Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

Yes. It was because of the Hooligans. I tried having them on separate food but the big Princesses spotted that the Hooligans had better rations so they would break in to the Hooligans’ HQ and steal their food. But they are doing that anyway even with same food and the Hooligans are very big so I think could handle lower protein.

Edited to add: Big Hooligan sporting her snazzy snakeskin boots.
View attachment 3143766

They make a broiler grower or finisher/grower that is lower protein but not a layer (the Hooligans are really still too young to have the higher calcium...per general info and @Shad's comments of Vet, etc.)

Alternately, a whole flock is a possibility, too.

 

[ManueB]

Fully agree with that. I spoon out little pill sized portions and put them in the freezer. That way they stay solid long enough for me to pop them down their throat if for some reason they haven’t already gobbled them up. Some of mine love it. Some not so much.
It is solid but soft at room temperature and becomes rock hard very fast in fridge or freezer.
Olive oil would do the same job but so messy and always a fear of aspiration if you are forcing it into them. Coconut oil chilled is just so easy to handle.

Hello sour crop experts. Turns out Caramel has sour crop too now. Balloon water like crop, makes belly dance movement with it just like Minnie on the video, and that yucky smell.
All nazole stuff is sold only under prescription here so that's not a possibility. I don't have coconut oil on hand and probably won't be able to get some for a few days. Should I try giving her olive oil or just massage her and forget the oil ?

 

[rural mouse]

Bat-cat has sentinel duties?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hello sour crop experts. Turns out Caramel has sour crop too now. Balloon water like crop, makes belly dance movement with it just like Minnie on the video, and that yucky smell.
All nazole stuff is sold only under prescription here so that's not a possibility. I don't have coconut oil on hand and probably won't be able to get some for a few days. Should I try giving her olive oil or just massage her and forget the oil ?

Massage is the more important thing. Fat may help things move because it's slippery. This may be heresy: what about butter? I don't see why you couldn't use any other natural fat that is firm when cool, like butter. Frankly they might love it. Make little pea-sized bits cold and firm and try it.
Many people feed milk products to chickens without problems (except for milk powders which are extremely high in lactose). Chickens can digest lactose, they have some lactase in them, but can only manage small amounts. Butter has miniscule amounts of it.

 

[RoyalChick]

I don't think this is critical, a persistent problem will be persistent enough through variations in factors to figure out.

That's what I'm thinking, compound causes are probable, and bird-dependent.

This is a good summary. I don't see how the protein can make that much difference. Stress of some sort is a possibility. Heat, with a lot of water intake, will cause diarrhea. But were you feeding them broiler chick feed or something? Or game bird stuff 22-24% protein? Manna Pro chick starter is 18% protein. General layer feed is typically 16%. That's not that big a difference. Another possibility is a change in diet, a change in feed. Maybe that in itself could cause a disruption in their digestion.


What about what each bird tends to like to eat when they forage being a factor? Hazel seems to concentrate on dandelion and baby's breath greens. Everybody here also loves the grass seeds that are out now.

I will check the feed later this morning. I remember thinking it was high - like 22% or something like that. But I will check before I head out for the next attack on the killer rose. I think I just need an hour this morning and I can subdue it. I already burned about 4 barrels of rose clippings and I think I have a couple more to go. Turns out there was a fruit tree of some sort buried underneath it!

 

[RoyalChick]

They make a broiler grower or finisher/grower that is lower protein but not a layer (the Hooligans are really still too young to have the higher calcium...per general info and @Shad's comments of Vet, etc.)

Alternately, a whole flock is a possibility, too.

Yes. My plan was to move to All Flock but I figured everyone could finish up the starter/grower first.

 

[Ponypoor]

I feel soooo guilty every time I eat chicken but its my favourite

The first time I threw leftovers in for the gals it was roast chicken mashed potatoes and carrots...

They went bonkers for it!!!! It freaked me out at first but now I am more used to it haha.

 

[RoyalChick]

Massage is the more importantbthing. Fat may help things move because it's slippery. This may be heresy: what about butter? I don't see why you couldn't use any other natural fat that is firm when cool, like butter. Frankly they might love it. Make little pea-sized bits cold and firm and try it.
Many people feed milk products to chickens without problems (except for milk powders which are extremely high in lactose). Chickens can digest lactose, they have some lactase in them, but can only manage small amounts. Butter has miniscule amounts of it.

@ManueB i agree with this. Lots of massage. Try frozen butter. Olive oil is fine but messy. Make sure she has lots of grit available.
Work on getting good bacteria or yeast in her - live yoghurt or kefir.
Finally I believe Daktarin Crème is available over the counter in France. It is the same ingredient as miconazole cream in the US. If you get a hold of it then dosing is a bit random - based on advice here on BYC I gave about 3cm twice a day. I used a small syringe and direct dosed into her crop.

https://www.pharmacodel.com/mycoses/9006-daktarin-creme-30-g.html

 

[ManueB]

Massage is the more importantbthing. Fat may help things move because it's slippery. This may be heresy: what about butter? I don't see why you couldn't use any other natural fat that is firm when cool, like butter. Frankly they might love it. Make little pea-sized bits cold and firm and try it.
Many people feed milk products to chickens without problems (except for milk powders which are extremely high in lactose). Chickens can digest lactose, they have some lactase in them, but can only manage small amounts. Butter has miniscule amounts of it.

@ManueB i agree with this. Lots of massage. Try frozen butter. Olive oil is fine but messy. Make sure she has lots of grit available.
Work on getting good bacteria or yeast in her - live yoghurt or kefir.
Finally I believe Daktarin Crème is available over the counter in France. It is the same ingredient as miconazole cream in the US. If you get a hold of it then dosing is a bit random - based on advice here on BYC I gave about 3cm twice a day. I used a small syringe and direct dosed into her crop.

We don't have butter..we don't eat it!
I'm ashamed to say I gave her live raw ewe yogurt mixed with olive oil she said it was gross! Luckily my partner who's in town working today managed to find some time to get coconut oil (which we do eat). The massages seem to help a little.

@RoyalChick I also thought daktarin was OTC based on information online and tried to get some last month in a drugstore, to have some in case for sour crop. The lady whispered "daktarin ? For candidiasis ? You need a prescription". I asked her if there was any product that could be an equivalent OTC and she went red and whispered "no, there isn't...try putting some baking soda in there in the shower "... I wondered how she would react selling birth control pills to teens !
Apparently you need a prescription since two or three years to get it.

 

[RoyalChick]

We don't have butter..we don't eat it!
I'm ashamed to say I gave her live raw ewe yogurt mixed with olive oil she said it was gross! Luckily my partner who's in town working today managed to find some time to get coconut oil (which we do eat). The massages seem to help a little.

@RoyalChick I also thought daktarin was OTC based on information online and tried to get some last month in a drugstore, to have some in case for sour crop. The lady whispered "daktarin ? For candidiasis ? You need a prescription". I asked her if there was any product that could be an equivalent OTC and she went red and whispered "no, there isn't...try putting some baking soda in there in the shower "... I wondered how she would react selling birth control pills to teens !
Apparently you need a prescription since two or three years to get it.

Hilarious. It was marketed for foot fungus so she needn’t have got so worked up!
Strange because I tried one of the French online sites and it was ready to take my money without a prescription. Fully for foot fungus of course!
By the way you should tell her that baking soda is a horrible idea. You need to acidify to deal with yeasts - vinegar would be much better! Which reminds me, I am not a big ACV cures everything person and mainly use it on salad - but in this case it might help your chicken to acidify. Just put in her water. They seem to like the taste and it does smell good!