All My Chickens..... a coop opera!

[drstratton]

Thank you. It was on the tip of my tongue but when I typed I kept adding an ‘r’ and I knew it wasn’t quite right!

You're welcome! I know what you mean, that happens to me all the time...lol

 

[WhoDatChick]

You are brilliant with names - all the way back to when I first found you and you got the post changed by the mods as too political. That one was pure genius and so are these!

Awww thank you

 

[WhoDatChick]

I love the names you come up with! They are always perfect!

Thank you!! Naming them is as fun as getting them

 

[WhoDatChick]

Yes. You can send them blood, saliva or even chicken coop dust as a sample.
For saliva or coop dust (they call it environmental) they sell you swabs that look like great big cotton swabs in a tube. They aren't that expensive - though I just looked and prices have gone up.
Blood is more accurate and they sell little vials for that. Getting blood isn't as hard as it sounds - you just clip their toenail so it bleeds and then blot it with that powder (whose name I am blanking on) to stop it bleeding. I think cornstarch works too.
I did an environmental swab as well as swabbing the throats of individual chickens. The environmental swab was the one that picked up Marek's before the individual chicken ones did.

Okay, thank you so much

 

[WhoDatChick]

Yall, these poor babies can’t see a thing! I worry if they will ever find the food and water
Tina seems the most content… Farrah and Dolly look pretty stressed
I might actually attempt to trim the feathers around their eyes…

 

[rural mouse]

Yall, these poor babies can’t see a thing! I worry if they will ever find the food and water
Tina seems the most content… Farrah and Dolly look pretty stressed
I might actually attempt to trim the feathers around their eyes…

I used to trim Thing 2's crest so she could see. Basically took hair cutting scissors, pinched feathers between like for hair with 1 finger laying over the eye so I didn't hurt the eye (and hoping to minimize freak out) and cut. Repeat for other side. Then treat with mealworms, sunflower seeds or other goodies before going back to flock.

Thing 2

Her daughters went to in-laws flock. Granddaughter came to mine in last hatch

 

[WhoDatChick]

I used to trim Thing 2's crest so she could see. Basically took hair cutting scissors, pinched feathers between like for hair with 1 finger laying over the eye so I didn't hurt the eye (and hoping to minimize freak out) and cut. Repeat for other side. Then treat with mealworms, sunflower seeds or other goodies before going back to flock.

Thing 2View attachment 4219680

Her daughters went to in-laws flock. Granddaughter came to mine in last hatch

View attachment 4219679

Beautiful!
I trimmed them! I cut people hair… groom my dogs and cats… so I figured I could trim a chickens do might as well add it to the list I only did a little but it has helped… I will do more next time!

 

[RoyalChick]

Beautiful!
I trimmed them! I cut people hair… groom my dogs and cats… so I figured I could trim a chickens do might as well add it to the list I only did a little but it has helped… I will do more next time!

I really only trim butts!
Looks like Cookie has her topknot out of her eyes naturally. At least for now.

 

[rural mouse]

Beautiful!
I trimmed them! I cut people hair… groom my dogs and cats… so I figured I could trim a chickens do might as well add it to the list I only did a little but it has helped… I will do more next time!

Some of my birds went after Thing when her crest blocked her sight. A blind bird is a threat to the health and well-being of a free-range flock. If I kept her crest well trimmed (not mohawk) she interacted in peace.

 

[rural mouse]

I really only trim butts!
Looks like Cookie has her topknot out of her eyes naturally. At least for now.
View attachment 4219711

That full width in front may need cutting in a smidge towards her beak, but she may be just fine too. Keep an eye on. Thing had the full front with the larger nasal cavity. Her daughters have smaller nasal cavities and the partial crest doesn't spread as much across the beak. Koonj has the larger cavity, but a smaller crest, so I'm in keep an eye on it mode.