Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Welcome aboard. Sansa is having molting issues and a hawk is stalking the tribe. There, you are caught up to today.

I can sympathize on the molting issue. Being new to chickens my tribe is only several months old, but my cousin's hens molted for me, and Sophia was very 'ill'. Not eating, excessive drinking, stools were just clear water... She looked like death. I even called my horse Vet and sent a stool same to her, which came back with nothing to show.

I ended up babying her with scrambled eggs and treats like bread and rice daily. She just wouldn't eat, her stools were just water.

This went on for a month. Never having seen this I was freaked out, after all when my horses shed their coats spring and fall they don't become ill!!!!

She is back to normal now and laying eggs again. Chickens - who knew they were so much stress! Good thing they r so entertaining!

 

[rural mouse]

Sansa Update

The vet and I connected today. The blood work revealed three things.

1. Her calcium is very low. It is low even for a non-laying hen or rooster.
2. Protein electrophoresis has uncovered a low grade infection of some kind that is not causing a temperature.
3. She was dehydrated.

So what to do. The vet reached out to an expert with chickens. She said when I was there that she had not seen this before. I love people who admit they don't know and consult others. They were equally curious as to how all of this is connected. They are certain that her low calcium is having an impact on the feathers. They also believe that the infection, wherever it might be, could also be involved, especially if it is somewhere in the digestive tract where it might be interfering with the absorption of minerals and nutrients.

The vet left it up to me if I wanted to treat the infection or not. At this point I want to attack the situation aggressively so I agree to treat. We are putting her on Trimethoprim Sulfa. A combination therapy that has broad antibacterial bandwidth as well as antiprotozoal capabilities.

In order to dose her we needed her weight. So I went out and tried to catch her in the big run. Frankly, the Cluckle Hut has essentially ended that possibility. It is like she knew. Only her head came out to eat the meal worms the tricky human had used to try and lure her out.

View attachment 2928428

So I waited and plucked her off the roost, and weighed her.

This is really good news. Back on11/15 she was around 3 lbs/1.389 kg. Today, just about a month later after being weighed last, she is a respectable 4.55 lbs/2.064 kg. That is basically a 50% weight gain. She has been on a diet of chick food since 11/23 and it is working. I knew it as soon as I picked her up. This video from 11/30 shows how she has been chowing down and since they have been locked in because of the hawk (silver lining?) she has no other food source. The chick food has worked at least in getting weight back on her.

That leaves us to the conundrum of getting calcium into her. If I switch her to layer that would be the easiest way to increase her calcium intake but it will be at the expense of calories and protein. Additionally, the whole tribe would then be on layer when they are not laying. I am trying not to do this with Lilly as she really doesn't lay any more. I could segregate her in the Cluckle Hut with Phyllis and lock them in with layer feed but I really don't want to give up on the chick feed.

I need to check and see if Nutridrench has significant calcium in it as I could try supplementing in that fashion while I am giving the antibiotic. The vet said that she would look for alternative solutions to get calcium into her diet.

I know that their have been a lot of people on here treating for soft shelled eggs by supplementing calcium. Right now my brain cannot recall any of them. Please reply to this post with what you have done to add calcium to their diets when needed. I feel stupid but I just can't remember any and I know some of you were quite clever.

I have a chick feeder full of oyster shells in the coop and I crush up the dried eggshells and scatter those outside (other birds raid those too). I keep a dish pan for the eggshells as I use the eggs. Once the shells are dried out, break them into smallish pieces (their more fragile), toss with the treats around the outside of the coop and into the bushes (if they miss some, it improves the soil), encouraging them to look in sheltered areas. Also haven't had to deal with more than the occasional soft/thin shelled egg. Sunflower seeds are a great treat/reward. this time of year getting fishing bait (live worms/grubs) can be a challenge (unless ice fishing happens near you. Check the pet stores for live meal worms/crickets. Those are usually feed extra nutrients for the reptiles to eat, but starting a colony for treats is fairly easy. Live bugs now would be a huge motivator to let you stuff all the "nasty" pills down her gullet and permit handling.

 

[Ponypoor]

Sansa Update

The vet and I connected today. The blood work revealed three things.

1. Her calcium is very low. It is low even for a non-laying hen or rooster.
2. Protein electrophoresis has uncovered a low grade infection of some kind that is not causing a temperature.
3. She was dehydrated.

So what to do. The vet reached out to an expert with chickens. She said when I was there that she had not seen this before. I love people who admit they don't know and consult others. They were equally curious as to how all of this is connected. They are certain that her low calcium is having an impact on the feathers. They also believe that the infection, wherever it might be, could also be involved, especially if it is somewhere in the digestive tract where it might be interfering with the absorption of minerals and nutrients.

The vet left it up to me if I wanted to treat the infection or not. At this point I want to attack the situation aggressively so I agree to treat. We are putting her on Trimethoprim Sulfa. A combination therapy that has broad antibacterial bandwidth as well as antiprotozoal capabilities.

In order to dose her we needed her weight. So I went out and tried to catch her in the big run. Frankly, the Cluckle Hut has essentially ended that possibility. It is like she knew. Only her head came out to eat the meal worms the tricky human had used to try and lure her out.

View attachment 2928428

So I waited and plucked her off the roost, and weighed her.

