Bullying, Bathing, Runts, and Handling Hens

[Farmer Viola]

Quote: Well, IMO the cleaning was necessary because of how badly it was affecting her feather growth. She was so matted when we brought her home that no feathers had even begun to grow on her entire stomach up her rear and near/under her wings in the back. I couldn't spot it because I wasn't used to looking at chickens, I guess. I realize now how severe it was, especially since the feathers are now starting to grow in. The other chicken had a less severe case, with the drippy butt of vent gleet, and I'm fairly certain that both the birds I have bathed do in fact have gleet. I'm going to back off the bathing now that their condition is improved. I didn't know that water was bad for them, I found the vent gleet cleaning instructions here on BYC.com? It's a 7 day treatment plan with ACV, acidophilus, epsom salt (I haven't done that..) and bathing.

Incidentally, acidophilus is not a "pharmaceutical" drug, it's a probiotic. Probiotics are live microorganisms that may confer a health benefit on the host, including humans! Probiotics may beneficially affect the host by augmenting its intestinal microbial population beyond the amount already existing, thus possibly inhibiting pathogens. It's sort of a "booster" for her gut flora so hopefully she can fight off the bacteria infection (yeast) she has. It can help improve the overall health of even non-affected birds.

ACV can be given to chickens as an overall health booster as well (more acidic diet = less chance of yeast developing), regardless of vent gleet. Again overall health (sorta like garlic).

I'm not sure which part of their treatment has been non-natural other than forced baths...

Here is the article I read on how to deal with it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt It's pretty specific on the types of treatment and the duration (bathe each day for 5-7 days).

I am open to any additional suggestions you have for treatment

Quote: Of course I understand it is my preference. I would much rather have friendly pet-hens than livestock. It sounds like we have different methods and goals, and that's all right

 

[Farmer Viola]

Quote:
My pullets were raised on a farm where they were purchased as eggs and raised without their mothers. They had a huge barn with it's rolling door open to a huge field so they could go in and out as they pleased. They were raised with 1,000 chicks initially, there were 100 by the time we got them at 14 weeks. There are 60 still left, we inquired when we started considering adding to the flock.

Cersi did close her eyes too while "purring" in my hand, and Lightning relaxed enough in my hand to close her eyes, too. I don't know if they're actually sleeping or just relaxing a little like you said, I noticed Cersi's comb goes pale when she sleeps/relaxes.

The only way Runty ever gets treats is if I hold her, lol. The other girls are just too aggressive and get to it first, she tends to give up easily. So she loves coming inside because she gets all the treats to herself and actually might be the most tame and least afraid of me.

Understood on the outdated info (asbestos, lol) - I can probably decipher which information not to use. I'm a huge fan of doing things naturally anyway, so it seems like a valuable resource I will use for a long time. We are raising cattle off-site so some of the info on other species will be of use to me, too.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Some pictures

You probably can't tell, but the larger two reds have the improved butt feathers (far left and right Reds).



The chicken coop! The hen house has real roofing on it to protect from Oregon rain, and the walls will soon have weatherproof siding on it as well. The "A" frame in the middle is movable, they like to perch on it and hop up to the higher racks! There is a stump to hide behind, 5-gal feeder and the PVC is a watering system with chicken nipples that my SO built.

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Don't know what the crest going pale means as I've not seen that unless in illness, but she is only young, and if it colors up again when awake it could just be because she's relaxed. I think they only do that purring thing while almost-asleep, but it's certainly a happy behaviour. About the hens felling asleep in your hands, sometimes I had chickens (usually roosters for some reason) who fall asleep when held so quickly and deeply that when you try to put them down they go splat, just fall on their heads. Makes everyone feel guilty, lol!

Quote: My little sister had a 'hand held' chicken once, a mix breed hen, she'd just walk around with the hen held in her hand all relaxed and aim it at grasshoppers up in the bushes, etc, and the chook would just lay there eating when brought close to bugs. Hilarious.

Thanks for the photos, they seem to have quite a nice place. About washing them, it can be necessary sometimes, but some people think they need washing like a dog or whatever and that's not healthy for them. I don't think you're overdoing it in the circumstances. Best wishes.

 

[ellend]

I guess I'm the sole dissenter about bathing: Maggots LOVE a wet poopy butt. They can eat your bird / rabbit / kitten / alive. As long as they're warm, a pre-soak (can be done with a spray bottle) to soften things up, and then a quick "butt-bath" will keep them maggot free. You might also take a VERY CLOSE look around their vents, and between their vents and breast to see if they have mites, which also contributes to poopy-butt--but it's normally dry, crusted on poop.

