Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

Dakota would not shut up and go to bed. So she’s in the chickens room (Where she wanted to be)

Not to worry, I’m in here with her. We’re talking chicken. I’m trying to persuade her not to be such a beyatch to the newcomers. Sadly, I think her mind is made up about the new ones.

 

[Sylvester017]

That’s exactly what is happening here. Soon as Xzit leaves the nest, Coco jumps in, lays, and then goes away. Even Dakota is doing that too. I put new bedding in the coop. Sprayed out the boxes first. They don’t want to use the coop

It took our newest birds to get accustomed to laying in the coop. Walking past an older girl in a nestbox made them nervous at first. Our youngest bird is 2-3 weeks younger so she goes to the back of the coop where DH made a private wall for her to hide behind.

Back door view into area DH set up for the youngest pullet to lay her eggies.

 

[Ponypoor]

Hmmmm that isn’t right, what’s Truly doing out on the aisle- she broke her stall guard again I see. If it wasn’t so chilly o would go out and put her back on her stall.

At least the chooks are staying put were I placed them! Rosario is now sleeping in Hen House A.

I will need to deal with Rosario this weekend

 

[Ponypoor]

Not to worry, I’m in here with her. We’re talking chicken. I’m trying to persuade her not to be such a beyatch to the newcomers. Sadly, I think her mind is made up about the new ones.

New comers? You have more?

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I really should come visit you…. See the horses…. Drop off a cockerel….

You know be neighbourly

The way I feel right now, come on down. That little cockerel would be most welcome.

 

[rural mouse]

Not to worry, I’m in here with her. We’re talking chicken. I’m trying to persuade her not to be such a beyatch to the newcomers. Sadly, I think her mind is made up about the new ones.

She's low bird amongst the bigs. The littles are threats to her position. Give them some time. Once the littles are laying (roos being obvious exceptions), she will settle down and they will magically be a cohesive whole group. It's hard to watch, so leave them to it. It will happen whether you are watching or not.

 

[ManueB]

As for Théo’s ingrown feather, I would soak it or put a poultice on it to soften it, and hopefully it will burst on its own, then if you can find the feather, pluck it out. If it won’t rupture on its own you may have to lance it and try hauling the ingrown feather out.

A good scrub with an antimicrobial soap like Betadine will clean it up afterwards. He does seem to have rather poor feathering on his legs and feet, not sure what can be done to prevent any further ingrown ones…

Bert had a broken feather on his foot and he was limping around a couple days, so I fished around the wound and was able to grab hold of the broken feather and haul it out. It was really stuck in there! Those feathers are really tough!

Once I hauled it out he was almost immediately better.

I sure hope wee Théo gets sorted soon.

In Theo’s ingrown feather I have no experience but it definitely looks like pus. Probably it will come out on its own eventually but you will make it easier and faster with some soaking and gentle squeezing.

I soaked his legs in warm water and opened the skin a bit with a pointy tweezer. It turns out there was a tiny feather completely curled up underneath the layer of skin, and underneath the feather, some pus. I pulled it all out. Good thing he is so tiny because he struggled like crazy ! I'm not sure if he felt humiliated or if it hurt- probably a bit of both. I could manage him because he is only 1kg. If it was Kara or Gaston my heavier chickens I couldn't have done that on my own.

I don't have betaine scrub, just plain betadine. Would it be worth it to get some ? My mum and I were just discussing this the other day, she found it strange that they cleaned her up prior to surgery with betadine scrub and put some betadine afterwards, and that they ask her to do the same at home on her scar. Isn't betadine scrub just soap to which iodine is added ?

Big and sweetie.

Little sweetie Theo has the bantam size but inherited the leg-feather genetics of a longer-legged feather-footed standard breed which could be producing larger thicker leg feathers than his short legs can handle? Just guessing here? Theo is so handsome & feel so sorry for him

That made me think about it, but no, his feathers are actually too thin and small, I think that is why they don't manage to pierce the skin. Like girls who wax their leg hair off and it grows back too thin to come through the skin. If he didn't hate me so much maybe it would help to soak him more often during his molt, but as it is, it's such a stress for him that I'll just check him regularly and do it only if it happens again.
He isn't a sweetie unfortunately. He can be a real little brat. But he has some good in him too...sometimes..I like him a lot otherwise he would have certainly become one of our neighbour's dinner !

