Recent content by cate1124

  1. cate1124

    Review by 'cate1124' in article 'Chickens and Snow'

    A good primer for newbies, with useful reminders for veterans. I would add that older hens, like older people, are less resilient to temperature extremes. I sometimes use oil-filled radiators to heat near the roost on extremely cold nights (low teens, single digits). They are safe, throw a nice...
  2. cate1124

    Comment by 'cate1124' in article 'Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!'

    Thank you for this thorough, educational and entertaining article! I am fortunate to live in semi-arid Colorado, and additionally to have a deep double garage, the east half of which serves as a spacious coop. The garage door faces south, so I can open it -- talk about removing a wall! -- to...
  3. cate1124

    Need help dosing meloxicam

    Now, I'm belatedly responding to you. If Meloxicam helps and you do not think she has long left, I'd just use it, agreeing with your priority of keeping her comfortable for however long she has. Meloxicam is, actually, the RX anti-inflammatory of choice for backyard hens, considered safe at...
  4. cate1124

    Comment by 'cate1124' in article 'Molting: All You Need To Know'

    Helpful article; thank you. When I was a chicken newbie, I was concerned about my barred rock, who was walking as if she was drunk. In fact, she had so many pinfeathers emerging between her legs and on her undercarriage that she was extremely uncomfortable. From what I've read and experienced...
  5. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Sprouting is underway! Although her appetite is small and deranged -- brown rice continues to be a favorite -- she is forming poops better. In observing her more closely and reviewing the video, I can see her ankle is not bending as it should; it will not accommodate the right angle with the...
  6. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thanks so much! As luck would have it, I bought lentils yesterday, and I have on hand broccoli and alfalfa seeds specifically for sprouting. So I'll get that operation underway today. Good ideas (and good thing I'm retired, so I can devote my life to my chicken :)). I've got very nice kale in...
  7. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Yet another update, only because folks were so kind to show interest and concern. This is a video of Charlotte a few days ago; this is as long and as successful walk as I have seen her make. You will see the curled toes on her historically deformed right foot and how she is using the affected...
  8. cate1124

    Black Australorp died unexpectedly please help me understand why

    You are most welcome. I think many of the difficulties these hens experience are due to intensive breeding to produce, produce, produce. Consider that wild birds have perhaps 2 or 3 clutches a year, and only during spring/summer. So perhaps a dozen or 18 eggs, total, in a given year. While we...
  9. cate1124

    Black Australorp died unexpectedly please help me understand why

    I'm responding very late to this, and you've already gotten answers from some of the best on BYC to your question. So, really what I want to say to you is: These things happen, and they're awful. Heartrending and heartbreaking. It is our nature in the aftermath to question what we did wrong...
  10. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thanks so much; the concern, companionship and encouragement of fellow chicken keepers means a lot to me, especially at such a time. I offered her the "torpedo" mix on a plate this morning; she demurred. I've added some garlic to it and left it in her cage along with electrolyte water while I...
  11. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thanks for this thorough and kind response, Jesse Lee. She was getting 3.75 mg meloxicam once a day, which was within dosing protocol of 1.6 mg/kg every 12 hours (my vet prefers once a day); one evening she got an additional 1/4 tab. During the six days she was on it, her appetite decreased...
  12. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thank you. I've offered both ND water and plain; will try electrolytes tomorrow. You would not believe the bounty of treats I have offered, including tomato, grapes, strawberries, brown rice, cornmeal mush, egg, hamburger, earthworm, sunflower chips. Dampened mash, of course. She will get up...
  13. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    I appreciate the suggestion, truly, but do not want to force feed her, and there is no popping anything into her beak without holding and forcing her, injured leg and all. I thought her appetite had improved yesterday, with time passing since her last dose of Meloxicam; today, it's again pretty...
  14. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thank you; that's a good idea. I'll dig around for some earthworms, as we've had quite a bit of rain. Yesterday, she seemed more interested in food; today, again not. This is a difficult rollercoaster, between the injury and inappetence. She's been off meloxicam for several days, and I...
  15. cate1124

    Appetite stimulants for old injured hen?

    Thanks. She has never had chicks nor gone broody. Before this happened, the sweet old girl was getting on the nest occasionally; just no eggs left to deliver! I do intend to have her with her flock as much as I can.
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