Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

Blue green eggs your blue eggs like Sjturner says are the ones without much brown coating. In the last part of the oviduct the hen applies the brown coating. Each time she lays an egg she uses some of the coating. After a while in chocolate egg layers the colour drops off from dark brown to light brown. When they stop laying their reservoir builds up again and the next egg will be dark again. It's a matter of palette really - brown and blue make green.

Bedding my home made hay doesn't go mouldy which is why I like it. I normally use straw when I don't have grass and used it for a long time before a friend talked me into grass. I thought it would be too much work. But it works well. The sugar cane mulch is organic and supposedly safe for chickens and other animals. But I don't like it at all. It is like chaff. Hate it and it wasn't the same as I have had before and what I expected. I couldn't get the straw this time when I ran out of grass .

Regions are anywhere not in the major cities. I'm sorry I should have realised that could mean somewhere different to different people. So I refer to the bush, mining communities, outback and even small cities.

cancer was a lifetime ago it seems now and I am well - although not fit as the multiple surgeries and wasting before getting on PTA (intravenous feed) took their toll. Thanks for your comments.

Cheers

I use our hay and have only had an issue with mold once. The rain was running down the back wall of the nest boxes , but a bit of flashing put an end to that.
Hay is very scarce this year and is up to $26 a bale arlready. So I have just purchased 6 bales of ' bedding straw '. I have tried the sugar cane and found it to be very dusty. There are certain things that can trigger CRD , rising ammonia from droppings under the perch, mold spores, dusty food and bedding, even DE is thought to be a trigger.

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

You are all a bad influence .. now I am thinking I need some different coloured eggs also

Actually any eggs at all, regardless of colour, would be a bonus

MyHaven I directly replied earlier to a post of yours regarding your current predicament but wanted to add again that I am so sorry you are going through this and at the loss of your orp

I did not know we had more than one Bird Vet, thank you for advising of the others.

OMG Fancy so sorry to hear about your thoroughbred but wonderful that you had help on hand. I hope he is OK today?

LuckysMum may be you can not get sugar cane mulch because cane toads were introduced to combat the cane beetles and if you do not have the cane beetles, they are not willing to take the chance of introducing either to WA? Granted, I can not see how a cane toad could make it in mulch but it is probably not worth the risk. May be one managed to sneak into a bale and was found in quarantine?

Fancy and MyHaven I am also sorry to read of your health problems and just how bad they have been. I just wanted to echo Anniebee’s sentiment that I am also glad to know you both and yes, you are inspirations to us all.

I had a bad experience with a Chemist .. I will try and cut a long story short but my son had an ingrown toenail for which the doctor prescribed antibiotics before surgery. I returned to the doctor a week later to advise that my son was very unwell [I can not remember if he was coughing up blood or pooping it] and took the antibiotics he had been taking with me.

The Doctor looked at me strangely, enquired if that was definitely what the Chemist had given me and then left the room and came back with a colleague. Turns out the Chemist had not given him the prescribed antibiotic but actually a diabetic medication. I had been reducing my non-diabetic son’s blood glucose levels for a week at the dosage rate of an antibiotic!! Both Doctors could not believe that he was not dead and said the only thing that saved him was his size [he was 6ft 5inches and 100 odd kg at the time].

I wrote to the Pharmaceutical Board [or AMA, I can not remember] and pointed out that the Chemist should have:
1. Queried the prescription with the Doctor if he could not read it.
2. Mentioned the medication and its’ side effects to me when handing it over. Or at least queried if the patient was diabetic.
3. Queried the dosage with the Doctor.

I got a response along the lines of ‘accidents happen’ and nothing was done.

So, do not only question you Doctor, question the Chemist also.

 

[User395221]

So, do not only question you Doctor, question the Chemist also.

You need to be careful questioning anybody. They will close ranks, lie, and attack you.... The best course is to research everything yourself. Every pill, look it up before you put it into your mouth. You might be surprised at the general level of indifference or incompetence out there....

And on that cheery note, maybe they stopped the sugar cane mulch because of price? Why ship something from Queensland when we've got plenty of local product?

