the fence stops them.
View attachment 3802182

Same place in the morning.
View attachment 3802184
Broody Léa is really aggressive with the other chickens. Normally I can't touch her, but her being broody allowed me to realise she has put on a lot of weight since last year. In fact I should weigh her while she is broody, because I won't be able to when she is back to her usual self !
View attachment 3802186View attachment 3802188

View attachment 3802190
Merle has gone off the broody trance since yesterday . It's so nice to have her back to her usual antics ! Until the next attempt in a few weeks.
View attachment 3802191View attachment 3802192

Blanche
View attachment 3802193
Kara
View attachment 3802195
Merle and Chipie.
View attachment 3802196

Beautiful pictures!

Wishing you a safe trip and a wonderful time with your mother.

 

[MaryJanet]

The vet taught me a trick for weighing hens. Place a small low-sided container on the scales then place the hens feet in the container. Hey presto! She sits still.

Of course, catching a reluctant hen during the day can be a big mess.

Nighttime pick ups are super easy.

 

[RoyalChick]

The vet taught me a trick for weighing hens. Place a small low-sided container on the scales then place the hens feet in the container. Hey presto! She sits still.

Of course, catching a reluctant hen during the day can be a big mess.

Nighttime pick ups are super easy.

Broody weighing turned out easier than I expected. Tassels just settled down and tried to hatch out some baby kitchen scales.

 

[MaryJanet]

Broody weighing turned out easier than I expected. Tassels just settled down and tried to hatch out some baby kitchen scales.
View attachment 3802338

Classic!

 

[Shadrach]

Thank you all.

Since she does not wander around, we just have her in the living room (hardwood floor) and clean after her.

Have you read this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/raising-a-blind-or-partially-sighted-chicken.75986/