The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Beekissed]

I'll tell you a little secret. I raised three boys by myself all these years and I think every single parent has this little fantasy of a time when they can finally do something for themselves...maybe travel, lose weight(yeah, right), have a clean house that stays clean, a quiet moment when no one wants something from you.

Finally, the boys all flew the nest and I had the house to myself! It was wonderful! It was neat and clean! It was quiet and peaceful! I had all the time in the world to do anything I wanted!


Flash forward a few months and I found out the truth about a rich fantasy life....reality always hits you smack dab on the nose where it hurts the most. It wasn't wonderful. The house was TOO neat and clean...I found myself leaving messes for a few days so that it would look like someone lived there. It was TOO quiet. I could hear the clocks ticking...loudly. The time that I had was empty of laughter and movement and the things I wanted to do the most involved spending time with my boys.

Then the multiple car wrecks and work injuries that pretty much made mulch of my spine finally became too much to bear after years of working in pain and I found that I couldn't do my job properly, couldn't lift anything like I had always done, couldn't drive for long without my feet going numb and needly, couldn't turn my neck without getting dizzy and wanting to throw up. Ick. I couldn't do my job anymore and had to quit that kind of work. All those years of being needed by my patients and now...nothing.

Got rid of all my animals and traveled a little, looking for something to do and be where people needed me...couldn't seem to find the right thing.

Yeah...I'm about a year and half into being stuck with no one to care for...still looking for the right place to be and the right thing to do with my life. I'm a person that likes to be busy and to feel like I'm helping folks. You can probably tell by how much time I'm on this site now that I have time on my hands. I've been working since I was 14 and now, no job of any consequence.

Feeling useless has become the reality of my wonderful, free, me-time life....ironic, huh?

I'll sort it out and find the zone...but until then these pitiful chickens will give me a new project to do that doesn't require a major shift in the universe to accomplish. My mid-life crisis comes down to a few featherless birds!

Oh, the bitter sweet irony!

 

[off-grid hen]

Yay for sunshine, green tomatoes, and dirt! And thanks for answering most of my questions.

Edit-I meant to quote your previous post, but I'm sure you knew what I meant.

 

[vickiw]

Dear Bee;
stumbled across this thread but I do not believe it was an accident. I have been nurturing 4 hens I "rescued" from circumstances similar to what you found your beloved flock. Foolish to take them I know, I was just looking for a few hens to start a small flock (had chooks many many MANY years ago at another home) for as I like to say, "eggs and entertainment". I had answered an add in the paper, at a farm in farm country. Called the guy, said he had he guessed 400 to start but had less than 100 left. The rest is a long story but short version when I got there (delayed due to finishing my coop) there were only a few left. When I saw where he had kept that many birds I got sick, angry, sad, ............... another "nice" fellow, who DIDN'T know better but found out too late and was just trying to get out of an out of control situation. Old barn, 2 wired off areas no more than 8 by 12 each against one wall (the back of the barn pretty much gone). One cage for the older birds (he said they were about 18 months) the other for 9 month olds. since I was one of the last to come I really don't know what he had removed but I saw no roosts, no water, just a large empty pan on the floor I assumed was for food, and one 8 hole metal nest box on the wall. I should not have taken any of these Black star "rejects" but I did. This was last May. Actually once they got healthy enough to tell I found one was a very broody Aussie mutt! Anyway, the "lost a fight with a lawnmower" pretty well fit these poor girls. Because of crowding, stress, feather picking, etc. none of them had feathers on their butts, tail feathers were gone, etc. on all but one who was in very good shape making me think she might actually have managed to somehow switched cages and was probably younger. Miraculously no body had an serious infestations at least but their overall health was horrible. Two had serious gleet. (one since is fine, the other still "leaks" after all efforts and I expected her to die but she is still otherwise happy and looking healthy even after recently surviving an internal egg break which by her looks had me thinking if she was alive in the morning I might have to do the kind thing for her) These hens had never touched grass, never been able to dust, never just stretched out in the sun. It has been such an amazing experience watching them do all these things, each for the first time. I did exactly as you have done. I put them into their new "digs" and watched them weakly stare at the straw, the roosts, the nests with fresh hay like they were trying to figure out what the heck all this stuff is.I saw them, so quiet, so sad. It was close to dark so I left them. In the morning they had perked up some but I still had my doubts if any would survive. Then it stuck me. If they only survive for one day, it's going to be one day being a chicken and I threw open the pop hole. Took them a while to sneak down the plank and into the protected run and huddle in the warm sun shining against that side of the coop. They soon were stretching in the sun just like yours and I left them to enjoy it. That side had some very soft, loose sandy soil and when I checked back later the dirt was flying!!! It made me laugh out loud because they looked for all the world like children that had just discovered their first mud puddle!

