Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I am loving this conversation. I have always wanted bees (even before I wanted chickens) but I have always been too intimidated because it seems like a lot to learn and a lot I can do wrong!
Also, I gather they produce an enormous amount of honey and I really only use a very little honey.
A lot of people around me keep bees so local honey is easy to find. I think many of their bees visit me because I have a pollinator friendly environment - I am always seeing honey bees on my plants.
I am still a bit overwhelmed by trying to keep my chickens alive so I think I will still wait on bees. Oh, and I would need an even more potent electric fence because of the bears!

You're doing awesome with the Chickies

 

[Ponypoor]

And that is why I got the you-know-what beaten out of me for my mistake and Bob will just get a warning ‘bok bok’.


I know it is not a good excuse but I have been a bit off all day. I tried to open the front door with my car key. Lord knows the car key isn’t even used to open the car as it is all electronic these days. I have brain fog.
I think it is the weather. Tornadoes forecast this afternoon. WTH - I am in New Jersey. We don’t get tornadoes!

Bee careful! Keep an eye to the sky

 

[RoyalChick]

You're doing awesome with the Chickies

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

 

[LozzyR]

So with all the health issues my girls have experienced lately, I’m feeling a little paranoid and micro-analysing everything about my girls. I’m seeing poops that, to me, don’t look entirely healthy and was hoping for some other opinions.

I found this yesterday in the run:

Spoiler: Poop 1

And I found this this morning. I didn’t see who did it but I think it might be Tegan:

Spoiler: Poop 2

 

[LozzyR]

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

I know how that feels, it just feels never ending and I despair why my girls are feeling off and how much it costs to keep them healthy.

 

[bgmathteach]

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

does Minnie seem to be in pain/uncomfortable, or just plain old wiped out/no energy?

Tf the former, could you try to get some pain meds into her and see if she perks up some with that? If she is in pain, probably won't feel like eating....and then will have no energy/resources to bounce back.

Maybe children's liquid ibuprophen mixed with some nutridrench dripped in her mouth? I do know that it is very tedious getting anything substantial in that way, but..... not sure of another option.

If she doesn't seem in pain, maybe just the nutridrench alone? Keep her fluid and electrolyte levels up?

Sorry, @RoyalChick , I know how hard it is to feel helpless to assist your little feathered friends (masters?)

As far as the diarrhea, could it be the grazing on new/fresh tender grass? Cows and horses can get 'loose' if the graze too much too quickly on the tender, lush fresh spring growth. I don't remember why, nor if it is applicable to chickens or not...but it is a thought.

 

[Kris5902]

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

Several of my girls have been having diarrhea here as well, especially one little broody she poops out projectile vibrant green mess that splattered a good ten inches long and six inches wide. Sudden changes in diet related to season can have this lovely effect. Over ten minute later on a fairly briskly breezy day DH said “OMG what is that smell!!! Was that a chicken, iuuugh where is it, I don’t want to step in it” he was quite a ways away from the offending dropping but yeah…

You’re doing great, just keep with it. You are an excellent chicken mama.

 

[Ponypoor]

I love you for saying that but I am feeling particularly desperate about them at the moment.
Minnie's fecal tests all came back negative for anything nasty so we have no idea what is wrong with her but she is in bad shape. She is perky in the morning and usually has a small nibble of something but then she pretty much collapses for the afternoon. She had a good drink tonight as I put her in the hospital ward for the night but her crop is empty of food and even cabbage and shrimp didn't tempt her.
Bernadette's left leg has got back to normal and now her right is giving out. It is like she only has enough 'whatever' to support developing one leg at a time! I am really, really, hoping it is just a growing thing and once she stops growing she will stabilize. All I can do is keep pushing vitamin B2 and hope for the best.
Maggie and Dotty both have diarrhea and have had for weeks and weeks now - though neither seem to be having any ill effects from it and are hale and hearty.
Diana is also hale and hearty but of course only ever lays eggs without shells so that isn't great.
So somehow everyone is a worry except for Lulu and Bella who I hope are just healthy young ladies.
Sorry, just feeling a bit down about it all right now.

I am sending hugs (hugs hugs hugs)

Last year My one gal was very lethargic and had runny poops water really. And finally I figured out she was in a huge heavy molt. I fed her scrambled eggs for a few weeks and gave her warm sugar water. After a month she started to pick up. I really thought she might die!! Took a good two months for her to get over that.
Do you think Minnie is molting?

As for Bernie, as long as she is eating and pooping I would just let her be. She will eventually stabilize.
Animals don't have the same hang ups with disabilities the same way people do.

Blanche keeps laying eggs with paper thin shells, I think she is molting as she has feathers growing back on her head, and wings. She is eating pooping and running about like a mad thing so I don't worry too much about her.
I think if your gal is hale and hardy I wouldn't worry too much.... I know they say laying soft eggs is hard for them but if your gal doesn't seem to be straining I would think she is fine.

You are taking amazing care of your gals, and I look for advise from you all the time.

 

[RoyalChick]

does Minnie seem to be in pain/uncomfortable, or just plain old wiped out/no energy?

Tf the former, could you try to get some pain meds into her and see if she perks up some with that? If she is in pain, probably won't feel like eating....and then will have no energy/resources to bounce back.

Maybe children's liquid ibuprophen mixed with some nutridrench dripped in her mouth? I do know that it is very tedious getting anything substantial in that way, but..... not sure of another option.

If she doesn't seem in pain, maybe just the nutridrench alone? Keep her fluid and electrolyte levels up?

Sorry, @RoyalChick , I know how hard it is to feel helpless to assist your little feathered friends (masters?)

As far as the diarrhea, could it be the grazing on new/fresh tender grass? Cows and horses can get 'loose' if the graze too much too quickly on the tender, lush fresh spring growth. I don't remember why, nor if it is applicable to chickens or not...but it is a thought.

I really don't think she is in pain. Just miserable. I look at her stance for pain and I really don't see anything to suggest pain.
Good thought on new grass. The specialty vet that my vet consulted suggested a 'flock fecal' because sometimes things can be missed on one chicken - I need to talk to the vet to understand what they neex for that.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am sending hugs (hugs hugs hugs)

Last year My one gal was very lethargic and had runny poops water really. And finally I figured out she was in a huge heavy molt. I fed her scrambled eggs for a few weeks and gave her warm sugar water. After a month she started to pick up. I really thought she might die!! Took a good two months for her to get over that.
Do you think Minnie is molting?

As for Bernie, as long as she is eating and pooping I would just let her be. She will eventually stabilize.
Animals don't have the same hang ups with disabilities the same way people do.

Blanche keeps laying eggs with paper thin shells, I think she is molting as she has feathers growing back on her head, and wings. She is eating pooping and running about like a mad thing so I don't worry too much about her.
I think if your gal is hale and hardy I wouldn't worry too much.... I know they say laying soft eggs is hard for them but if your gal doesn't seem to be straining I would think she is fine.

You are taking amazing care of your gals, and I look for advise from you all the time.

Yes Bernadette is otherwise healthy and I don't overly worry about her - but it is complicating integration a bit and of course I would love if she could walk normally rather than lurch and flap herself around, but she does get around so I am grateful for that.