California - Northern

[SilkiesForEver]

That is awesome. Miracle for sure!

We're so thankful that everyone did so well. The ewe's name is Lamby, and we bottle fed her since she was 12 hours old. She's so special to us, and I think one of those girls may be named Lamby Jr.

 

[PetRock]

I would keep doing what you are doing and see if she is better in a couple of days.

Laying eggs equals health in chickens. so if she is laying every day, she should be ok.

Are you giving her grit and BOSS? Boss has oils in it that helps with getting the eggs out.

I hope it all goes well with her!

She is getting BOSS sprouted & unsprouted but didn't think about grit. Add that to the list for tomorrow!

 

[PetRock]

I don't know anything about vent gleet - but as long as she has no lice/mites, no worms and can still eat, drink, poop and lay eggs - here's

she gets better soon.

Thank you! I hope that she recovers. She has become so friendly and loves sitting on my lap. I don't want to lose another favorite bird.

 

[Miss Molly]

Some of the big girls checking out the garden beds, looking for dill & cucumber seeds.

I love your raised beds. Looks great!

 

[PetRock]

What I read about vent gleet was that is was the equivalent to women having a yeast infection. Don't want to do a TMI here but most women who have been on a long period of antibiotics get them and well, you walk a little like a penguin.

She definitely has the penguin walk but her vent doesn't look like the pics of vent gleet that I've seen. Maybe I caught it early. I'm going to keep a close watch on that part of her and pick up some yeast infection ointment at CVS if she develops any signs of it.

 

[Chooklet]

Deb - I had a hen with vent gleet once - it is unmistakable. The appearance and odor are unlike anything else that I've seen/heard of. I don't recall any swelling in the abdomen, just the yucky discharge around her vent. I gave here a good soak to clean her up, and then I applied liberal doses of miconazole each evening for a few weeks. The fungus cleared up in a little over a week, but I kept applying the creme for an extra few days just to be sure it didn't return. She was fine after this. Unfortunately she was a victim of the bobcat buffet a few months ago .

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quick question. My mil caught Betty off her nest outside foraging this morning. She said she was outside for at least an hour. But she was back on her nest the rest of the day. Is this normal? Or the eggs junk now? Or is this a sign of a bad broody?

My broodies took advantage of my evening chores and ran off their nests like crazy ladies and when I was done with my chores and my glass of wine, I usually had to tell them babysitting was over, get back to work. There is nothing like watching a broodie run off her nest, sqwauking at anyone who looked their way. Even funnier to see everyone else run when they hear them coming! The eggs actually get cold while they're off, I used the time to candle and count eggs. After my broody experience last year, I think I wouldn't freak so much about changes in the incubator.

Thanks for the link Dian.

Just wanted to share that another of my ewes just lambed 20 minutes ago. She's 7 years old, so we were really worried about her delivery. But, everything went great, and we ended up with two gorgeous baby girls!!

Awe, love watching moms licking her babies. Glad they found the breakfast bar.

sheep! so exciting!
Zoo, I had one set of orph and Marans broodies who used to take an hour off every day to do a HUGE broody poop and scare all the other chickens, eat and get water. They would put their wings out and make this INSANE noise and walk up the sidewalk in the back. Up and down, eat, up and down, eat.... I don't know that they took an hour, but they were off for a fair bit.

They were the only birds sparkles did NOT decide to join going broody with.

How was everyones weekend? We went to wineland and had a lot of fun. Indoor coop seems to be working, but I had a surprise quail hatch today! I was not expecting to out them in lockdown till tonight. One poor baby got her foot stuck in the turner, shes going to need a cup later.

MMMMmmm, where did you go in wineland? Hope the little surprise's foot is OK.

