Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Me and mom worked with Daisy yesterday evening and in all honesty, I do not think we are going to have a good outcome. The swelling starts at her keel bone and extends to her vent. At first I thought it might be water belly, but it is very firm. We soaked her for a hour in a warm epsom salt bath and she went to sleep. To relax her when she first got in I was gently massaging the swelled area. We gently checked to see if she is egg bound, and if she is we cannot feel a egg. What could be felt is not at all promising. Feels like there is a huge mass outside her reproductive tract. I'm monitoring her today, she is moving around some, not nearly as active as normal and is eating. She did feel like taking a hour long dust bath session. Her comb and face is as red as it can be which should be a good sign. I do have antibiotic powder for the horses that can also be given to chickens on hand. I think mom said it is Bactrim but I am not positive. She did call the vet to get a correct dose to give her if we decide to try that. How we proceed from here is going to depend entirely on how Daisy is behaving. I will not prolong any suffering and if the swelling persists and grows or she starts acting worse I will end it right now. I'm really focusing on how she is moving as the mass is protruding around her legs and from what I saw yesterday and at times this morning looks to be making walking uncomfortable.

Oh poor girl!
Does it feel like an abscess or a tumor? Is the area around it hot?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh poor girl!
Does it feel like an abscess or a tumor? Is the area around it hot?

When I initially noticed it last night I thought it was hot, but then after feeling the skin on the rest of her body it is the same temperature. The mass is solid, I've felt abscesses before and this does not feel like one. I should have spotted this before now and hate myself that I did not. The only reason I picked up something was wrong yesterday was because she was not bullying her way in with the others when I was tearing up buns for her fair share. Then I noticed her posture and looked closely and had my heart sink. I am being pulled in too many directions feel like I'm drowning. What should have been a happy day yesterday was spoiled by grandma which I had a feeling it would. For a month all I heard from Rosie was all she wanted for her birthday was her favorite dinner and cake. She wanted Honey mustard chicken and a carrot cake with the homemade cream cheese icing we use for the pumpkin rolls. Grandma had tried relentlessly to change her mind on both options but we held firm that it was Rosie's day. Then at dinner she made a big fuss that the chicken tasted terrible, insisted her piece have the sauce washed off and that carrot cake was her least favorite cake. Towards the end all Rosie was trying to do was apologize but we stopped her. I am really not happy that she went to bed crying last night and let grandma know it after she had fallen asleep.

 

[RoyalChick]

When I initially noticed it last night I thought it was hot, but then after feeling the skin on the rest of her body it is the same temperature. The mass is solid, I've felt abscesses before and this does not feel like one. I should have spotted this before now and hate myself that I did not. The only reason I picked up something was wrong yesterday was because she was not bullying her way in with the others when I was tearing up buns for her fair share. Then I noticed her posture and looked closely and had my heart sink. I am being pulled in too many directions feel like I'm drowning. What should have been a happy day yesterday was spoiled by grandma which I had a feeling it would. For a month all I heard from Rosie was all she wanted for her birthday was her favorite dinner and cake. She wanted Honey mustard chicken and a carrot cake with the homemade cream cheese icing we use for the pumpkin rolls. Grandma had tried relentlessly to change her mind on both options but we held firm that it was Rosie's day. Then at dinner she made a big fuss that the chicken tasted terrible, insisted her piece have the sauce washed off and that carrot cake was her least favorite cake. Towards the end all Rosie was trying to do was apologize but we stopped her. I am really not happy that she went to bed crying last night and let grandma know it after she had fallen asleep.

Oh so sorry. I wish I could help you somehow. Please don't hate yourself - you are doing an amazing job caring for everyone.
Rosie is a very smart young lady and I am sure she will understand that Grandma is not in her right mind and it didn't mean anything. Maybe she should pick a date later in the year and have it as a second birthday - like a half year birthday.
If it isn't hot around it then it sounds like a large tumor and if that is the case likely you will need to euthanize her.
Oh dear, so much to handle.

 

[Kris5902]

When I initially noticed it last night I thought it was hot, but then after feeling the skin on the rest of her body it is the same temperature. The mass is solid, I've felt abscesses before and this does not feel like one. I should have spotted this before now and hate myself that I did not. The only reason I picked up something was wrong yesterday was because she was not bullying her way in with the others when I was tearing up buns for her fair share. Then I noticed her posture and looked closely and had my heart sink. I am being pulled in too many directions feel like I'm drowning. What should have been a happy day yesterday was spoiled by grandma which I had a feeling it would. For a month all I heard from Rosie was all she wanted for her birthday was her favorite dinner and cake. She wanted Honey mustard chicken and a carrot cake with the homemade cream cheese icing we use for the pumpkin rolls. Grandma had tried relentlessly to change her mind on both options but we held firm that it was Rosie's day. Then at dinner she made a big fuss that the chicken tasted terrible, insisted her piece have the sauce washed off and that carrot cake was her least favorite cake. Towards the end all Rosie was trying to do was apologize but we stopped her. I am really not happy that she went to bed crying last night and let grandma know it after she had fallen asleep.

