Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I syringed about 1ml of Safe-Guard goat dewormer direct into their gullet.
I was a nervous wreck about avoiding the trachea. I pushed the syringe almost all the way in before plunging and I had images that I was filling their lungs with fluid as I plunged.
But I think if I had done that I would know by now. All three are foraging around. Maggie is a strong bird - geez she really did not want that to happen and she fought with every ounce of her strength! Diana’s throat is the easiest to visualize so I was most sure with her that I had avoided the windpipe but she has an unnerving trick of walking backwards in the towel burrito so I was left holding the perfectly placed syringe with no chicken in the vicinity!
I am leaving Dotty until after dark tonight. I fully expect to lose a finger.
I am not yet counting this as a new skill - but maybe by their second dose I will feel less scared.
As I typed this Maggie got her revenge - she just pecked a little bug bite scab I have on my elbow. OUCH!!!!

Oh, wow! You did syringe liquid!!! Well done!!!

 

[RoyalChick]

I remember giving ~1mL to Ruby of clotrimazole for doughy crop. I did tiny volumes under her tongue with a syringe. Today I might do the finger swipe method, instead. Is that what you did? I like that the paste has way leas chance of aspirating than liquid.

What is the finger swipe method?
Sounds like I may need to learn that for the repeat dose. I inserted a 1ml syringe as far as it would go - I kept it as far to the side of the hen’s face as I could and tried to keep her neck extended.
Then I held it there and counted to three figuring if I was in the trachea somehow that would become obvious. Then I held my breath and squirted the full syringe in all at once.

 

[micstrachan]

What is the finger swipe method?
Sounds like I may need to learn that for the repeat dose. I inserted a 1ml syringe as far as it would go - I kept it as far to the side of the hen’s face as I could and tried to keep her neck extended.
Then I held it there and counted to three figuring if I was in the trachea somehow that would become obvious. Then I held my breath and squirted the full syringe in all at once.

Sorry… finger swipe does not work for liquid; I misunderstood. Unless you mixed it with some sort of powder to make a tiny bit of mash.

 

[RoyalChick]

We don't get enough rain often enough for any of them to be very familiar with worms. The "what is this? Nevermind, I'm for breakfast. " was a bit comical. I played with the thing a bit, then Cuckoo got interested. She's also the first one willing to try mice.....and the one with the biggest crop (bulges out 1.5-2 inches and is 3.5-4 inches across in evening), but isn't the largest bird here (close, but Pear is broader, Silver a little bit broader and Storm a bit taller with the wyandotte curves). Now I need to try to get a good series of stuffed crop pics....

There is something very satisfying about a hen happy and comfortable and with a nice full crop. I was so happy to see Minnie’s crop bulge just now.

 

[micstrachan]

24 hours from all birds!!
If anyone needs a handy tip - keep some of those little wood spatulas that come with some ice cream handy.
My sample pot when submitted included three heavily used ice cream spoons!

Great tip!

 

[RoyalChick]

Sorry… finger swipe does not work for liquid; I misunderstood. Unless you mixed it with some sort of powder to make a tiny bit of mash.

Please explain anyway. I can always turn liquid into paste with some feed powder. But 1cc is quite a lot!
Also, I could get fenbendazole equine paste if that were easier.

 

[rural mouse]

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

You've raised teens, changed careers, worked with kids, have a DH who builds things, have done your own designing of things (with your ladies), have battled assorted medical issues with them (creatively by necessity sometimes). Stands to reason: careful, practical, and enjoy are all part of life. Glad you had fun up there. Sometimes the roof is the BEST place to be!

 

[RoyalChick]

You've raised teens, changed careers, worked with kids, have a DH who builds things, have done your own designing of things (with your ladies), have battled assorted medical issues with them (creatively by necessity sometimes). Stands to reason: careful, practical, and enjoy are all part of life. Glad you had fun up there. Sometimes the roof is the BEST place to be!

I love and agree with the sentiment, but even thinking about being up on the roof makes me dizzy!

 

[BY Bob]

Look at that neck. She rivals Sydney in the giraffe department!

She sure does. It is amazing.

Betty uses hers a lot too. I'm sure the headdress has something to do with it.

 

[BY Bob]

Hattie.

She is looking beautiful these days. At least I think so.