Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Little pumpkins

I had mama and babies out and about,l for a few hrs, pretty much kept Henny to the Hen House, it was a success with no Marty fights and no one bothering her.

The young pullets were very curious about the babies, but kept their distance.

They are back on their crate now, I don’t trust the others, I need to go to town for feed and stuff.
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And caught the little pumpkins inside their little pumpkin - it’s a big hit with them!

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You need to enter those in next year's pumpkin contest. They are sure fire winners.

 

[RoyalChick]

Here’s the dilemma. Do I have black chooks with white stripes?, or a white one with black stripes?

yes

 

[BY Bob]

Hello FBA. I haven't been very present last week, so I was very grateful for @ChicoryBlue 's exhaustive synopsis .

@Ponypoor I have some (well actually many) questions about drainage and ascites. I think my hen Kara possibly has that, but I am not 100% certain. Her abdomen feels swollen and squishy, her vent is constantly pulsating, her crop is normal and she doesn't smell bad. She has a penguin stance and I thought she was eggbound, but she is laying normally. I remember you said no fluid came out of Red when you tried draining her. Is there a risk to try drainage in case it isn't ascites ? Is it possible to damage any organs ?
I’m hesitant to take her to the vet to get a professional diagnosis and get them to show me, but that would only be in ten days, and she looks quite uncomfortable. Would pain meds help at all if I wait ?
And you said you were using a butterfly needle, right ? What did you attach it to to collect the fluid ? I am not sure about what supplies I should get if I do it at home, and I would have to order them, which will certainly take a bit of time as well.

She doesn't look to be in terrible pain as she can still run a bit and eat and move, although she spent most of the last two days lying down, but I am afraid it will get worse.
I think am not too squeamish with needles since I helped vaccinate lambs but that also taught me I am very clumsy with them, so I don't want to risk doing any serious damage.

Thank you for any help or advice. I will be also posting in the emergency forum.
Kara dozing in the sun.
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@micstrachan is very experienced at draining chickens as well. Perhaps she will be able to help.

 

[Ponypoor]

You need to enter those in next year's pumpkin contest. They are sure fire winners.

I will

Also will see about some snow photos, @CCsGarden suggestions and a good one. Need a sunny day though, it’s so gloomy right now.

It’s not cold only around the freezing point but it’s so damp. I didn’t blanket the horses today, but tomorrow I will, it’s chilly for them also.

The youngsters were out in the slushy rain today, and then decided a nice dust bath under the big Spruce was in order, I howled with laughter when butterscotch came in all muddy and filthy. Her and Muffy were so ridiculously dirty. But they had fun and that’s what counts. Oh to be young and not care about the weather.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Soft and squishy abdomen, and she didn't object. Everything else looks normal. I'm not certain how to check her breathing but she seems to be fine in that sense.

There are two things that stand out to me:
First, she's sitting on my laptop with just a slight push of my hand. Normally she'd not tolerate that.
Second, she seems to be puffing her hackle and tail feathers a lot.

She is molting so could this just be a side effect?

Breathing - you can hear respiratory infections because the breathing is raspy or gurgling (rales it’s called?). And as @Ponypoor said, if the breaths are faster than usual, or they’re gasping when they have to exert, or if badly enough, gasping even when still, there’s heart/lung problems.

Possibility might be that where she is molting is uncomfortable to feel when walking and she wants to just not move. Fluffing up and sitting, or standing hunched up, also has happened here without a bad reason, Hazel felt really off when she did her first hard molt. She stood and dozed a lot, looking not well.

That hunched posture though if she has that it can mean not feeling well for any number of reasons.

If it’s surely her poop, the excess urates and color could mean something but I don’t know what, there are experts in that on BYC that could hazard informed opinions.

If she’s changed her eating, or is not eating, which molters do, that might be part of it. Did you say she eats normally, and eats a normal amount?

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all this. It's very helpful and makes us feel that we should indeed take her to the vet, so we can know what's going on.

I will call the clinic tomorrow as they only answer for emergencies on Sunday. The closest online reservation I could get was in ten days, but sometimes on the phone they manage to find emergency appointments.
It is a possibility that she has an infection, yes. She doesn't act or feel like my three other hens that died of EYP. She did have an issue laying about six weeks ago, she passed two eggs on the same day and since then her eggs shells are much weaker and lighter, but she has been laying every day.
Her poops are not great, but they never have been, and they are not worse. She is one of the POL pullets I got from a bad breeder that were all very unhealthy when they arrived here.

I was really thinking fatty liver disease, because she is a glutton like I have never seen before, and a big hen that feels really heavy. But I guess cancer or colibacillosis are also possibilities. She is only ten months old .

Oh gosh I'm so sorry. This must be very distressing.

 

[BY Bob]

This one is for Her Royal Highness Aurora herself. Trudy/Judy informs me she heard of a royal decree regarding pink eggs being the best. I look outside this afternoon and what do I see in the winter sunlight but a pink egg. I tried to capture it the best I could. In person it really does have a pink hue. Sweetheart, you are a barred rock not a easter egger, but you do you girl.
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That looks a lot like Aurora's egg. Amazing.

 

[featherhead007]

Sir. Jaffar was asking me about Queen Aurora today. I had no idea what she was up to. So I said she’s on pilgrimage to the East.

 

[featherhead007]

Sir. Jaffar was asking me about Queen Aurora today. I had no idea what she was up to. So I said she’s on pilgrimage to the East.

 

[notabitail]

Maybe I stole the phrase?
Chicken food is in the container!

What brand? Just curious.