I eventually had to put an end to their fun an shoo them back into the coop so they would eat and rest because the poor girls visibly cramping up from the exercise! They all went to roost that night, even the sickest one seeming content. the next day when I opened the pophole out they came! Still not braving too far from the ramp but exploring and as I watched them later I heard one purr for the first time. Anyway, lots of ACV and TLC later and they are all doing well. Still a ways to go, with some feathering in yet (just finished their molts) and still a couple red butts, but they shine in the sun, come running when they hear my voice and love terrorizing my herb garden. Oh, and miss "Broody butt"? I gave a rather feeble attempt to break her brood (just couldn't bring myself to be too mean to her and she was VERY determined!). My neighbor found her duck up in a hay pile sitting on chicken eggs so she "stole" them and came running over to my place and we shoved them under her! Lo and behold, one I candled wasn't viable but the other 2? Within a week one didn't make it out of the shell but the other is a healthy 4 week old running happily after "mom" who turned out to be a very good mom in deed

.

My point in taking so much of your time telling you my story is this. I plan to follow your thread faithfully because I am sure I will learn so much that will help these girls. Like I said earlier I not had chickens for many years and never had to deal with sick or malnurished ones. I am sure there is so much more I could be doing for these ladies such as I have been feeding them the best commercial feed and lots of greens and other healthy "yummies" but I am not familiar with "fermented feed". Could you please take the time to educate this novice? sounds like just the thing for my girls with cold weather coming on up here (actually talking snow flurries tomorrow night, Brrrrr!)

Your newest fan, Vicki

 

[normanack]

You are helping more people than you could possibly imagine right now. And you will reach even more when you write your book(s). I trust that you will find your own way to whatever calling is yours at whatever point in your life.

 

[Beekissed]

You are helping more people than you could possibly imagine right now. And you will reach even more when you write your book(s). I trust that you will find your own way to whatever calling is yours at whatever point in your life.

Thank you and bless you, Normanack!

Vicki with a W, thank you for your story! How similar to mine! It was good to read it and good to know your birds made it through to the other side of the road. What an amazing story and I'm thinking there are many folks out there like us...just trying to right the wrongs, one bird at a time. Or two or three or a dozen or so..at a time.

I started this thread for Attila the Hen...she has a few birds that have real bad worms and wanted to get them back to where they started~and she will not cull for hardiness, so something needed to happen. I couldn't help her because I'd never had any birds that had that problem...I could tell her how to prevent it but not how to correct it so that it stayed corrected. Now I do. No visible worms in the feces but still..these birds have many problems that have the same root cause as a high parasite load.

God provided this opportunity for me to learn, so that others may learn and maybe to help some miserable birds out there. Maybe there are many folks out there with this problem who are looking for the same solution as you and I...a healthy way back to normalcy.

 

[bruceh]

all i can say is wow

 

[ChristineR]

Very interested to see how this plays out. I prefer to keep things as "natural" as possible, but do use dewormers, lice powders. etc on occasion.

Great thread!

 

[sdsmowen]

I already feel like i've learned a ton! thank you so much for sharing this knowledge. I have subscribed and wish you well in your journey with your birds.

 

[JNB]

Once again Bee I will be following a thread of yours with great Interest and my learning Cap on.

.... I always perfer to use prevention first and then a natural treatment if needed. Its kinda hard to find that information though. So I am very excited to learn from this thread.. I hope as much as I have from the FF thread

I have 17 Chickens I adopted from a garage sale last year.... the owner had been ill and passed away. There was a friend caring for the lady during her illness. she also tried to care for the Chickens but cost and knowledge were issues.. When I came across them they were "huge" bloated.. from being fed all parrot food and loafs of bread.. they were confined and there were remains of other chickens in the pen with them....

.. They looked healthy minus the bloat but.. were dirty and had not been laying for some time. I felt bad and brought them home... Made them a "Temporary " pen... LOL temporary because I wasnt going to keep them... Well I still have them all... Healthy and laying eggs every day...

I didnt find the health issues like you did with your birds. Mine were suffering from nutrition and diet issues and I was able to fix that by easing them onto layer and scratch over a couple weeks time. I did start them out on pumpkin, yogurt and cottage cheese the first few days... I also gave them fresh Goats milk.. that is some awesome stuff to help set the gut right and give a nutrition boost. I did gave to clean them all up and do some trimming on toenails and bottoms to remove hardened balls of poop/mud. There are 2 bantams in this group one of which looks to be pretty old. She was in the worse shape.. She was quiet, still and in a daze.. Sort of like she was in shock. I added some sprigs of lavender to the Box she was hiding in and I gave her her own water with a little dropper of B vitamins... She perked up after a few days. A naturopath told me about the B vitamins to use them if a bird was hurt, or had trauma. Small doses or diluted in the water helps with shock .. Ive used it a couple times now and had good results.