It could also be internal Laying, especially if her comb is still a bright red. Don’t beat yourself up too much as we all know how good chickens are at hiding their discomfort and illnesses. As for Grandma, I’m sorry she ruined Rosie’s day. Definitely need to have a second birthday for her and perhaps recruit someone to occupy Grandma with something else. Frustrating to no end, but what can you do. Reminds me of a comedy sketch I heard about elderly being on oxygen and when they are about to blurt out a racist comment just squeezing the line off a little… not enough to hurt them, just enough to knock them out. My Nan was pretty bad for that, please nice Asian gang members, forgive her, she’s really old and culturally insensitive, and you don’t want to hear what she thinks about “the gays”. (Life literally flashing before my eyes, and not just from her driving!)

 

[WhoDatChick]

I would be happy to see some pictures of her.
Meanwhile I fell in love with my own little black chick. Her name is Bella.

View attachment 3103971

Oh, too sweet!! I am definitely going to have to catch up on everyone’s new gals.. and guys?

 

[WhoDatChick]

@WhoDatChick . I thought for sure that the gators got you. But welcome back. (Nice supply of eggs too!)

Hi!! No gators got me or the gals!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

It could also be internal Laying, especially if her comb is still a bright red. Don’t beat yourself up too much as we all know how good chickens are at hiding their discomfort and illnesses. As for Grandma, I’m sorry she ruined Rosie’s day. Definitely need to have a second birthday for her and perhaps recruit someone to occupy Grandma with something else. Frustrating to no end, but what can you do. Reminds me of a comedy sketch I heard about elderly being on oxygen and when they are about to blurt out a racist comment just squeezing the line off a little… not enough to hurt them, just enough to knock them out. My Nan was pretty bad for that, please nice Asian gang members, forgive her, she’s really old and culturally insensitive, and you don’t want to hear what she thinks about “the gays”. (Life literally flashing before my eyes, and not just from her driving!)

If she is internally laying then there is nothing I could do for that is there? I have been terrified for this girl to have reproductive issues. She has not been right since she laid this monster egg.

This was laid in September of 2020, her first season of laying. Those were 2 of her previous eggs in the photo. After that egg she stopped, laid less then 7 eggs last year to my knowledge. She did lay for about a month this year starting towards the end of February but then stopped again. She always goes through the motions of laying, visiting the nest box, and then leaving after a hour cackling like she laid one but nothing.

As for Rosie, it is a matter of contention, but show season is starting up this month. There will not be any shows this year down at the barn. Grandma is dead set against it, but every chance I get Rosie and Russ are being loaded up with her best friend and taken to the shows. I'm going to get her hurt or killed allowing her to ride the horse and I should sell all 3. I'm also going to get her kidnapped by allowing her to ride the horse out of sight.

 

[bgmathteach]

Dotty is a scientist committed to repeatable experimental results.
She went to the exact same spot (well +/- a foot) and paced up and down tutting anxiously.
Then she stuck her head into the net.
She got shocked and she didn’t like it. But this time she didn’t panic she just ran off tut-tutting loudly.
She then rounded up the others and they all went inside and refused to come out unless I was right there sitting in the run.
I hope this fence doesn’t have the opposite effect I intended - it was supposed to give them more freedom to be outside enjoying the grass.

They will figure it out! Remember, they are prey animals, so any potential threat they avoid....but slowly they get curious and check it out....and they WILL get curious and want to be OUT again...and they will learn the 'boundaries'. This is ultimately a good thing. Dotty is pretty smart...it looks like she wanted to confirm her suspicions, and then she let the flock know about that evil fence! Trust me, they will want to come out again...and they will all learn...I think this is a good thiing (even if it is hard to watch them get shocked.)

BTW: Figures it is Dotty who is the one bold enough to be willing to be shocked again to test out her theory!

 

[bgmathteach]

Maryn was not too keen on having a rideView attachment 3103702View attachment 3103703View attachment 3103704

Looks like she is enjoying the view, though! And - she didn't jump out!!

Just don't let @RebeccaBoyd 's grandmother see this. She might get ideas with her walker & Butters!

 

[RoyalChick]

If she is internally laying then there is nothing I could do for that is there? I have been terrified for this girl to have reproductive issues. She has not been right since she laid this monster egg.
View attachment 3104148
This was laid in September of 2020, her first season of laying. Those were 2 of her previous eggs in the photo. After that egg she stopped, laid less then 7 eggs last year to my knowledge. She did lay for about a month this year starting towards the end of February but then stopped again. She always goes through the motions of laying, visiting the nest box, and then leaving after a hour cackling like she laid one but nothing.

As for Rosie, it is a matter of contention, but show season is starting up this month. There will not be any shows this year down at the barn. Grandma is dead set against it, but every chance I get Rosie and Russ are being loaded up with her best friend and taken to the shows. I'm going to get her hurt or killed allowing her to ride the horse and I should sell all 3. I'm also going to get her kidnapped by allowing her to ride the horse out of sight.

Wow. That egg is a monster. Probably damaged something inside. Maybe that led to internal laying.
I don’t know enough about it to know if you can do anything but my guess is probably not.