Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I have come across some anecdotal evidence of people successfully using benzocain for bumblefoot surgery. I've not found a paper on it. I have found where veterinarians have mentioned to other vets using topical lidocaine when treating prolapse.

I feel like this may be an old wive's tail. I have found it stated with great emphasis, like it is absolute, that any "caine" (lidocaine, benzocaine, etc.) will kill your chicken. However, I can't seem to find an origin story.

I would not want to have my topical lidocaine sucked in through a wound that is bleeding heavily because it can effect the heart. However, you can apply it and let it soak in and dry, then do whatever you need to with I believe minimal risk. At least based upon what I have found so far.

Again, no one should take what I am saying as gospel. I have not gone to vet school.

I haven’t read through it yet, but this might be a good read.
http://www.ivsajournals.com/article_3628_f14489575e73d63501ee820381ad1119.pdf

 

[micstrachan]

Dogs aren't chickens, so, here's my very first chicken tax! ..... Excuse me! I don't care that there are 5 other best boxes, I want this one! View attachment 2511958

That looks like a very pristinely clean set up!

 

[Cynthia12]

Really? Do they do the same? I don't have a lot of experience with horses.

Circles..one goes after the other, moves them to next hay laid for them, bossy one keeps the circle or back and forth going.

 

[micstrachan]

So glad to have my work week over. It has been pouring rain all day. Came home to a very local power outage :/ seems to just be part of our neighborhood, been about an hour and a half now. Utility trucks are around trying to sort it, hopefully soon. There is one family member I haven't introduced yet that doesn't like to get cold! View attachment 2512242this is my iguana miss Ruca, she is 13 (12 in this photo)

So she can be warmed up in warm water? Clever idea!

 

[Kris5902]

Do you have chlorhexidine to prep the skin with?

Long term out of stock or its no longer available in Canada. I can’t tell which as Walmart still has the shelf tag up but I haven’t actually seen any since I started looking in early 2019. I’ve also checked pharmacies but the closest I’ve found were the chlorhexadine sponges the Dr prescribed for DH’s most recent pacemaker replacement (I knew I should have asked for some extra sponges). I have a sterile saline “wound wash” yeah, I know, distilled water would be about the same, but it does sort of squirt out of the can which is helpful. I have a Hibitane soap the vet sold me (at a higher price than the human one, too!). I thought I was getting chlorhexadine or betadine, as I specifically asked for that and the liquid was pinkish, but the vet trip day was a little stressful and hectic, especially with the baby goat addition to it.

I do have a ton of 90% isopropyl alcohol on hand. It’s not Covid buying, I use it for surface prep (like when resealing the trailer or before silicone caulking) and I did a bulk buy back in 2017. I plan on washing with the soap and warm water thoroughly, then doing a dip in the alcohol and letting it dry to sterilize the surface as best I can.

The chlorhexadine is on the “list” of always check for so hopefully they have it at one of the mainland stores, but I’m not holding my breath for it.

 

[Scrambles83]

Good evening crew
A quick question for you all:
At what age would one switch from a grower crumble to layer pellets?

Might be a silly question but pullets this young (13 weeks) are new to me and I want to be sure I’m doing it all correctly

 

[RoyalChick]

Ok, not exactly mugshot Monday pics, or even cute and decent ones. DH has to take BIL in to the Big City (Vancouver) to do some “paperwork”. Apparently, he needs someone to hold his hand while he does it (shoot, when the weather clears I’m so going to need to get out there and start taking more chicken tax pictures... I can feel it!) so I’m on my own for the next two days, and we were scrambling to get everything set up before he leaves with our only currently working vehicle. As we were cleaning and changing Roostie’s dressings, BC Ferries finally got back to Andrew about the car accident on their property over six weeks ago that took out the driver side mirror on my truck. I took that opportunity to grab a picture of why we are delaying the lancing. This is one and a half days worth of walking about “dirt” (read poop) I had already washed his other foot.View attachment 2512316

and his foot opened up a little on the bottom as well! It’s like a crack and mostly ingrained dirt... but I’m cleaning, applying antibiotic ointment and covering with gauze and watching for necrotic tissues (I think some of it might be) or any further signs of infection. This is new... I’m thinking maybe the Tylosin and the drawing ointment are working differently on the issues? View attachment 2512315
It didn’t look like this two weeks ago at the vet or even that I could see on my last bandage change. Also the excessive redness you see in his good foot is mostly bleeding color from the bandage. And he started picking at the “new” (green) color right away! As for closing the wound after we lance it (I thought I had quoted the question, but my internet is buggy again) I was just going to bring the edges together and wrap it with gauze and the vet wrap to hold it “together”. Maybe use some medical tape. We do have superglue, but I would rather avoid using it if we don’t have to. It’s a play it by ear situation at this point.

If there are other suggestions on supplies please let me know and DH can hopefully source them while he is in town!

If there is a cavity you don’t want to seal the skin. Better to pack it with gauze and let his tissue fill it in. Closing it up risks trapping infection inside.

 

[RoyalChick]

Do you have chlorhexidine to prep the skin with?

If that is a crack it may not need lancing. Could maybe pull the gunk out through that crack.

 

[LozzyR]

Good evening crew
A quick question for you all:
At what age would one switch from a grower crumble to layer pellets?

Might be a silly question but pullets this young (13 weeks) are new to me and I want to be sure I’m doing it all correctly

I’ve never used pellets; I give my girls Red Hen 17.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good evening crew
A quick question for you all:
At what age would one switch from a grower crumble to layer pellets?

Might be a silly question but pullets this young (13 weeks) are new to me and I want to be sure I’m doing it all correctly

Only when they start laying. Or never, and just give oyster shell on the side so they can top up their calcium.