Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Thank you. However, Margo’s necropsy said she DID have Marek’s. It said she did NOT have tumors, but evidence of a “background infection” based on microscopic review of the nerve caps. The thought was her Merek’s compromised her immune system, allowing the bacterial infection from dorsal egg yolk peritonitis.to go septic.(On a side note, they did not diagnose egg yolk peritonitis until microscopy revealed egg yolk protein.) Bagheera died two weeks later with no mention of Marek’s in the necropsy. However, her cause of death was obvious, fatty liver hemorrhage, and there was no microscopy done that I can tell. Some good news is that Ruby was negative for Avian Flu and Bagheera was negative for Infectious Bronchitis.

Since not not one of three necropsies has had Marek’s tumors, I feel I still don’t know for sure if it’s in my flock. Maybe I should just trust thst it’s there based on Margo’s necropsy.

We know Margo and Rusty had egg yolk peritonitis. I suspect Dorothy did, too, since she was mostly Leghorn, laid soft eggs, and presented the same as Margo (Leghorn), like she had a septic infection (I was unable to get a necropsy done based on the timing of her death). As yiu know, Ruby had cancer.

I think it may mostly come down to poor genetics of hatchery stock. Bagheera’s death was likely my fault, as she had abundant fat stores.

Sorry about the long post. Just thinking it all through. Thanks for allowing it!

Oh I am sorry - I somehow missed the point about Margo's necropsy.

 

[RoyalChick]

Excellent news. I'm delighted. I'm delighted that you've had the courage to take inn the information I've given, delighted that it worked and you have felt the stuff in the crop and applied enough pressure to not just break it up, but feel that it was happening.
I do this three or four times a day with hens with slow crop problems. The vast majority of crop problems start as slow crop. It's a matter of realising there is a problem before it develops into sour crop and putting in the time to get things moving.
It takes on average three days of routine crop massage and water flushing to clear a crop ime. You will know that thhe crop hhas properly cleared because when you squeeze the bottom of the crop the two sides of the crop will flatten enough for you to feel the little nodules that line the crop walls.
All the chickens that I've crop massaged seem to enjoy the feeling. They must be able to feel that stuff is moving.
Once you are confident that the crop is clear; poop checks help here, give the chicken some live yogurt. This will help to put the correct balance of bacteriia back in the crop.
Well done RC. As you can see, you can do this and being able to do this and see that it works will give you cinfidence for the inevitable next problem.

Thanks Shad. I don't think we are out of the woods yet by any means but in slightly good poop news, her poop did have some brown poopy stuff in it over night. Still largely liquid but previously it was nothing but water. Now she has left a heap of brown stuff under the roost.
I will repeat the coconut oil and massage during the day - I wasn't sure if I should do that or only do it when the crop is down to residual content first thing in the morning.
Also, do you agree that her weird dancing is her attempt at crop clearing?

 

[Blazinga]

I don't know if it was color or flavor but it was an unambiguous preference! The store only had fruit punch or lemon flavor so I got fruit punch. I am skeptical that she really needs it TBH because when I let her out she does go scratching around outside and eats stuff (not commercial food of course!).
I really need to learn this whole keel bone thing. I felt all of them this morning and they all feel the same degree of sharpness. Is it possible I am starving all my chickens? I don't even give them much in the way of treats so they mainly have commercial food and what they forage.
I do give kitchen scraps and I use sunflower seeds to bribe them to come in to be locked up if I am worried about hawks or am going to be away and once a week they get my left over Thai food rice.

My teacher who hatched out my first two sets of chicks said that as long as they are not broilers you will always be able to feel the keel no matter their weight.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks Shad. I don't think we are out of the woods yet by any means but in slightly good poop news, her poop did have some brown poopy stuff in it over night. Still largely liquid but previously it was nothing but water. Now she has left a heap of brown stuff under the roost.
I will repeat the coconut oil and massage during the day - I wasn't sure if I should do that or only do it when the crop is down to residual content first thing in the morning.
Also, do you agree that her weird dancing is her attempt at crop clearing?

I don't know obviously but it would seem probable. If it stops as the crop clears I would call that proven unless anothher problem comes to light.
I never had a coop camera so I rarely saw what went on at night. I did stay in a couple of the coops overnight but of course, how they behave when I'm there and what they get up to when I'm not, are probably very different.

