Coffee's ready...

[StupidBird]

Ha Ha! Chickie Fever! My DH had to tell me multiple times to "put the chicken down" at our first poultry show - a cage got knocked over and the cutest little banty hen races down the isle past me and under the tables. I scooped her up and she snuggled right into my arm like she'd just stay there all day. Oh my! Cute overload! DH has taken to calling me "mother hen".

 

[Kismet]

Good morning, everyone. It's been a mad few days, but I have been reading all your doings.

One of my pullets has a big mushy softball in her chest. Has anyone ever heard of that. Some kind of growth that is now preventing her from getting up on the roost. I've been sitting here reading my chicken health book, to see if I could find the symptoms listed. And in the dark outside, I hear the wind whipping cold rain against the windows. Seems like a cheerless morning today.

Tonapah, send some of that warm dry desert air this way!

 

[Opa]

That "softball" is probably just her crop full of food.

 

[Kismet]

Quote:
Thanks, Opa. But wouldn't that feel hard? And why would it keep her from climbing up to the roost?

 

[karl lutz]

Morning chicken wranglers,
Kismet you can feel around on your hen and see if that is food. Ifyou feed her grain you will be able to feelthe ruffness right through the skin and feathers I believe. 9 eggs yesterday I rewarded them with a pumpkin. It was only skin this morning.I always see a great horned owl watching my flock when I close up the coop at night. This morning I heard the bugger when I opened up, hope it was done hunting. Probably would have to get desperate to go after the chickens ."I hope"! Tonopati congrats on the new younguns. I have a new grandson as of last night at about 9 ( cst). My wife and I cannot even go see him because of the restrictions this hospital has on visitors about the swine flu bullcrap! Have a great day!

 

[Opa]

I don't think the crop should ever feel "hard". If it is hard it would mean that the food is not passing thru and impaction is imminent.

 

[mamagardener]

Good morning everyone.

Kismet, how is your chicken? Did the "softball" in her chest go down?

Well it is soooo dark, it seems like in just a few days it started to stay dark later.
At least it is not raining anymore. Yesterday when I went out to take care of the chickens it was raining so bad that even with a rain coat on I got wet. I will take sunny and cool anyday over rainy.

I need some coffee......

 

[texasgal]

Need ..... some ..... coffee ......

 

[karl lutz]

Good morning Chicken Wranglers,
Had to take dad to the hospital this morning. He couldnt breath ended up pneumonia. They did not keep him as the chemo and the pneumonia has his resistance down too low and he might contarct something worse while he is in there. My brother in law will keep a watch on him tonight and my daughter has the duty tomorrow then mom should be home. She is at a quilting competition in Iowa right now. She has a quilt in national comp. right now I believe. Good Day to All.

 

[Kismet]

Hello all. It is actually evening, and I'd love a cup of coffee but I don't want to be up all night. I just came from doing a postmortem on my hen who had the softball size crop. It's the first autopsy I have done on a bird (I've done several on sheep), but I had Gail Damerow's Chicken Health Handbook by my side. I read, my DS cut. I really love it when you open up and animal and all the organs look just like the picture in the book - I think I have a feeling that someday I'll open up an animal and the kidneys will be up next to the heart or something. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, the crop was full of grain and grass and the opening to the stomach was clear. So at first, it was a real puzzle. All of the organs looked good - nice pink lungs (she didn't smoke, it was obvious), dark brown liver, no blotches. The last thing we opened was the intestines and we found roundworms. Tons. With the scalpel, we scraped the lining and then stirred it in a glass of water. You can see them swimming around. I think her intestines had become blocked so nothing she ate was passing through, so her crop was just getting bigger and bigger with food. Anyway, we are worming everyone tomorrow! I am sorry she died, but I learned so much from her that I am very grateful to her.

I hope I didn't spoil anyone's breakfast.

Karl - I am sorry about your dad. But what an honor for your mother! To be in a national competition, you have to be really good! I'd love to see her quilt.