 

[Fancychooklady]

You need to be careful questioning anybody.  They will close ranks, lie, and attack you....  The best course is to research everything yourself.  Every pill, look it up before you put it into your mouth.  You might be surprised at the general level of indifference or incompetence out there....

And on that cheery note, maybe they stopped the sugar cane mulch because of price?  Why ship something from Queensland when we've got plenty of local product?  

They certainly do ' pull rank ' over you and act a little ' superior ' at times.
One of my surgeries was a marathon 17 hours and unfortunately I was only 40kg. No one moved me or repositioned me so I ended up with a very nasty bedsore. Weeks later the plastic surgeon decided to ' debride ' the wound after the surgery I nearly bled to death as they had nicked an artery . As it was after midnight the nurse didn't want to disturb the doctor, so hubby told her that she 10 mins to get the ' crash crew ' there or he was ringing an ambulance to remove me from the hospital.
I had to have 3 blood transfusions after that.
So no your rights and name an advocate .

 

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning folks 

You are all a bad influence .. now I am thinking I need some different coloured eggs also   Actually any eggs at all, regardless of colour, would be a bonus 

MyHaven I directly replied earlier to a post of yours regarding your current predicament but wanted to add again that I am so sorry you are going through this and at the loss of your orp 

I did not know we had more than one Bird Vet, thank you for advising of the others.

OMG Fancy so sorry to hear about your thoroughbred but wonderful that you had help on hand.  I hope he is OK today?

LuckysMum may be you can not get sugar cane mulch because cane toads were introduced to combat the cane beetles and if you do not have the cane beetles, they are not willing to take the chance of introducing either to WA?  Granted, I can not see how a cane toad could make it in mulch but it is probably not worth the risk.  May be one managed to sneak into a bale and was found in quarantine?

Fancy and MyHaven I am also sorry to read of your health problems and just how bad they have been.  I just wanted to echo Anniebee’s sentiment that I am also glad to know you both and yes, you are inspirations to us all.

I had a bad experience with a Chemist .. I will try and cut a long story short but my son had an ingrown toenail for which the doctor prescribed antibiotics before surgery.  I returned to the doctor a week later to advise that my son was very unwell [I can not remember if he was coughing up blood or pooping it] and took the antibiotics he had been taking with me. 

The Doctor looked at me strangely, enquired if that was definitely what the Chemist had given me and then left the room and came back with a colleague.  Turns out the Chemist had not given him the prescribed antibiotic but actually a diabetic medication.  I had been reducing my non-diabetic son’s blood glucose levels for a week at the dosage rate of an antibiotic!! Both Doctors could not believe that he was not dead and said the only thing that saved him was his size [he was 6ft 5inches and 100 odd kg at the time].

I wrote to the Pharmaceutical Board [or AMA, I can not remember] and pointed out that the Chemist should have:
1. Queried the prescription with the Doctor if he could not read it.
2. Mentioned the medication and its’ side effects to me when handing it over.  Or at least queried if the patient was diabetic.
3. Queried the dosage with the Doctor.

I got a response along the lines of ‘accidents happen’ and nothing was done.

So, do not only question you Doctor, question the Chemist also.

That would have been a very worrying time for you. At some time during my struggles to stay here on earth I had a real vivid thought of ' oh my god these doctors don't know how to treat me'. That is a really scary place to be. So glad that your situation turned out for the better.
The Apster is heavily drugged so that he doesn't bang around on his leg. His back leg is fully bandaged and hopefully it will stay fairly clean. He's a bit of a handful so the vet will probably have to sedate him to remove the staples, whereas hubby would normally get that job. Too early to tell how damaged he is , but he certainly enjoyed his breakfast, even though it was laced with antibiotics and bute.

 

[Anniebee]

That would have been a very worrying time for you. At some time during my struggles to stay here on earth I had a real vivid thought of ' oh my god these doctors don't know how to treat me'. That is a really scary place to be. So glad that your situation turned out for the better.

The Apster is heavily drugged so that he doesn't bang around on his leg. His back leg is fully bandaged and hopefully it will stay fairly clean. He's a bit of a handful so the vet will probably have to sedate him to remove the staples, whereas hubby would normally get that job. Too early to tell how damaged he is , but he certainly enjoyed his breakfast, even though it was laced with antibiotics and bute.