 

[Ponypoor]

Sophia

I noted yesterday she was not looking well. She had laboured breathing and no energy, she also opted to roost in a nest box.

Not normal behaviour.

Yesterday morning I dosed her with an antibiotic, 1/2 an aspirin, and some Tylenol.

Yesterday afternoon I also checked her abdomen as it seemed swollen. Ascitis? The plan at that point was to do a belly tap and see what was in there.

This morning I gathered my equipment and poor old Sophia. When I did that first pull to see if there was indeed fluid in there I saw immediately that she was full of fluid. Poor old girl.

I pulled 6, 30cc syringe full of fluid (a coffee mug filled) from her abdomen. At that point I stopped as I didn’t want to stress her too much.

But she was able to breath so much better. Such a simple procedure really, and gives such immediate relief for her breathing. And for her heart.

I placed her in the pen I have the youngest chicks in at night so she would be safe from harassing cockerels. The site where I inserted the needle to draw the fluid will leak for a day or so then heal over. I sprayed it with some Blue-Kote.

Next I continued with the antibiotics and some Tylenol. I withheld the aspirin to reduce any risk of bleeding, but I will start that again tomorrow night. She will require the aspirin to help with a reduction in any inflammation and also it will help with any cardiovascular issues she likely has.

Poor Sophia, hopefully she will be a bit better. For her troubles I have her a bunch of mealworms.

Looks like she has some visitors.

I had to do a refresher on the belly tap procedure:
https://www.chickencoopcompany.com/...mportant that you,which should be pale yellow.

 

[RoyalChick]

I soaked his legs in warm water and opened the skin a bit with a pointy tweezer. It turns out there was a tiny feather completely curled up underneath the layer of skin, and underneath the feather, some pus. I pulled it all out. Good thing he is so tiny because he struggled like crazy ! I'm not sure if he felt humiliated or if it hurt- probably a bit of both. I could manage him because he is only 1kg. If it was Kara or Gaston my heavier chickens I couldn't have done that on my own.

I don't have betaine scrub, just plain betadine. Would it be worth it to get some ? My mum and I were just discussing this the other day, she found it strange that they cleaned her up prior to surgery with betadine scrub and put some betadine afterwards, and that they ask her to do the same at home on her scar. Isn't betadine scrub just soap to which iodine is added ?

Big and sweetie.
View attachment 3925443


That made me think about it, but no, his feathers are actually too thin and small, I think that is why they don't manage to pierce the skin. Like girls who wax their leg hair off and it grows back too thin to come through the skin. If he didn't hate me so much maybe it would help to soak him more often during his molt, but as it is, it's such a stress for him that I'll just check him regularly and do it only if it happens again.
He isn't a sweetie unfortunately. He can be a real little brat. But he has some good in him too...sometimes..I like him a lot otherwise he would have certainly become one of our neighbour's dinner !
View attachment 3925446

I don’t know about the betadine scrub thing. My guess is now the ingrowing feather is out he will heal just fine without assistance.
Hope so!

 

[Ponypoor]

I soaked his legs in warm water and opened the skin a bit with a pointy tweezer. It turns out there was a tiny feather completely curled up underneath the layer of skin, and underneath the feather, some pus. I pulled it all out. Good thing he is so tiny because he struggled like crazy ! I'm not sure if he felt humiliated or if it hurt- probably a bit of both. I could manage him because he is only 1kg. If it was Kara or Gaston my heavier chickens I couldn't have done that on my own.

I don't have betaine scrub, just plain betadine. Would it be worth it to get some ? My mum and I were just discussing this the other day, she found it strange that they cleaned her up prior to surgery with betadine scrub and put some betadine afterwards, and that they ask her to do the same at home on her scar. Isn't betadine scrub just soap to which iodine is added ?

Big and sweetie.
View attachment 3925443


That made me think about it, but no, his feathers are actually too thin and small, I think that is why they don't manage to pierce the skin. Like girls who wax their leg hair off and it grows back too thin to come through the skin. If he didn't hate me so much maybe it would help to soak him more often during his molt, but as it is, it's such a stress for him that I'll just check him regularly and do it only if it happens again.
He isn't a sweetie unfortunately. He can be a real little brat. But he has some good in him too...sometimes..I like him a lot otherwise he would have certainly become one of our neighbour's dinner !
View attachment 3925446

Betadine is the brand name. If you just have that it should be fine. Yes the scrub has a detergent in it to make suds.