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- #18
Thank you, Gloria Jean, I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to probably get some more Stukel Rocks, some old line RIRs and some Brahmas next time I add to the flock, other than an egg or three under the occasional broody hen. You're a sweetheart!
Remember when I said that it looked almost like frostbite in places back on post #8? It didn't make sense that he could have it, though my friend mentioned that when we spoke on the phone, because no one else had it and Ike's comb was okay. Well, I sent photos to my friend in south GA and after seeing good clear pictures of Ike's feet (picture is worth 1000 words) his consensus is that because of his suspected bad circulation in the legs at his age (he does have arthritis in his hock joints, I know that already, especially the right one), he said it appears not to be gout but to be frostbite. Surprises me because no one else in the coop had frostbite and Isaac's comb isn't even really affected *he had a black area on the back of the blade but after rubbing vaseline with cocoa butter on it, it seems back to red again*, but because of the pain in his legs, he's been laying on the floor, which is naturally much colder. I've never had a bird with frostbitten feet, first time for me.
My coop is raised off the ground so winds howl under the floor; in spite of the shavings, it could have been frigid at floor level. We had a couple of nights at 1* with windchills at -15*, which is way below what any of my birds have experienced. Naturally, they were inside for a couple of days until that bad stuff passed by. No one else appears to have frostbite, other than maybe a tiny spot on the back of Rex's comb. We kill ourselves keeping the coops clean and dry inside, but we can't control the weather and the coops are not heated at all, only a couple of those dim red 75w reptile bulbs for heat spots, one over where Ike's usual roost spot was.
He has one toe that is really bad, white and stiff from the last joint to the nail. Unfortunately, it's the middle toe and he may lose that one, or part of it. I'm not sure what will happen with his feet. He's crowing and his poop is super healthy and solid and he's having no trouble standing and walking around in there so I guess I need to get him back with his flock before Rex thinks they're all his and challenges his daddy. But, Ike cannot go out in cold or cold/damp weather until these feet are healed or whatever is going to happen with them happens.
ETA: Today, his left foot appears MUCH improved and the toes that are not bandaged on the right also seem much better. We have one bad toe bandaged with antibiotic ointment on it. That one is the one I'm worried he may lose, which unfortunately, is a middle toe. Otherwise, he's crowing, seems more energetic and happy and wants out.
We let him out in the yard briefly since it's warmer (mid to upper 40's and sunny and dry), then to test the waters, let out the main flock. What I feared would happen, did. Rex challenged him and they started fighting. Isaac plainly cannot do that with his compromised feet and his lessened breathing capacity he's had for the last couple of years since a fungal lung infection over a very bad summer. If we had not separated them, Isaac would have probably just keeled over dead right then and there. We have a solution for it for when Ike goes back, but for now, he still has to be treated daily with epsom salts soaks and ointment until his feet are healed. Then off to Home Depot or Lowes for fencing, posts and wood to build a new ramp and pop door. Thankfully, the coop is not difficult to divide up and we already have a door for the doorway between the original part and the addition, just have to reattach it and add a latch.
I'll do what I can to make the last part of his life a good one. He's a treasure and my good buddy. I'll give Rex the Barred Rocks since Isaac hates them anyway and Ike can have the older hens and the EEs and Tiny, which are his favorites and they love him as well. I think Deacon can maybe stay there with Isaac; the other males can stay on Rex's side.
This makes what happened with his son still a mystery but since his owner also lives in the mountains not far from me and I don't know her coop setup, perhaps he got frostbite at some point as well, hard to say. I'm trying to contact her to see what her vet said about it.
Remember when I said that it looked almost like frostbite in places back on post #8? It didn't make sense that he could have it, though my friend mentioned that when we spoke on the phone, because no one else had it and Ike's comb was okay. Well, I sent photos to my friend in south GA and after seeing good clear pictures of Ike's feet (picture is worth 1000 words) his consensus is that because of his suspected bad circulation in the legs at his age (he does have arthritis in his hock joints, I know that already, especially the right one), he said it appears not to be gout but to be frostbite. Surprises me because no one else in the coop had frostbite and Isaac's comb isn't even really affected *he had a black area on the back of the blade but after rubbing vaseline with cocoa butter on it, it seems back to red again*, but because of the pain in his legs, he's been laying on the floor, which is naturally much colder. I've never had a bird with frostbitten feet, first time for me.
My coop is raised off the ground so winds howl under the floor; in spite of the shavings, it could have been frigid at floor level. We had a couple of nights at 1* with windchills at -15*, which is way below what any of my birds have experienced. Naturally, they were inside for a couple of days until that bad stuff passed by. No one else appears to have frostbite, other than maybe a tiny spot on the back of Rex's comb. We kill ourselves keeping the coops clean and dry inside, but we can't control the weather and the coops are not heated at all, only a couple of those dim red 75w reptile bulbs for heat spots, one over where Ike's usual roost spot was.
He has one toe that is really bad, white and stiff from the last joint to the nail. Unfortunately, it's the middle toe and he may lose that one, or part of it. I'm not sure what will happen with his feet. He's crowing and his poop is super healthy and solid and he's having no trouble standing and walking around in there so I guess I need to get him back with his flock before Rex thinks they're all his and challenges his daddy. But, Ike cannot go out in cold or cold/damp weather until these feet are healed or whatever is going to happen with them happens.
ETA: Today, his left foot appears MUCH improved and the toes that are not bandaged on the right also seem much better. We have one bad toe bandaged with antibiotic ointment on it. That one is the one I'm worried he may lose, which unfortunately, is a middle toe. Otherwise, he's crowing, seems more energetic and happy and wants out.
We let him out in the yard briefly since it's warmer (mid to upper 40's and sunny and dry), then to test the waters, let out the main flock. What I feared would happen, did. Rex challenged him and they started fighting. Isaac plainly cannot do that with his compromised feet and his lessened breathing capacity he's had for the last couple of years since a fungal lung infection over a very bad summer. If we had not separated them, Isaac would have probably just keeled over dead right then and there. We have a solution for it for when Ike goes back, but for now, he still has to be treated daily with epsom salts soaks and ointment until his feet are healed. Then off to Home Depot or Lowes for fencing, posts and wood to build a new ramp and pop door. Thankfully, the coop is not difficult to divide up and we already have a door for the doorway between the original part and the addition, just have to reattach it and add a latch.
I'll do what I can to make the last part of his life a good one. He's a treasure and my good buddy. I'll give Rex the Barred Rocks since Isaac hates them anyway and Ike can have the older hens and the EEs and Tiny, which are his favorites and they love him as well. I think Deacon can maybe stay there with Isaac; the other males can stay on Rex's side.
This makes what happened with his son still a mystery but since his owner also lives in the mountains not far from me and I don't know her coop setup, perhaps he got frostbite at some point as well, hard to say. I'm trying to contact her to see what her vet said about it.
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