I have found specialists to be the most worrisome of the lot. They specialise, but don't bother to study anything but their specialty - so are often not aware of the implications of some other disorder that may be happening. Many of them can be very scary. The neurologist I was going to report, changed me ( without blood tests before and after ) to an anti-epileptic drug which shot one of the enzymes in my liver over 700 reading. The top normal reading is 68. ??? He went away on one of his many jaunts, & my then GP who was excellent noticed jaundice - took blood herself and had it couriered to pathology. Organised for me to see the locum neurologist the following morning, who went off his face at the fact that no check had been done for weeks ( via blood test ). He didn't mince words as to how wrong that other idiot was, to have done such a thing. Risked a recurrence of many seizures, by stopping that drug ( have to be weaned off anti-eps ) .... and beginning me on a new one. I didn't go into overdrive with seizures, thank heaven.
I could however, have died of liver failure.

A good GP is like gold. They have to continue to study all phases of medicine, so's they can refer a person correctly for whatever. They also are able to require a range of tests e.g. ultra-sounds, x-rays, ct-scans etc. If say a cystoscopy is required, the good GP will suggest and urge the urologist specialist to do that test asap.

I so hope that your very big thorough-bred, behaves himself and allows full and complete recovery from his 'self-staking'. Gosh, horses can get themselves into some awful trouble, can't they - and being so big, it isn't always easy treating them. Super good to know he is into his tucker. A good sign.

Cheers ........

 

[Anniebee]

I had a bad experience with a Chemist .. I will try and cut a long story short but my son had an ingrown toenail for which the doctor prescribed antibiotics before surgery. I returned to the doctor a week later to advise that my son was very unwell [I can not remember if he was coughing up blood or pooping it] and took the antibiotics he had been taking with me.

The Doctor looked at me strangely, enquired if that was definitely what the Chemist had given me and then left the room and came back with a colleague. Turns out the Chemist had not given him the prescribed antibiotic but actually a diabetic medication. I had been reducing my non-diabetic son’s blood glucose levels for a week at the dosage rate of an antibiotic!! Both Doctors could not believe that he was not dead and said the only thing that saved him was his size [he was 6ft 5inches and 100 odd kg at the time].

I wrote to the Pharmaceutical Board [or AMA, I can not remember] and pointed out that the Chemist should have:
1. Queried the prescription with the Doctor if he could not read it.
2. Mentioned the medication and its’ side effects to me when handing it over. Or at least queried if the patient was diabetic.
3. Queried the dosage with the Doctor.

I got a response along the lines of ‘accidents happen’ and nothing was done.

So, do not only question you Doctor, question the Chemist also.

Teila .... not surprised at the response you got to your letter.

I question my chemist mercilessly. He is a really nice guy, and is always very helpful, even when asked how much krill oil I can give my 31 kg Golden Retriever. He had an answer for that one too.

But I have a tiny suspicion he occasionally tries to hide when he sees me come through the door ....

....

I also look up certain drugs on line, and their contra-indications, and never use medical public forums for that, only the legit. medical sites.

Cheers .......

 

[Anniebee]

Blue green eggs your blue eggs like Sjturner says are the ones without much brown coating. In the last part of the oviduct the hen applies the brown coating. Each time she lays an egg she uses some of the coating. After a while in chocolate egg layers the colour drops off from dark brown to light brown. When they stop laying their reservoir builds up again and the next egg will be dark again. It's a matter of palette really - brown and blue make green.

Bedding my home made hay doesn't go mouldy which is why I like it. I normally use straw when I don't have grass and used it for a long time before a friend talked me into grass. I thought it would be too much work. But it works well. The sugar cane mulch is organic and supposedly safe for chickens and other animals. But I don't like it at all. It is like chaff. Hate it and it wasn't the same as I have had before and what I expected. I couldn't get the straw this time when I ran out of grass .

Regions are anywhere not in the major cities. I'm sorry I should have realised that could mean somewhere different to different people. So I refer to the bush, mining communities, outback and even small cities.

cancer was a lifetime ago it seems now and I am well - although not fit as the multiple surgeries and wasting before getting on PTA (intravenous feed) took their toll. Thanks for your comments.

