BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Arielle]

There is an active thread here on BYC too.

DUe to having horses I keep basics around: gauze pads, bandaging tape and vet wrap. I've found these to be good bandages for the feet as the vet wrap holds the gauze in place well. Penny scissors are good for cutting the gauze and tape and vet wrap to mini sizes.
Had a rooster keep his bandage on for several weeks . . .

@ armourfirelady-- I shut off the auto correct on my new phone-- drove me nuts. Apparently I use too many words it doesn't know. lol

 

[armorfirelady]

There is an active thread here on BYC too.

DUe to having horses I keep basics around: gauze pads, bandaging tape and vet wrap. I've found these to be good bandages for the feet as the vet wrap holds the gauze in place well. Penny scissors are good for cutting the gauze and tape and vet wrap to mini sizes.
Had a rooster keep his bandage on for several weeks . . .

@ armourfirelady-- I shut off the auto correct on my new phone-- drove me nuts. Apparently I use too many words it doesn't know. lol

I have found when I treated it that cutting the corner of a sandwich bag and putting in 3 toe holes you can slip the baggy over the gauze to keep it clean & dry. I then wrapped it in vet wrap & used duct tape to secure it. The tape & vet wrap got dirty but the gauze under the baggy stayed dry & clean. And this was during a time when the yard was mud & it rained a lot

 

[hellbender]

I have found when I treated it that cutting the corner of a sandwich bag and putting in 3 toe holes you can slip the baggy over the gauze to keep it clean & dry. I then wrapped it in vet wrap & used duct tape to secure it. The tape & vet wrap got dirty but the gauze under the baggy stayed dry & clean. And this was during a time when the yard was mud & it rained a lot

This is information from a very experienced person who keeps a relatively small BY flock and it makes sense for her and others to take the time to deal with caring for the problem in this way but I hope others understand that we just have too many birds and other tasks that makes it so best for us to utilize the afflicted bird in another way, unless it would be one that had high priority in one of our schemes. A bird in the laying flock would be culled.

 

[bramblefir]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I'll be treating both pullets this weekend and crossing my fingers that they heal well. Right now they have it very mildly - just the telltale round black scab and no swelling. I may have DH put a roost up in one of the stalls so I can keep them penned up while they have bandages on. The rest of our flock is quick to attack anything with a bandage.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also have a small flock...but I "think" I learned something about the bumble foot issue.

IT IS MY OPINION....
Based on my experience, I have come to realize that much of what people treat as bumble foot doesn't seem to need to be treated at all. I think that on these forums there has been a lot of information about it and that we all got very concerned when, at times, we didn't need to be concerned at all.

I had one that showed the spot on the foot about 2 years ago. When I examined her, she did have some active infection and I did treat with success. But the infection wasn't actually where the spot was and I was never able to really remove a core, etc.

A couple months later, I noticed others of my birds had spots but no apparent infection. No symptoms of pain, etc. I left them alone and there was no issue whatsoever. Those birds are all still alive and healthy and with me today.

I was of the impression that if there was a black spot I needed to ACT RIGHT NOW... but I don't believe that's true after having observed my own small flock. I actually believe I may have done more damage to the first bird by prodding around trying to fix something (where the spot was) than I helped. The obviously infected areas responded quite well to the treatment I used and she is still happy and almost 3 yo. But if I had it to do again, I would have left the spot alone unless it was obviously infected.



Bumblefoot is due to an injury - as @hellbender and others have pointed out and I don't see if as a weakness. So if I start to have those issues, I start to look around for ways that they may be getting injured.

In my case, I had one of those wooden ramp thingies with the cross boards for them to get in and out of the hen shed. Upon observing, I realized that they almost always slid down it rather than being able to walk down it. I finally realized that was what was injuring their feet. When I replaced that with "stair step stumps", there were no more injuries.

So....the point of this is:
1. If I don't see active infection I take a "hands-off" approach. EVEN IF THERE IS A BLACK SPOT.
2. If there are spots at all, I look for and try to alleviate the source of the injuries. PREVENTION. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.

Here's my prevention for my particular situation. They can stride right up and down them into the house. Even little chicks can hop from log to log. (Had some old wood that wasn't fit for heat on the property that had been cut down years ago and left so I used those.)

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:
Yes sorry I should of stated I have only 7 hens. But if I had as many as you and others have I surely wouldn't be able to treat them. Actually the hens I treated still has a scab & I have decided not to treat it unless she seems to be in discomfort.

I also have a small flock...but I "think" I learned something about the bumble foot issue.

IT IS MY OPINION....
Based on my experience, I have come to realize that much of what people treat as bumble foot doesn't seem to need to be treated at all. I think that on these forums there has been a lot of information about it and that we all got very concerned when, at times, we didn't need to be concerned at all.

This is my opinion as well. After having the birds for awhile I learned that watching poop, feathers, wet birds, clean dishes, etc were nothing to be concerned about it unless it caused injury or was bothering the hens.

 

[RedRidge]

 

 
I have found when I treated it that cutting the corner of a sandwich bag and putting in 3 toe holes you can slip the baggy over the gauze to keep it clean

This is information from a very experienced person who keeps a relatively small BY flock and it makes sense for her and others to take the time to deal with caring for the problem in this way but I hope others understand that we just have too many birds and other tasks that makes it so best for us to utilize the afflicted bird in another way, unless it would be one that had high priority in one of our schemes.  A bird in the laying flock would be culled.

Yes sorry I should of stated I have only 7 hens.  But if I had as many as you and others have I surely wouldn't be able to treat them.  Actually the hens I treated still has a scab & I have decided not to treat it unless she seems to be in discomfort. 

 
I also have a small flock...but I "think" I learned something about the bumble foot issue.

IT IS MY OPINION....
Based on my experience, I have come to realize that much of what people treat as bumble foot doesn't seem to need to be treated at all.  I think that on these forums there has been a lot of information about it and that we all got very concerned when, at times, we didn't need to be concerned at all.

This is my opinion as well. After having the birds for awhile I learned that watching poop, feathers, wet birds, clean dishes, etc were nothing to be concerned about it unless it caused injury or was bothering the hens.

Well said...
Merry Christmas everyone.

 

[LindaB220]

Hello all, hope your holiday was great. Mine was.

I'm gearing up my production starting in January. First order of business is going to be 30 ISA browns from Townline. Shipped to my place for $100.50. This just so happens to be the amount of my DD Christmas check to me. Woohoo. I have a dozen Marraduna Basque eggs on day 9 in the 'bator right now. And one more purchase will be a couple of dozen Lavender Australorp eggs at the end of Jan. The Basques are going to be my hobby. Pets. I probably won't breed them this year. The quality is not what I want. I'm going to concentrate on the Blosl/XW cross (White Rocks) I'm going to be breeding. And I hope to sell many of them.

I've decided to start with Azure organic feed the first of the year also. I want to be able to advertise the extra quality in the birds and eggs. When we bought this land fifty years ago it was the back of beyond. Literally. Now, Shreveport/Bossier City is growing so much and new subdivisions are going up right and left. I have 5 or 6 new subdivisions within 2-5 minute drive from me. Upscale. And I believe that they will be happy to pay $4-$5 per doz. WE SHALL SEE.

 

[DesertChic]

I just set my first eggs EVER in the incubator! I'm so excited! And nervous...and...impatient. I can't wait to see those little NN Turkens pick their way out of those eggs.

 

[ronott1]

I just set my first eggs EVER in the incubator! I'm so excited! And nervous...and...impatient. I can't wait to see those little NN Turkens pick their way out of those eggs.

What incubator do you have?