Recent content by Downton Eggy

  1. Downton Eggy

    Tophat Fun (one roo, one likely pullet, and one ...um ..???)

    You two were right. "She" started crowing this morning -- right in front of me.
  2. Downton Eggy

    Tophat Fun (one roo, one likely pullet, and one ...um ..???)

    These three Polish Tophats came from the same hatch of eggs. The white & caramel one we know is a roo. He's been crowing for a week now and yesterday tried to cover one of the laying hens -- at nine weeks old -- so he's got his mojo on. The little dilute brown is almost certainly a pullet, I...
  3. Downton Eggy

    Companion advice for 9-week old Silkie w/disability

    I have very good luck with silkies and Polish Tophats befriending disabled chooks (I take in hospice/special needs animals).
  4. Downton Eggy

    Companion advice for 9-week old Silkie w/disability

    I am still around! Truffle the silkie and Teacake the Buffy had quite the little bonded love story for about six months. But Truffle's disability worsened to a full-blown neurological disorder the following summer. She died in her sleep, leaving a mostly grown Teacake behind. Teacake went on to...
  5. Downton Eggy

    Chick crowing at 10 weeks?

    I had two 8-week old Silkie Roos start trying to crow at that age. They set each other off, too. Sounded like rusty door hinges.
  6. Downton Eggy

    Best Chicken Breed as a Comfort Pet?

    I train community care (comfort) animals that visit care facilities, schools, etc. and have had wonderful good luck with lap-sitting Buff Orpingtons (see my avatar), Polish, and silkies. All best finding the right companion chook!
  7. Downton Eggy

    Long-term support for probable Marek's survivor--recommendations?

    She's actually sitting on it in the picture I posted. But you can't see it because the "roost bar" sits in a crate. She's actually sitting elevated on a rolled towel roost perpendicular to her body, while there are towel bumpers on either side of her body to stabilize her.
  8. Downton Eggy

    Long-term support for probable Marek's survivor--recommendations?

    Can you explain your net sling? What kind of net did you use? When we've tried slings before, it was the leg-holes-cut-in-a-towel kind. The hens seemed comfortable, but if they moved much at all, they could get twisted up in it.
  9. Downton Eggy

    Long-term support for probable Marek's survivor--recommendations?

    She does not. We have out the others in slings and had some problems with them struggling and sometimes getting twisted up in their slings. We have a sort of padded roost bar system that allows her to sit like she's roosting, while supported with bumpers so she doesn't fall over. We've been...
  10. Downton Eggy

    Long-term support for probable Marek's survivor--recommendations?

    All hens that passed were purchased. Three from same breeder. The other two from two different hatcheries. The breeder whose hen we believe brought it in now vaccinates, so I suspect other purchasers reported the same problem. We do have vitamin and electrolyte supplements in the water. Poultry...
  11. Downton Eggy

    Long-term support for probable Marek's survivor--recommendations?

    This is Bubble. She is the fifth hen across a year that we've had present with symptoms that seem a lot like Marek's. All developed the classic splits, and three of the five started out with a limp and curled toes on one foot. The four prior to her all died within 13 days of their first stagger...
  12. Downton Eggy

    Bumblefoot? I think so, but...

    Yes! So glad to see you post this. Epsom Salts is what we've been using for the soak. We call it her Spa treatment, that long soak, and she seems to love it! But I've never seen the poultice. Good to know. Though she is not limping or favoring that foot at all, I do notice it is much warmer...
  13. Downton Eggy

    Bumblefoot? I think so, but...

    No chicken vet anywhere near, but I have soaked her feet and have begun a non-invasive treatment, wrapped it, and she stamped off, quite happy. Today took off wrap, re-soaked in Epsom Salts, treated both top and bottom areas of foot a second time with gentamicin (syringe w/out needle directly...
  14. Downton Eggy

    Bumblefoot? I think so, but...

    ...looking for informed opinion. Hen is not limping; pad is not hot or sore to touch. But there's this ... I think I see a cut and a "kernel" on the bottom of that foot, but not sure. Spot does NOT wash off. Your thoughts and recommendations welcome! Thanks so much from this sweet hen and...
  15. Downton Eggy

    Eating issues for Buff Orp with hurt leg

    The toe is not visibly swollen. In fact, nothing about it looks at all abnormal about the entire foot. She is still hobbling now, at almost 3 weeks. We think we know why she stopped eating, though. She was on the anti-inflammatory Metacam for 5 days, at the vet's chicken dosage, but on the 5th...
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