Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Cynthia12]

Ok guys, I tried but failed. I can't catch up. I want to post some cute photos of my last hatch of Australorps. They are so hardy! Already. I had 9 go into lockdown, 7 hatched. Some are going to a friend today so hurried and did a photo shoot. I'm pretty sure I have more girls than boys. Keeping the one with a lot of white on the face, she's pretty mellow. Another with two white places on the head is also mellow. The eyes on Australorps are so sweet looking..as adults too. They will be all black of course..as you know.

A lot of fluffy butt ones.

 

[Cynthia12]

What a day. It was beautiful out. I sunburned my shoulder a bit.

So poor Dorothy has declined. I have her her on enrofloxacin and calcium, as she keeps dropping soft eggs off the roost and doesn’t feel well. I’m very concerned. I might try her on an implant, too, but I cannot afford to keep two hens going on hormone implants indefinitely. This is hard.

Ruby had a relatively good day. She was almost as active as everyone else. It was warm, so the whole group was a bit subdued. In the cooler part of the day, she was just as active as her friends.

Minnie, not so much. She had a droopy tail most of the day. I’m worried about her, too.

With Minnie’s symptoms, the pullets having very pale combs and several having watery, slimy urates, I think something is going around the flock. Today I wormed them all with albendazole, except the two on enrofloxacin, who will get it later. I had never wormed my flock before, but something is going on, as I have too many birds who are not right. Tomorrow they’ll start on Corid (Amprolium) water, too. I had gotten away from throwing meds at everything, but I’m feeling a bit desperate.

The worming was quite the production. I decided to dose the liquid into little bits of bread, roll the bread into little balls, and pop them in. For some, it was easy. Others struggled. It took TWO bread bites for each chicken, so I would have to hold one somewhere while I dosed the first. I’d get a chicken between my criss-cross-apple-sauce legs, lean over her, grab her head and pry the beak open with the other hand. I’d hold the second bread ball between my lips. But my little thief, Flo, kept trying to steal them! One time, she jumped OVER a patient and grabbed a bread ball right out of my mouth! Despite the challenges, I eventually finished the task. A few of them even ate it readily.

I have been doing the bread method with Dorothy and Ruby, too. When I went to dose Ruby, we were swarmed. I wasn’t too worried, as the antibiotics are smaller volume and only require one piece of bread... no need to hold one in my lips. Well, Ruby fought me hard, and the next thing you know, her head and neck were gyrating in the strangest fashion! For a moment, I feared she had broken her neck and was dying. I was quite scared! I stroked the back of her neck and she snapped out of it. So strange! I will be sure she is away from the others for the remainder of her treatment doses. I’ll keep a close watch for wry neck, too.

So please think positive thoughts for Dorothy, Minnie and Ruby this week. If worms and/or coccidiosis are at play, I’m not sure when I can expect (hope) to see some improvement. Ester also isn’t laying. Dorothy, Minnie and Ester were raised together (by Cashew) as chicks, and I find it suspicious this age group seems to be struggling the most right now.

Sorry about the rambling and thanks for reading our woes! The good news is they got lots of free range time this weekend.

Found it! Best thing ever for ...

 

[Cynthia12]

Live this guy... knows his stuff...

 

[micstrachan]

Are the pullets laying?

Pullets, yes. For the second youngest age group, Ester is not, Dorothy isn’t making shells and I’m not sure on Minnie’s status.

 

[micstrachan]

Is this..if..it happens often? I know my hens will throw a shelless egg every now and again. Was told they just do this every now and again.

For poor Dorothy, this is an ongoing issue. Treating with calcium used to resolve it. Not so much now.

 

[Cynthia12]

Pullets, yes. For the second youngest age group, Ester is not, Dorothy isn’t making shells and I’m not sure on Minnie’s status.

Oh..pullets usually do this. Not always. Some will throw one only, some more.

 

[Cynthia12]

For poor Dorothy, this is an ongoing issue. Treating with calcium used to resolve it. Not so much now.

How old is Dorothy?

 

[micstrachan]

Found it! Best thing ever for ...View attachment 2628425View attachment 2628426

That’s the stuff I’m using.

 

[Cynthia12]

That’s the stuff I’m using.

Oh good.

 

[micstrachan]

How old is Dorothy?

Less than two years old. And the soft eggs have been coming on and off since at least last summer when she was one. I’ve probably fried her kidneys with calcium. Poor baby.