I have to say its a great feeling when I go out to the coop and see them get excited because they know they are gonna get to go outside in a natural Chicken setting and watch them act like silly birds.

I wish you all the best with your birds and like I said I ll be reading and learning.... and commenting if I can

 

[babymakes6]

Dear Bee;
stumbled across this thread but I do not believe it was an accident. I have been nurturing 4 hens I "rescued" from circumstances similar to what you found your beloved flock. Foolish to take them I know, I was just looking for a few hens to start a small flock (had chooks many many MANY years ago at another home) for as I like to say, "eggs and entertainment". I had answered an add in the paper, at a farm in farm country. Called the guy, said he had he guessed 400 to start but had less than 100 left. The rest is a long story but short version when I got there (delayed due to finishing my coop) there were only a few left. When I saw where he had kept that many birds I got sick, angry, sad, ............... another "nice" fellow, who DIDN'T know better but found out too late and was just trying to get out of an out of control situation. Old barn, 2 wired off areas no more than 8 by 12 each against one wall (the back of the barn pretty much gone). One cage for the older birds (he said they were about 18 months) the other for 9 month olds. since I was one of the last to come I really don't know what he had removed but I saw no roosts, no water, just a large empty pan on the floor I assumed was for food, and one 8 hole metal nest box on the wall. I should not have taken any of these Black star "rejects" but I did. This was last May. Actually once they got healthy enough to tell I found one was a very broody Aussie mutt! Anyway, the "lost a fight with a lawnmower" pretty well fit these poor girls. Because of crowding, stress, feather picking, etc. none of them had feathers on their butts, tail feathers were gone, etc. on all but one who was in very good shape making me think she might actually have managed to somehow switched cages and was probably younger. Miraculously no body had an serious infestations at least but their overall health was horrible. Two had serious gleet. (one since is fine, the other still "leaks" after all efforts and I expected her to die but she is still otherwise happy and looking healthy even after recently surviving an internal egg break which by her looks had me thinking if she was alive in the morning I might have to do the kind thing for her) These hens had never touched grass, never been able to dust, never just stretched out in the sun. It has been such an amazing experience watching them do all these things, each for the first time. I did exactly as you have done. I put them into their new "digs" and watched them weakly stare at the straw, the roosts, the nests with fresh hay like they were trying to figure out what the heck all this stuff is.I saw them, so quiet, so sad. It was close to dark so I left them. In the morning they had perked up some but I still had my doubts if any would survive. Then it stuck me. If they only survive for one day, it's going to be one day being a chicken and I threw open the pop hole. Took them a while to sneak down the plank and into the protected run and huddle in the warm sun shining against that side of the coop. They soon were stretching in the sun just like yours and I left them to enjoy it. That side had some very soft, loose sandy soil and when I checked back later the dirt was flying!!! It made me laugh out loud because they looked for all the world like children that had just discovered their first mud puddle!

I eventually had to put an end to their fun an shoo them back into the coop so they would eat and rest because the poor girls visibly cramping up from the exercise! They all went to roost that night, even the sickest one seeming content. the next day when I opened the pophole out they came! Still not braving too far from the ramp but exploring and as I watched them later I heard one purr for the first time. Anyway, lots of ACV and TLC later and they are all doing well. Still a ways to go, with some feathering in yet (just finished their molts) and still a couple red butts, but they shine in the sun, come running when they hear my voice and love terrorizing my herb garden. Oh, and miss "Broody butt"? I gave a rather feeble attempt to break her brood (just couldn't bring myself to be too mean to her and she was VERY determined!). My neighbor found her duck up in a hay pile sitting on chicken eggs so she "stole" them and came running over to my place and we shoved them under her! Lo and behold, one I candled wasn't viable but the other 2? Within a week one didn't make it out of the shell but the other is a healthy 4 week old running happily after "mom" who turned out to be a very good mom in deed

.

My point in taking so much of your time telling you my story is this. I plan to follow your thread faithfully because I am sure I will learn so much that will help these girls. Like I said earlier I not had chickens for many years and never had to deal with sick or malnurished ones. I am sure there is so much more I could be doing for these ladies such as I have been feeding them the best commercial feed and lots of greens and other healthy "yummies" but I am not familiar with "fermented feed". Could you please take the time to educate this novice? sounds like just the thing for my girls with cold weather coming on up here (actually talking snow flurries tomorrow night, Brrrrr!)

Your newest fan, Vicki

Here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds