Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Update on Light: She has perked up and was eating/drinking/scratching, almost behave like normal. We are so happy and will continue to massage her.

Poor Inky is in her own run now (a small run we had for the babies, who are now successfully integrated). Inky and Light were free ranging this whole morning while the bullies were watching. But I know they are not getting the memo. Too bad Inky's egg hatched out a rooster, otherwise she may have had a friend by now. Speaking of rooster, I know this bullying wouldn't have happened if Foggy were still here.

Some chicken photos for Monday (not exactly mug)

TinaView attachment 3223954

Poopy
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WendyView attachment 3223952View attachment 3223950

Ginger
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It sounded as if several of the tribe are going after Inky, so keeping her alone isolates her from them even more and there will be the same or worse difficulties in a new integration (@BY Bob wrote about that). Have you thought of splitting them all up, like giving Inky a friend or two, including Light (since they seem to get along), that might disrupt the overall pattern and give each group some cohesion and company?

 

[Ponypoor]

No not at all. She is in a smaller run, which is right next to the big run. For a few minutes when the bullies were out and looking at the small run (they cannot get in), Inky got so scared and she went into the pet carrier we put there for her egg laying.

Poor wee gal.

Did you see Manue’s reply? She had a molt hen similar situation.

I know I have had molting hens get very ill and need supportive care, but no bullying. Is there a possibility you can put Light in with her so that she is not alone?

 

[Ponypoor]

It sounded as if several of the tribe are going after Inky, so keeping her alone isolates her from them even more and there will be the same or worse difficulties in a new integration (@BY Bob wrote about that). Have you thought of splitting them all up, like giving Inky a friend or two, including Light (since they seem to get along), that might disrupt the overall pattern and give each group some cohesion and company?

This is what I would do.

 

[featherhead007]

Thank you for the laughs much appreciated, I am dragging my butt around today - not sleeping

Thankfully I have a new alarm clock though and at 05:00 wakes me up…

Set him for 5:30 like I do with Jaffar!

 

[Marie2020]

What breeds do you have? I'm told RIRs are very intolerant of other breeds but I have no personal experience as I've also read they are aggressive & I prefer docile breeds. You may need to rehome Inky. That or build a seperate coop/run & get her a companion.

I wouldn't get rid of inky, she's not the problem. What would happen if this aggressive bird starts on the other flock? Plus the fact she's influencing the other girls too do the same. That's just in my opinion

 

[RoyalChick]

Would you happen to know how accurate the PCR is ?
I didn't know there was such a thing as an environmental test for Marek. How does it work ?
I don't know what to think, because loosing three so close would make one think there was a common cause. Then again terrible coincidences happen.

A false positive is exceptionally rare - which is why (although I was surprised) I take the positive environmental test as correct.

False negatives are more complicated. A hen might be a carrier for a disease but not be actively shedding virus at the time of the swab, in which case you would get a negative even though the hen has the virus. Then if that hen was stressed, they might start shedding and then would pass on the virus to others. The stress could be heat or another infection like coccidia or worms or even egg binding or bullying.

Both Marek's and ILTV are viruses that behave that way - ie carriers can be shedding or not shedding at different times.
My theory had been that when Minnie was very ill before - worms, coccidia and sour crop - that she started shedding ILTV and Bella got it from her.
I had planned to swab Minnie the next time she was under the weather in any case, I just wasn't expecting her to die so fast.
Obviously Minnie must have been pretty stressed by whatever killed her so the fact that she tested negative has higher weight than if she tested negative while completely well, but it is still remotely possible they are false negatives.

So there are multiple mysteries here. Where did Bella get ILTV? Who in the flock actually has Marek's? What did Minnie and Dotty die from? Are Maggie's lash eggs anything to do with any of this? Will I ever get out of the chicken nursing business and just be able to relax with my lovely chickens?
All unknowns.

On the environmental test it is quite simple. Instead of swabbing the chicken you swab the dust in the coop. Marek's lives for years in the dander in a chicken coop and is easily detectable. So I just swabbed around the roosts and other dusty places and sent it to the lab. I have to say I was shocked at the result.

And although this is all chicken talk and therefore not taxable, I will pay some tax anyway.
How about Bernadette standing watch while Lulu checks out nest box options.

 

[Marie2020]

Even a human being becomes ill and depressed when they are being bullied. Inky needs to be able to become herself

 

[RoyalChick]

It sounded as if several of the tribe are going after Inky, so keeping her alone isolates her from them even more and there will be the same or worse difficulties in a new integration (@BY Bob wrote about that). Have you thought of splitting them all up, like giving Inky a friend or two, including Light (since they seem to get along), that might disrupt the overall pattern and give each group some cohesion and company?

That's a clever idea. Then maybe later reintrgrate the two groups rather than working on an individual. I like that!

 

[featherhead007]

I don’t seem to be needed anymore today. Jaffar is out there with his ladies, and pecked my foot, to remind me of the fact (His ladies!)
I think I will just eat all their meally worms, to show them off!!!

 

[Marie2020]

I don’t seem to be needed anymore today. Jaffar is out there with his ladies, and pecked my foot, to remind me of the fact (His ladies!)
I think I will just eat all their meally worms, to show them off!!!