Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

PLENTY!

 

[featherhead007]

Off to tuck the chooks into sleep. Good night everyone, sleep well

 

[BY Bob]

My wee little snuggle bugs

The blue feathers mean she's pretty.

 

[BY Bob]

She’s an elderly little lady.

Arthritis is very debilitating - and it’s such a deceiving thing; your mobility is better the more you move around, but your so achy you don’t want to move.

I gave Truly and Reenie some Bute tonight as they were looking achy earlier. And I also took some Naproxen.

I can see how Hattie would want to just rest - I like how you are giving her some Meloxicam. Can I ask what the dosage is for chooks? I was thinking of getting some for Penelope.

Also have you ever thought of giving some Tylenol along with the Meloxicam? There is evidence that giving Tylenol along with an anti-inflammatory med enhances both their actions (at least in mammals).

I need to work it out per kg for you.

 

[BY Bob]

W/ our slight climate change, longer dry winter nights, the hens sleep longer & their eyes get gluey & then turn crusty. The longer the nights the longer chance for crusty or stuck eyelids. DH checks every chicken each morning to use vitamin E oil to cleanse any crusty or stuck-shut eyes ~ especially on the Silkies when their beard fluff gets caught in the crust.

This is the vitamin E oil we use from Walmart's vitamin aisle ~ also on Amazon. Our vet says it's a good treatment on dry chicken skin too ~ face, legs, toes, beak, comb, toenails.

Thank you.

 

[notabitail]

Nearly Lost Hattie Tonight

I think I was at risk of Hattie not surviving until morning tonight.

It started snowing and I was refreshing their water dishes. I noticed that Hattie was not hanging with everyone else in the run. I noticed her laying over by Hattie House in the leaves. She was talking to me when I called her name so I kept up what I was doing. When I was done I went and got my phone to take photos / video of her in the snow.

Here is the video I shot.

Look closely at that video and you will notice her eye is closed. At the time I did not notice.

I tossed some corn in front of her as a pre-bedtime snack and a few kernels struck her. She stood up startled and Lady Featherington ran over to eat the corn. Hattie did not start eating corn. That got me more interested.

I went over and realized that both her eyes were closed and she wasn't opening them. I scooped her up and into the house we went.

Once in the house I weighed her and called Mrs BY Bob over. Her weight was good and craw was full but she was not opening her eyes.

So while I held her Mrs BY Bob forced her right eye open and it stayed open. Once the eye was open, it stayed open and she started acting like she could see. Once she had one eye open it was impossible to get to the left eye to open it. She was not having it and Mrs BY Bob was not willing to fight with her.

We put a Moxifloxacin drop into the open eye and I kept her in the house until she started fighting with me. Then to the coop she went.

She is in the nest box and is moving, grooming, and seems to be ok otherwise. If the left eye is not open in the morning I will get it open and get a drop in it.

I believe that if I had not noticed she would have slept outside in the snow and ice tonight. Who knows if she could have survived that?

I dearly hope Hattie will be alright.

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

I didn't realize how late it was. I came on here to say it was snowing and outside looks gorgeous. More info and chicken pictures tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.

 

[notabitail]

I didn't realize how late it was. I came on here to say it was snowing and outside looks gorgeous. More info and chicken pictures tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.

Goodnight!

 

[BY Bob]

I dearly hope Hattie will be alright.

I pray so.

 

[BY Bob]

Nightie Night

Everyone seems to be sleeping comfortably tonight.