 

[RoyalChick]

I just watched this to try and learn more about how to assess the chicken's keels. Everyone is going to be subjected to another keel exam later!

And yes, I did spot it is from the land of drop bears!

 

[bgmathteach]

It was the same thing every year. Hard to watch.

Very hard to watch! I feel so bad for the hard molting girls, but it is nature...not much you can do but monitor and support with food choices and plenty of cozy spaces to both keep warm & 'hide' from others

 

[rural mouse]

I've responded...but have a question.

Most of my young'uns (1.5 yrs.) hard molt, most of my older ones, in the past, much slower. This year, however, almost everyone is hard molting - including my girls that are 4.5 years old...and off feed somewhat during the worst of it. Has anyone else experienced this (older hens hard molting)? I am wondering if it has to do with our weather. Still haven't had any frost, never mind a killing/hard frost - not even below 42 degrees at night yet! Extremely unusual. (usually have our first light frost by mid Sept.) I am thinking that no cold delayed molt some..and shorter days triggered it. (i.e. without both triggers , molt delayed, and then came on hard when their body suddenly said 'oh, s***, time to molt, lets get on with it")??

Distinct possibility. It would make sense for multiple triggers to affect them. Mine started moulting july/August in the extreme heat. The pullets hit 12 week moult and I found lots of their feathers, but kept finding larger feathers from the adults too. Can stress (Like the dog attack) cause them to moult too? Do they have good weather sense (Like the farmer's almanac)? Can they sense early or extra nasty winter like wild critters seem to be able to? Do they grow in extra fluff ?

 

[rural mouse]

Was it in the grass, coop floor, etc.? I'm trying to picture how you stepped on it. That had to be very disappointing.

I didn't step on it. They did. It was inthe smallest nest box like the white one from the weekend. I tossed it. Then went, "oh, I should have kept part of the shell to inspect in better light." Guess what I'll be doing once daylight is good....45-60 min as it's still DARK, with a hint of color.

Coop usually opened about now on work days....they're all like: you want us going out in that?!
Combined with: ummm, it's dark out here.....

I'm all: stay in, go back to bed (turning off heat light), I gotta leave for work so prepping everything for y'all. just remember, y'all gotta get to the scratch before the magpies do or go find other stuff to eat.

 

[rural mouse]

Yes, this is the second one. And Ruby’s final report just had that Ruby’s cancer was even more widespread. No mention of Marek’s.

Good news on the Marek's front, not good from the what's going on with the girls front.. You kept her comfortable and she knew she was loved.

 

[BY Bob]

Abject Fear

I got my coffee this morning and headed out to supervise and visit with everyone this morning. It is a spectacular day. Not a cloud to be found, brilliant blue sky, warm sun, it just couldn't be nicer in the fall. I expected to find the littles cheeping away scratching around and the big ladies scratching away under the magnolia tree.

What greeted me was dead silence and nothing moving.

No song birds,no chickens, nothing. My heart sank.

I found the 6 big girls huddled under the apple trees, not moving. Stark still.

My heart sank. The littles!

I ran to The Hut, hoping they had stayed inside like they normally do in the morning.

They were not there. Still not a sound at all in the yard. Where will the littles.

A frantic search started. I could not find them anywhere. I searched for the tell tale white of the poofy heads as they blended in so well with the leaves, etc.

Nothing.

Then I saw floofy head. Thank God! But it was only 1. I had found Legertha but no Sylvie to be seen.

Legertha was hunched down in this corner alone, quiet, and unmoving.

I figured that if Sylvie was still around, she would be nearby. I searched frantically but could find no sign of her.

As there was no predator around that I could see, I peeped at Legertha. Hoping that I could get a reaction that might spark a reaction from Sylvie. In my heart I was already certain that she was gone. Or else she would have been with Legertha. After a couple of peeps from me, Legertha peeped back and got up. I must of said the right thing?

Legertha got up and started peeping frantically and went under the grapevines like she was looking for Sylvie.

I followed. Here is what I found.

Spoiler: Sylvie

Sylvie was hidden in the corner of the big run under my chair.

She was not responding to Legertha. So I zipped into the run and gathered her up. She was fine. I brought her out to Legertha and now they are sitting in the run extension making this purring sound. Can you hear it?

It is pretty clear that the hawk returned this morning. The song birds just alarmed argain and everyone dove for cover although this time I don't see the hawk. I'm going to have to stay out with them all day at this point or lock them up for a while.