Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Well Bob I figured I would jump the current conversation to see what's up.... Will still continue reading of your journey with chickens though!

 

[BY Bob]

Sansa Update

The vet and I connected today. The blood work revealed three things.

1. Her calcium is very low. It is low even for a non-laying hen or rooster.
2. Protein electrophoresis has uncovered a low grade infection of some kind that is not causing a temperature.
3. She was dehydrated.

So what to do. The vet reached out to an expert with chickens. She said when I was there that she had not seen this before. I love people who admit they don't know and consult others. They were equally curious as to how all of this is connected. They are certain that her low calcium is having an impact on the feathers. They also believe that the infection, wherever it might be, could also be involved, especially if it is somewhere in the digestive tract where it might be interfering with the absorption of minerals and nutrients.

The vet left it up to me if I wanted to treat the infection or not. At this point I want to attack the situation aggressively so I agree to treat. We are putting her on Trimethoprim Sulfa. A combination therapy that has broad antibacterial bandwidth as well as antiprotozoal capabilities.

In order to dose her we needed her weight. So I went out and tried to catch her in the big run. Frankly, the Cluckle Hut has essentially ended that possibility. It is like she knew. Only her head came out to eat the meal worms the tricky human had used to try and lure her out.

So I waited and plucked her off the roost, and weighed her.

This is really good news. Back on11/15 she was around 3 lbs/1.389 kg. Today, just about a month later after being weighed last, she is a respectable 4.55 lbs/2.064 kg. That is basically a 50% weight gain. She has been on a diet of chick food since 11/23 and it is working. I knew it as soon as I picked her up. This video from 11/30 shows how she has been chowing down and since they have been locked in because of the hawk (silver lining?) she has no other food source. The chick food has worked at least in getting weight back on her.

That leaves us to the conundrum of getting calcium into her. If I switch her to layer that would be the easiest way to increase her calcium intake but it will be at the expense of calories and protein. Additionally, the whole tribe would then be on layer when they are not laying. I am trying not to do this with Lilly as she really doesn't lay any more. I could segregate her in the Cluckle Hut with Phyllis and lock them in with layer feed but I really don't want to give up on the chick feed.

I need to check and see if Nutridrench has significant calcium in it as I could try supplementing in that fashion while I am giving the antibiotic. The vet said that she would look for alternative solutions to get calcium into her diet.

I know that their have been a lot of people on here treating for soft shelled eggs by supplementing calcium. Right now my brain cannot recall any of them. Please reply to this post with what you have done to add calcium to their diets when needed. I feel stupid but I just can't remember any and I know some of you were quite clever.

 

[featherhead007]

You would think all the new rocks would lay throughout this winter being their first laying season. I'm sorry you've had to resort to buying the dreaded "fake eggs" as my daughter has come to call them. I'm soo glad my girls don't have access to beakbook to hear of this freeloading situation going on. I'm still getting 5 to 6 eggs a day.

I don’t know what is going wrong with my girls. They just chose to stop laying. Only Bobo gives me eggs lately. I wish all my chooks were like Bobo (BoPeeps)

 

[featherhead007]

They do seem to do their utmost to teach us to be emotionally resilient.

 

[Lady Red]

Sansa Update

The vet and I connected today. The blood work revealed three things.

1. Her calcium is very low. It is low even for a non-laying hen or rooster.
2. Protein electrophoresis has uncovered a low grade infection of some kind that is not causing a temperature.
3. She was dehydrated.

So what to do. The vet reached out to an expert with chickens. She said when I was there that she had not seen this before. I love people who admit they don't know and consult others. They were equally curious as to how all of this is connected. They are certain that her low calcium is having an impact on the feathers. They also believe that the infection, wherever it might be, could also be involved, especially if it is somewhere in the digestive tract where it might be interfering with the absorption of minerals and nutrients.

The vet left it up to me if I wanted to treat the infection or not. At this point I want to attack the situation aggressively so I agree to treat. We are putting her on Trimethoprim Sulfa. A combination therapy that has broad antibacterial bandwidth as well as antiprotozoal capabilities.

In order to dose her we needed her weight. So I went out and tried to catch her in the big run. Frankly, the Cluckle Hut has essentially ended that possibility. It is like she knew. Only her head came out to eat the meal worms the tricky human had used to try and lure her out.

View attachment 2928428

So I waited and plucked her off the roost, and weighed her.

This is really good news. Back on11/15 she was around 3 lbs/1.389 kg. Today, just about a month later after being weighed last, she is a respectable 4.55 lbs/2.064 kg. That is basically a 50% weight gain. She has been on a diet of chick food since 11/23 and it is working. I knew it as soon as I picked her up. This video from 11/30 shows how she has been chowing down and since they have been locked in because of the hawk (silver lining?) she has no other food source. The chick food has worked at least in getting weight back on her.

That leaves us to the conundrum of getting calcium into her. If I switch her to layer that would be the easiest way to increase her calcium intake but it will be at the expense of calories and protein. Additionally, the whole tribe would then be on layer when they are not laying. I am trying not to do this with Lilly as she really doesn't lay any more. I could segregate her in the Cluckle Hut with Phyllis and lock them in with layer feed but I really don't want to give up on the chick feed.

I need to check and see if Nutridrench has significant calcium in it as I could try supplementing in that fashion while I am giving the antibiotic. The vet said that she would look for alternative solutions to get calcium into her diet.

I know that their have been a lot of people on here treating for soft shelled eggs by supplementing calcium. Right now my brain cannot recall any of them. Please reply to this post with what you have done to add calcium to their diets when needed. I feel stupid but I just can't remember any and I know some of you were quite clever.

Yogurt.
And the concoctions of yogurt balls that RC did.

 

[BY Bob]

i watched our serama lay the egg, for me this was a cool experience because i saw her build her little nest by pulling strands of straw on the side and then laying the egg. (i hadnt been around to see the other ones, because she lays them later at night when im often cleaning the coop and not around to watch, however this time she did it a tad earlier, so i was able to see it! The other times i just saw a egg in a frisbe like nest! )View attachment 2928063

It is very cool. I remember the first time I saw it. Just amazing. I have such respect for these hens.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you. Diana is not at her best as all her feathers came out a week or so ago just in time for the cold weather.

At least it is not that cold right now. It looks like she has time to still grow them.

 

[BY Bob]

It’s finally happened, I feel so ashamed. I should have predicted that this may happen someday. And yes, it does feel as shameful as it is. /////// Due to my chooks not laying eggs (because of several reasons) I was forced “yes forced” to buy store eggs. I feel so ashamed No, the neighbors only had enough fresh eggs for their own families.
Only my BoPeeps is laying one a day.

It happens to us all.

 

[BY Bob]

Oh dear. I don’t know what to do. Maggie made it up to the roost.
Part of me says leave her there because there is healing power in being snuggled with others in the tribe.
But part of me is terrified she will fall off and injure herself and so wondering if I should take her down and tuck her into a nice safe nest box.
Oh dear. Oh my.

View attachment 2928257

Leave her there. This is a good sign. She may be better than you think.

 

[micstrachan]

Free Range Time

Some more free range this evening. Still jumpy and they should be.

Awww, you’re right. Poor Hattie is really scared. She may have seen the attacks up close.