Cheers

Thanks MyHaven ... for the info. It's the purchased hay from heaven knows where it has been cut, that I was referring to. Your own you know, you dry, and roll ( or pack ), so you know it to be good stuff. Have to wonder about sugar cane mulch, organic or not. Queensland has the cane toad, poisonous little blighters, running around brushing against the sugar cane stalks, which most likely is used to produce the mulch. So have to query whether some of that poison is carried in sugar cane mulch, causing it to be suspect.
Just a random thought there.

Interesting about the colour spray. Unusual situation in my chook 'ouse. Mandy Welsummer has definitely stopped moulting, retains a less than red comb, but I believe has laid the last 3 eggs I have had - maybe others before hand ?? .... Yesterdays egg was sprayed - in 2 large blotches with a delightful terra cotta brown 'paint'. I freaked out at first, thinking it was blood ... but it wouldn't wash off....

. The eggs she is producing are smallish for her. But I am not surprised at that, as I seem to remember that when they come back into lay, they start small. The problem with blue ( or green / olive ) eggs, is that those I give them away to when I have plenty, always request 'some of those blue ones'. !! They are very popular.

As satay suggested, I may just be fortunate to have an ara that came from an all blue-egg-laying hen. When she is back in lay, I will take a photograph ( outside in normal daylight ) of the range of colours she produces, including the blue, from the spray she manages to deliver.

I am so pleased to know that you are cancer free, even though it has understandably taken its' toll. I would imagine that exercise and fitness regimes would be exhausting for you.

Cheers .......

 

[User395221]

hmmmm, this morning, Flossie was sitting in a nest box. She looked "quivery" so I thought she was doing an egg. There was an egg, and I think it's hers.....

This afternoon, she was sitting in a different nest box, and she still looked "quivery" (like her rear end) and she was making little clucky noises. I pushed her out and told her to go and play, but she was back in there again. The only difference was I'd put some fake eggs in the nest boxes (I kept forgetting to take them out there). She can't have an egg stuck or anything if she has laid today, can she? Should I take the fake eggs away? Is she clucky? How do you tell the difference between if a chook is being clucky or has some problem laying? Luckily only Flossie of the "silly" chooks is laying so I know which are Flossie's eggs.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have found specialists to be the most worrisome of the lot.   They specialise, but don't bother to study anything but their specialty - so are often not aware of the implications of some other disorder that may be happening.   Many of them can be very scary.   The neurologist I was going to report, changed me ( without blood tests before and after ) to an anti-epileptic drug which shot one of the enzymes in my liver over 700 reading.   The top normal reading is 68.  ???   He went away on one of his many jaunts, & my then GP who was excellent noticed jaundice - took blood herself and had it couriered to pathology.   Organised for me to see the locum neurologist the following morning, who went off his face at the fact that no check had been done for weeks ( via blood test ).   He didn't mince words as to how wrong that other idiot was, to have done such a thing.   Risked a recurrence of many seizures, by stopping that drug ( have to be weaned off anti-eps ) .... and beginning me on a new one.   I didn't go into overdrive with seizures, thank heaven.  
I could however, have died of liver failure.   

A good GP is like gold.   They have to continue to study all phases of medicine, so's they can refer a person correctly for whatever.   They also are able to require a range of tests e.g. ultra-sounds, x-rays, ct-scans etc.  If say a cystoscopy is required, the good GP will suggest and urge the urologist specialist to do that test asap.    

I so hope that your very big thorough-bred, behaves himself and allows full and complete recovery from his 'self-staking'.   Gosh, horses can get themselves into some awful trouble, can't they - and being so big, it isn't always easy treating them.   Super good to know he is into his tucker.   A good sign.  

Cheers ........   

Yes Annie, he certainly did a good job of it. When we found him he was sitting and we could see the star picket had penetrated but weren't really sure how far in it was. He simply laid his head on the ground and waited for us to cut him out. Rather strange how calm he was, while I was in a flat panic . The vet said that he had been a very lucky boy and no doubt his lack of ' thrashing around ' worked in his favor. Fingers crossed that we can keep infection at bay and that the wires wrapped around his fetlock didn't cut the circulation off for too long. Only time will tell. :/