Consolidated Kansas

[mrsdanamiller]

On your bumblefoot question (should have chimed in earlier).

I have had several chickens with bf.  I lost a roo last year to complications from it.  I have an EE hen who is 3.  She was treated (we did the surgery twice) for the first time when she was about a year old.  It comes back periodically.  That said, she is still laying 4 eggs a week or so and seems healthy.  One of her feet was swollen for several months.  We had the best luck doing the surgery and then after the bandages were removed, I made sure the roosts were clean (not easy in the winter) and sprayed her feet at bedtime with vetercyn for an extended period.  We used the liquid wound care stuff in the spray bottle.  It isn't cheap, but for some reason the ph changes that it causes seems to help with the healing.

We dug around in her feet (yes both of them) and got out all the stuff we could, but there was no real "head" in one of them.  I then used triple antibiotic ointment and iodine (clear), and used a bit of gauze over the wound and wrapped it in vet wrap.  There are good instructions for wrapping the foot over in the illnesses thread.  I left them wrapped until the vet wrap looked really nasty and then unwrapped them at bedtime and treated with the vetercyn.  When I checked her feet the next morning, the spots had healed over, so I didn't re-wrap them.

We did this again last summer, but I'm not going to do the surgery on her again.  She is a really good girl and easy to treat, but I'm not going to put her through it again.

I have had more success with a couple of others that were treated at the same time as her first surgery.  In those birds, it wasn't as far along, and they cleared right up with the first surgery.

My theory is that bf is way more common than most people think. I think my girls picked it up when they got stuck with thorns from a tree in our yard that drops branches occasionally.

Just my opinion and experiences.

Thank you for that. I'm not sure what to do. I watched a video on bf surgery and was going to do it, but went to Atwood's to get the supplies and the antibiotic that the person suggested was $100 bucks alone not including the other items. I do value and care about my chickens, but um..over $100 bucks for a chicken that cost me $10 that is still laying and isn't suffering??? I just don't know. She walks on it just fine but doesn't stand on it if she is just stationary for a while. What do you guys think? Like, ethics-wise. I'm leaning toward checking on some penicillin and foregoing surgery, but how do you guys feel about culling if she starts to suffer instead of doing surgery? Just throwing out questions...

 

[chicken danz]

Thank you for that. I'm not sure what to do. I watched a video on bf surgery and was going to do it, but went to Atwood's to get the supplies and the antibiotic that the person suggested was $100 bucks alone not including the other items. I do value and care about my chickens, but um..over $100 bucks for a chicken that cost me $10 that is still laying and isn't suffering??? I just don't know. She walks on it just fine but doesn't stand on it if she is just stationary for a while. What do you guys think? Like, ethics-wise. I'm leaning toward checking on some penicillin and foregoing surgery, but how do you guys feel about culling if she starts to suffer instead of doing surgery? Just throwing out questions...

I'd just give her penicillin G. It is cheap.. like btwn $10 -$16 for a bottle but you would have to inject it. A small bottle would last forever because you give very little. I'd check BYC for dosage or send a message to JosieChick and see what she advises.

Trish, so glad you got a better prognosis. I just hope you don't need knee surgery as well after this. One step at a time.
I'd better get busy. I've been dawdling all morning and need to go feed and water and then get those roosters to town.
It's totally wet outside. The fog is still here and there's water sitting from it.

 

[Trish44]

I'd just give her penicillin G. It is cheap.. like btwn $10 -$16 for a bottle but you would have to inject it. A small bottle would last forever because you give very little. I'd check BYC for dosage or send a message to JosieChick and see what she advises.

Trish, so glad you got a better prognosis. I just hope you don't need knee surgery as well after this. One step at a time.
I'd better get busy. I've been dawdling all morning and need to go feed and water and then get those roosters to town.
It's totally wet outside. The fog is still here and there's water sitting from it.

Yep me too, I had a knee surgery on that same knee two years ago for a torn meniscus, I hope I didn't do further damage to it. Since I have arthritis in both knees I think I'm just more prone to injury than someone who doesn't have that. I have to get things settled down with the swelling & inflammation first & then we'll see how it goes.

It's been foggy here too, but it's now clearing up & the sun is coming out, what a welcome sight that is.

mrsdanamiller, depending on where in Haysville you are it is about 45 minutes to my place. We're on the northeast edge outside of Winfield.

 

[cherwill]

Wow. I didn't think I'd been away that long, but it's been over 40 posts and five pages!

I have no idea what's going on any more. Hopefully I can catch up when I have a little more time. I hope everyone's staying warm and well.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Anyone have any ideas how to keep cats from feasting on chicken feed all day? I have 4 cats and the minute the hen door is open, they think it is a free buffet. I can't keep the hen door closed because the chickens need access to the coop for eating/laying... Is there anything I can put in the feed that the cats won't like but won't harm the chickens?

I'm getting in the spring mood and finding that having too much time on my hands is not a good thing lol

 

[KsKingBee]

Anyone have any ideas how to keep cats from feasting on chicken feed all day?

Chicken feed is a lot cheaper than cat food, count your blessings.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Chicken feed is a lot cheaper than cat food, count your blessings.

That's a good point I don't usually feed my cats a whole lot - but enough (and twice a day) ... I want them out hunting.

 

[22qZoo]

This one is always hanging out with the chickens ,but it's the dogs that I have a hard time keeping out of my FF bucket. Not the worst thing I guess, our 9yr old Lab mix's coat looks better this year than it has for a few years.

 

[Trish44]

This one is always hanging out with the chickens ,but it's the dogs that I have a hard time keeping out of my FF bucket. Not the worst thing I guess, our 9yr old Lab mix's coat looks better this year than it has for a few years.

When I'm doing the feeding, which I'm not right now of course, I have a hard time keeping all of my cats out of the FF, they love the stuff & I noticed some of them have really shiny coats too. My cats tend to share treats with the chickens out in the yard when I bring them things. They're all right in the middle of the chickens eating right along with them.

Well I sure am finding out my limitations right now. Since I got the walker today I have wanted to overdo it & my body slaps me back & tells me no you can't do that. It takes a lot of energy to move yourself around when you have a broken leg, I'm finding that out.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

This one is always hanging out with the chickens ,but it's the dogs that I have a hard time keeping out of my FF bucket. Not the worst thing I guess, our 9yr old Lab mix's coat looks better this year than it has for a few years.

I think I need to just accept the fact that you can't control cats I have 4 "barn cats" that hand out around my place and the coop, steps, with the dogs, etc.. and I also have a lot of feral cats that I don't see. Our local humane society has a feral cat program - they fix, immunize and microchip feral cats that are not pet quality. I take a lot of those cats; they are free and simply need a homeowner willing to release them on their property. We have quite a bit of land and a 2nd property as well now. The cats take care of themselves and I've never seen them again after releasing - but, they're out there somewhere eating rodents!