Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Rest in Peace my beloved pets.
Roxy
Pepper
Canna Canna
Beebees
Sunshine
Linda Lou
Lisa
Red
Peeps
Daddy Blue
And my MIA rooster BEN

I am truly sorry that you have had such a rough go of it.

 

[BY Bob]

Sure. But leaving early and in a crate would be my preference.

We are in agreement. Sadly sometimes there are true emergency situations where you have to do what you can.

 

[BY Bob]

Me too. So lucky Lozzy!

There are so many people with pet chickens I assumed there were avian vets in every big city. At least in the developed nations.

Sadly that is not true. As I know too well.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

RIP Lucy.

View attachment 2446147

Hugs to you, it is a hard loss to bear!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I don't know anything about iffy eggs, sorry. But chickens go into a penguin pose when they're in too much pain. If she starts doing that, it's definitely time to think about her options. Maybe you can find an avian specialist vet in the meantime?

But perhaps the vet will perform that service for her in due course.

Can you explain "penguin pose" for newbies like me please? More upright somehow?

 

[micstrachan]

That’s awful, I wouldn’t trust myself to do that quick and painlessly. I would rather pay a vet $80 to euthanise peacefully.

And to answer your question; no I haven’t seen anything like that but it doesn’t surprise me, given that they are bred to be little egg factories. Another option is a hormone implant; @micstrachan has had some success with those.

I haven’t seen one of those, either.

And yes, Ruby has done quite well on the implants.

 

[micstrachan]

I don't know anything about iffy eggs, sorry. But chickens go into a penguin pose when they're in too much pain. If she starts doing that, it's definitely time to think about her options. Maybe you can find an avian specialist vet in the meantime?

But perhaps the vet will perform that service for her in due course.

“Penguin pose” usually indicates a reproductive problem, in my experience. Except for Margo, who was doing a weird stance with curved back. A necropsy a year later revealed dorsal egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[BY Bob]

Can you explain "penguin pose" for newbies like me please? More upright somehow?

They stand upright like a penguin when the abdomen is distended and they can't bend over like normal. Their tail drags on the ground.

 

[micstrachan]

Sure. But leaving early and in a crate would be my preference.

Absolutely. Last summer when we were at risk for evacuation, I had waterers, feed bowls, gallons of drinking water and feed pre-packed in my vehicle, along with three dog crates set up and lined with puppy pads, ready to accept chickens at a moment’s notice. I drove around like that for a month!

 

[micstrachan]

They stand upright like a penguin when the abdomen is distended and they can't bend over like normal. Their tail drags on the ground.

Oh, right. I just realized nobody answered the question. Thanks, Bob. I think I have a photo of Rusty doing it. I’ll try to find it...