Taming: a lawn chair amongst the chickens while you have your tea, coupled with treats sprinkled around your feet, helps for several reasons: FOOD, proximity, and shade and hawk protection while they mill UNDER your chair. You are big, you are giving them treats; they act as though they feel safer. Offering bites of YOUR food will soon have you fending them off in order to get a bite of your own lunch...

Picked-on birds: Make sure they are getting adequate access to food and water. Sometimes the weakest are kept from eating and drinking by the others, as you've seen with the treats. I don't know if giving them special feeding in the sight of the more dominant birds would increase aggression from the dominant ones, or not. Maybe others can weigh in on that.

Careful about keeping low-ranking birds separated from the flock for long (long to chickens can be just an hour or two) because they might be severely trounced when you "reintroduce" them to the flock.

Hope the vent gleet clears up quickly! Good luck!

 

[KLLEETRUCKING]

Very nice thread. Good luck Viola. BTW, excellent writing skills.

 

[penelopebianchi]

We have indoor cats who love to watch the chickens. Do not let the chickens out with the cats out. Chickens are birds......cats are hunters. Chickens cannot defend against cats. The cats will probably kill them!

"Poopy butts" can kill a chicken if you don't get it off! It plugs up their pooping!

Penelope

 

[DebbieAndrade]

I have 8 hens and 3 cats and a lab! Everyone gets along fine! The hens finds chasing cats around the yard is quite a fun game. Our dog lays in the garden with the hens. They enjoy pecking the hair between his toes. Our cats are outside farm cats. When I introduced the cats to the hens. I watched them carefully, I've never seen an aggression from the cats. Our hens are a year old and the cats are 3ish. I guess, what I'm saying is it depends on your cat(s). When you do introduce them if the cat starts to stalk, throw some pebbles or such at the cat. The cat will get the message! Hoping you will have perfect harmony with your hens and cats!
Debbie

 

[[email protected]]

Cats and chickens. We have a lovely tom..Monty, who loves sleeping in our nests (made of tyres with shredded paper and chaff). It started with a mice plague and it was a competition between Monty, the chooks, ducks and geese. Now, with the chicks, he just watches them and Mum watches him.
With the bullying, I've always noticed that hen bullying stops when a rooster (even a very young one) is brought in. However, there always seems to be the need for a "Top Dog..or chook" as the case may be. Keep chooking!

 

[Farmer Viola]

I guess I'm the sole dissenter about bathing: Maggots LOVE a wet poopy butt. They can eat your bird / rabbit / kitten / alive. As long as they're warm, a pre-soak (can be done with a spray bottle) to soften things up, and then a quick "butt-bath" will keep them maggot free. You might also take a VERY CLOSE look around their vents, and between their vents and breast to see if they have mites, which also contributes to poopy-butt--but it's normally dry, crusted on poop.

Thank you! I too feel that it was necessary in their extreme case. I think poop was being blocked, and feathers were DEFINITELY being blocked/prevented from growing -- not to mention the festering white infection oozing out their bums.

They're doing a lot better now, their feathers are filling in and looking like soft down - my SO can't recognize them! I bathed them in warm soapy water (dawn dish soap), soaking them in the water for 10-15 minutes to soften the poop while I would clean their butts with my hands. I tried not to get them completely wet, mostly just the poop covered areas. It was a lot of work to remove the dried poop off them, either while soaking in the water or in my lap. Once poop free, they'd get rinsed off in clean, warm water, and I would blow dry them afterwards. I am way more familiar with chicken vents and rear ends than I ever thought I'd need to be!


Quote: How funny, I sit outside in my lawn chair with my coffee every morning! I put it about 12 feet away from them sometimes they'll run up to me from a distance (chicken running at you is the cutest thing ever!) expecting treats. The girls were climb/hop/flying all over my chair while I was inside today, too funny!


On cats -
We have two cats, one is indoor/outdoor and the other is an indoor cat who is just starting to explore the back porch. Only. As in, he won't go any further, and if he sees a bird, he runs back inside the house and cowers under the bed. Some predator he is!

The indoor/outdoor cat is neutered and pretty non-aggressive, he does catch mice occasionally but is more of a fat housecat than a Tom cat when you see him. He has had the most interaction with the chickens so far, and he's been so good with them! He spent a lot of time watching them from afar, and we kept them caged for the first 2 weeks they were here. Once, when they were free ranging, he thought he could sneak in their coop, but tiny Squinter was inside and she CHARGED him with her wings out and he bolted across the field! Running from a tiny chicken! I'm not sure if he was just startled, or truly intimidated, but it was the funniest thing ever.

I actually think that the cat is trying to protect or watch over the chickens a little bit. Maybe I'm imagining it.. but he isn't stalking them like prey, so I am relieved!