This is really good news. Back on11/15 she was around 3 lbs/1.389 kg. Today, just about a month later after being weighed last, she is a respectable 4.55 lbs/2.064 kg. That is basically a 50% weight gain. She has been on a diet of chick food since 11/23 and it is working. I knew it as soon as I picked her up. This video from 11/30 shows how she has been chowing down and since they have been locked in because of the hawk (silver lining?) she has no other food source. The chick food has worked at least in getting weight back on her.

That leaves us to the conundrum of getting calcium into her. If I switch her to layer that would be the easiest way to increase her calcium intake but it will be at the expense of calories and protein. Additionally, the whole tribe would then be on layer when they are not laying. I am trying not to do this with Lilly as she really doesn't lay any more. I could segregate her in the Cluckle Hut with Phyllis and lock them in with layer feed but I really don't want to give up on the chick feed.

I need to check and see if Nutridrench has significant calcium in it as I could try supplementing in that fashion while I am giving the antibiotic. The vet said that she would look for alternative solutions to get calcium into her diet.

I know that their have been a lot of people on here treating for soft shelled eggs by supplementing calcium. Right now my brain cannot recall any of them. Please reply to this post with what you have done to add calcium to their diets when needed. I feel stupid but I just can't remember any and I know some of you were quite clever.

I bought a bag of crushed oyster shell pullet sized which I mix with their fees, I am feeding bothering chick starter and grower as I have all age groups and my Rooster-Brat Pangoo.

So I mix the crushed oyster shell with the grower so the dust gets coated onto the feed even if they don't ingest the larger chunks of the shells.

I also put a tray of the shells out for them which they pick through for grit. But I also have a pile of limestone screenings (for any landscaping and fixing of paving bricks here) which the chickens love to dig in and pick at for grit.

Maybe your vet can get a calcium supplement that dairy uses for their milk cows... ? Wouldn't need much for a 5lb hen!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

I forgot that my game is way off lately, so you win!

Awwww......you know we love you. You are just always making the Swallow/coconut references, that I couldn't resist.

 

[bgmathteach]

Thanks Shad. I really appreciate it.

Don't forget to take into account the calcium in the feed. I am not sure about the starter feed levels that you are using, but the grower I am using is about 1% (,95%)....though with her deficient, a bigger dose the first day or two would be fine as she uses the 'extra' to restore to bones, etc, that have been depleted. I agree with @ChicoryBlue, that vit, D3 supplement with the extra calcium is a good idea for better absorption.

That said, this is somewhat your area of expertise....I'm sure you will weigh all options and make an excellent decision on treating Sansa most effectively!

 

[BY Bob]

I have a chick feeder full of oyster shells in the coop and I crush up the dried eggshells and scatter those outside (other birds raid those too). I keep a dish pan for the eggshells as I use the eggs. Once the shells are dried out, break them into smallish pieces (their more fragile), toss with the treats around the outside of the coop and into the bushes (if they miss some, it improves the soil), encouraging them to look in sheltered areas. Also haven't had to deal with more than the occasional soft/thin shelled egg. Sunflower seeds are a great treat/reward. this time of year getting fishing bait (live worms/grubs) can be a challenge (unless ice fishing happens near you. Check the pet stores for live meal worms/crickets. Those are usually feed extra nutrients for the reptiles to eat, but starting a colony for treats is fairly easy. Live bugs now would be a huge motivator to let you stuff all the "nasty" pills down her gullet and permit handling.

Thanks for the help.

 

[BY Bob]

I bought a bag of crushed oyster shell pullet sized which I mix with their fees, I am feeding bothering chick starter and grower as I have all age groups and my Rooster-Brat Pangoo.

So I mix the crushed oyster shell with the grower so the dust gets coated onto the feed even if they don't ingest the larger chunks of the shells.

I also put a tray of the shells out for them which they pick through for grit. But I also have a pile of limestone screenings (for any landscaping and fixing of paving bricks here) which the chickens love to dig in and pick at for grit.

Maybe your vet can get a calcium supplement that dairy uses for their milk cows... ? Wouldn't need much for a 5lb hen!!!

Good idea.

 

[BY Bob]

Maybe your vet can get a calcium supplement that dairy uses for their milk cows... ? Wouldn't need much for a 5lb hen!!!

I'm kind of hoping that she will come back with something like this.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a mortar and pestle. I could grind them up if I need to. Thanks so much.

Two things to add @BY Bob - just don't put too many citrate pills into your dedicated small & cheap coffee grinder at once and it will work great. Tip: do not use the household coffee grinder when crushing flavored Tums unless you want a divorce

Also - remember @Kris5902 got pink eggs with the berry flavor Tums? If you use the red and pink Tums exclusively that will happen. This is your entry into easter eggs, at last!!!

 

[micstrachan]

It has been windy and very wet here lately, so no new pictures. We have reached the time of year that I don't even see the ladies most work days, they have been reluctant to leave the coop in the morning, and are in bed by the time I come home.

From last feb.View attachment 2927634

It’s that tine of year for me, too. I was worried they might not have eaten much yesterday due to the storm, so I brought some baby bird formula to their roosts with a headlamp last night to make sure everyone got some. It’s 5:22am and I still hesd rain outside.