Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

I'm so glad you took her to the vet! What's the name of the antibiotic? Is it lincospectin?

Amoxycillin 200Mg, twice a day. I don’t remember what I gave Bessie, but the tablet was twice as big.

 

[MaryJanet]

Right! I imagine there's no egg withholding period for that one, because I've taken it in the past. Little did I know it was also good for chooks

 

[LozzyR]

Right! I imagine there's no egg withholding period for that one, because I've taken it in the past. Little did I know it was also good for chooks

I thought it sounded familiar!

 

[Shadrach]

Amoxycillin 200Mg, twice a day. I don’t remember what I gave Bessie, but the tablet was twice as big.

That's what I have here in injectable form.

 

[LozzyR]

That's what I have here in injectable form.

Do you prefer giving injections to shoving pills down their throat? I would probably prefer it.

 

[BY Bob]

Chickie’s got a temperature. I took her to see our lovely avian vet today after work and she said that her temp is high. I said I hadn’t seen an Isa egg for up to a week that wasn’t soft-shelled or broken. She said she couldn’t feel any fluid build-up, but wanted to give her a course of antibiotics. She gave her a steroid injection and Chickie was a real trooper, she didn’t even flinch! Whilst we were waiting for Dr Nikki to organise the meds, Chickie was standing in the bottom half of the pet carrier whilst I stroked her. She put her head against me, closed her eyes and had a nap, standing up! I wish I had taken a photo.

I'm so glad you have a vet to take her to. I'm sorry she is not feeling well. I'm so glad she is that comfortable with you. You've done a great job with her.

 

[BY Bob]

Do you prefer giving injections to shoving pills down their throat? I would probably prefer it.

I do oral. I empty capsules, dissolve the contents in water, use a syringe and deliver it to them orally. Unfortunately I have gotten really good at it.

We did injections when Daisy, the greatest hen ever, was ill. It took 2 people. I can do oral myself.

 

[Shadrach]

Do you prefer giving injections to shoving pills down their throat? I would probably prefer it.

I didn't used to. Once you've been shown how to do it it isn't so intimidating.
My vet says there are times when it is best not to give drugs orally, particularly if there are possible internal injuries.
For many problems administering drugs isn't going to solve them unfortunately. Most internal laying/reproductive problems are terminal. It's a question of keeping the hen comfortable if possible and then picking the right time to kill her.

 

[BY Bob]

I didn't used to. Once you've been shown how to do it it isn't so intimidating.
My vet says there are times when it is best not to give drugs orally, particularly if there are possible internal injuries.
For many problems administering drugs isn't going to solve them unfortunately. Most internal laying/reproductive problems are terminal. It's a question of keeping the hen comfortable if possible and then picking the right time to kill her.

Having lost hens to internal laying problems I can agree. I have not been successful in saving them only in extending their lives and keeping them comfortable.

 

[Shadrach]

Having lost hens to internal laying problems I can agree. I have not been successful in saving them only in extending their lives and keeping them comfortable.

It's a difficult decision. I try not to isolate such cases and let them spend their last days with their families. I've never had a sick hen driven out of their tribe but so far I've not had to deal with a contagious disease. I get laughed at for saying this, but I think the chickens here know when another flock member is putting the rest of the flock in danger.
I've had a few hens and roosters with various injuries and a couple with terminal reproductive problems. So far their tribes have been extremely supportive.
Here are three examples.
Blue Spot is the blond hen in the foreground. She was 9 years old. She had a reproductive disorder and was dying. Her whole tribe gathered around her for her last few days.

This Fudge. She had a fairly serious eye injury. The wound you can see between her eye and ear was deep enough to cause blood to drip out of her eye socket. Nobody bothered her while she recovered.

This is Bracket. Apart from being barking mad in general hse developed a neurological problem which has since sorted itself out. It was obvious to all her tribe that she wasn't well. She would fall off her perch if she tried to sleep while roosting and scrabble around in the coop floor. A more obvious not well hen would be hard to imagine. Throughout the whole business she remained top hen and the rest of her tribe just seemed to accept her as she was.