I have a question. A dear friend took in my roo Samson a few months ago. They love him so much. Well a coon got him and he is doing very badly and I am sure he is not going to make it. I collected 4 eggs from her hoping to do something with them. Betty is on day 4 of sitting on her eggs. Is that too many days? Can I make it work in a pinch. They loved that rooster and having a little piece of him would be so precious. *fingers crossed*

I'm so sorry about Samson,

he'll make it. If I didn't have anyone to hatch them, I'd throw them under her because odds are you'll have another broody soon. When my Polish went broody I didn't notice the others were laying in her nest for another week. I let her stay on them until another hen went broody (#5 in a month) and I took her eggs, candled them and gave them to the new broody. I know it's chancy but it's still borderline for your broody if you don't move her and the chicks after they start hatching. My Polish hatched chicks over a week before she gave up to take care of all the chicks, but I didn't move her. The only problem I had was that the new ones were getting trampled. I should have moved some into the brooder. She hatched around 20 but 4 were flattened.

I felt so bad.

I've missed a lot because we've been gone for several days and I'm trying to get caught up on this thread. Just got back from AZ tonight...what a long drive there and back! Glad to be home...lost one chicken while I was gone. Of course it was one of my favorites, but other than that the trip went well.

We took the kids to see the grandparents who live in the "middle of nowhere" but have great views of the desert...the Grand Canyon is just over this "mountain" in their "back yard".

Trisha

Must have been a beautiful drive. If it has to be long at least you had this view for awhile.

Love the chickens Ron. I have been super busy moving. still have to finish moving and finish the runs and bring the chickens.
Very tired. Anyways hope to be on more like normal next week.
My new rooster had a rough wet trip and seems like he is snoring some. I am giving him some Vetrex hope it helps.

So good to hear from you. I'm sure you have one tired farm! Hope some rest helps you all.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I've missed a lot because we've been gone for several days and I'm trying to get caught up on this thread. Just got back from AZ tonight...what a long drive there and back! Glad to be home...lost one chicken while I was gone. Of course it was one of my favorites, but other than that the trip went well.

We took the kids to see the grandparents who live in the "middle of nowhere" but have great views of the desert...the Grand Canyon is just over this "mountain" in their "back yard".

Trisha

Welcome back!

I loved the Grand Canyon, it's spectacular. My grandparents used to have a place in Sun City West.

Update on my penguin walking bird: She laid an egg yesterday and another one today but she is still walking like a penguin. She is eating and drinking plus complaining about being shut in the kennel. Her abdomen seems to swell but after her warm bath, she poops a lot and then lays an egg within a couple hours. After that she is walking with her tail up for a few hours before she starts swelling again. I wormed her and the rest of the flock. I'm giving her yogurt and ACV in her water. Any other ideas? Should I just keep on with what I am doing and pray that she recovers? I did a lot of reading about vent gleet today. Has anyone experienced this in their chickens? Would vent gleet cause the penquin sitting/walking thing?

What about ascites?

 

[juststruttin]

She definitely has the penguin walk but her vent doesn't look like the pics of vent gleet that I've seen. Maybe I caught it early. I'm going to keep a close watch on that part of her and pick up some yeast infection ointment at CVS if she develops any signs of it.

Is her rear end swollen? If so, perhaps she laid internally. You can take a syringe to remove some fluid from that area, if fluid is yellow and murky it is likely a yolk that was laid internally and will eventually be absorbed.

If the liquid is clear, she might have cancer. Ovaian cancer is fairly common in laying hens. If cancer, she will feel bloated and heavy, but she will have a protruding breast bone due to a reduced appetite. If cancer, she will likely get more bloated and heavier but her breast bone will get more obvious. I suggest weighing her and feeling her breast bone for changes.

 

[PetRock]

What about ascites?

Just when I thought that I knew all the illnesses my chickens could get, I hear about a new one. This week, I've learned a lot about vent gleet and ascites! I just wish I didn't have a reason to learn about them. Jewel seems a little better today. I let her out of the kennel for a little while and she stalked around leaving me deposits. She is still walking a little low but her tail is up and she isn't doing the penguin walk. Her abdomen is a little swollen this morning but not as much as yesterday morning. I will give her another bath and keep up the nutritious foods. Thanks for all the support!