Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[townchicks]

Just remember if it happens to your spouse or other “here, hold this chicken” volunteer. Don’t laugh! Just don’t laugh…

I'm awful. I'm laughing just thinking about it. Don't worry, it won't be the hubby. He worries so much about hurting them, he's a lousy holder. So far she's been very good with just me. Still no luck, though.

 

[lightm]

At the risk of pouring fuel on a smoldering fire, I don't believe the use of saline is anything to do with birds vs mammals. It is actually basic physiology - related to osmosis (which is the passive movement of water across cell membranes).
Plain water is hypotonic relative to any living cell. Any cell placed in a hypotonic solution will swell as water moves into the cell.
Strongly salty water is hypertonic and any cell placed in that solution will lose water and shrink. It is why if you soak a wound or boil in strongly salty water the swelling will reduce. It also stings like crazy so a better home remedy is to make a hypertonic solution using old bar soap.
If you have ever been given IV fluids in a hospital you have received something called 'Normal Saline' (which is 9% saline). This is sterile salty water that is isotonic to human blood. It is used to resuscitate people not because they need the salt but because if you used plain water then your blood cells would burst.
So, if you are trying to clean an eye - any species - then either plain water or salty water is just fine (as long as it is sterile). Plain water will not help any swelling and some will worry that the cells on the surface of the eye might swell, salty water might reduce swelling in cells on the surface of the eye, but it is probably a marginal impact.
I will shut up now and let everyone argue about vets and salty water - you all just triggered my inner physiology geek.
Apart from my old text books which will take too long to dig up I give you a basic reference from the NIH.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557609/

Great and informative post. Thanks.

 

[LozzyR]

I’m at the vet’s with Lottie.

 

[MaryJanet]

I’m at the vet’s with Lottie.

Oh no!! What happened?

 

[Kris5902]

I’m at the vet’s with Lottie.

So Sorry to hear this, hopefully your vet is able to help with it…

 

[Ponypoor]

It is hard. It always seems like I have one that is off on its own. I feel like I will be chasing this forever. I worry that I will never be able create a fully functioning tribe. This is one of the reasons why I was questing to find Phyllis a friend.

I used to worry about this, but then I realized that like people animals all have their own personality and status in their own societies. I have seen horses in herd situations be leaders, followers, outsiders. Then one horse is sold or dies and the dynamics change.

When I brought Marty home I was afraid that the others would pick on her and not accept her. It took a couple months but they stopped harrassing her, she learned who would pick on her and who she could hanger out around. Now she runs right into the mob when I throw down treats for them to scratch around for in the dirt.

But other times she will wonder off in her own and do her own thing. It's her thing to do.

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m at the vet’s with Lottie.

Oh no! Will looked for updates

 

[Ponypoor]

Not forget honorary Newfie… lol we really do need to be mailing out those merit badges!

And some homebrew (though GregnLety are already making my mum's brandy), and a bucket of salt beef

 

[RoyalChick]

I used to worry about this, but then I realized that like people animals all have their own personality and status in their own societies. I have seen horses in herd situations be leaders, followers, outsiders. Then one horse is sold or dies and the dynamics change.

When I brought Marty home I was afraid that the others would pick on her and not accept her. It took a couple months but they stopped harrassing her, she learned who would pick on her and who she could hanger out around. Now she runs right into the mob when I throw down treats for them to scratch around for in the dirt.

But other times she will wonder off in her own and do her own thing. It's her thing to do.

Maggie has always wanted to have some alone time. She strides off and does her thing quite far from the others. Once, before the electric fence she got out of the Chicken Palace and went for a good long walk. I followed to fend off foxes. She led me around and about. Sometimes foraging but mainly just walking.
Then she decided it was time to go back and trekked back to the Chicken Palace and hollered to be let in.
I may be overly anthropomorphicizing (if that is a word) but it really looked like she just wanted to be away from the others for a while.

 

[BY Bob]

I’m at the vet’s with Lottie.

What happened!