lightm
Don't Peck On Me
Hi all, I haven't shared updates on my chickens for a while. They are doing well for the most part. I was traveling for 3 weeks between mid May to mid June. Luckily no chickens were injured or ill during my absence since my husband would be super stressed otherwise.
The main thing is that I took the courage to finally drain Poopy. Poopy has been having water belly for a while, maybe half a year. We can tell that she was definitely suffering. At some point, she started to have a bit labored breathing when sitting (looks normal when she is standing) and I suspect it is due to the extra pressure when sitting. Her poopy butt was getting worse and belly/bum area starts to lose feathers.
On June 16th, a few days after I got back home, I convinced my husband to drain her. In the end, we only used an 18 gauge needle to poke her right side, about 2 inches below the vent. No syringe was attached to the needle as I decided to let the liquid drain out of the needle instead of actively pulling.
It seemed going well except her needle hole kept leaking out fluid after I pulled the needle! We started to read more threads about this and felt like all we could do is to give her water with added electrolyte.
Fortunately the leaking stopped on its own after like 8 hours!! She appeared to be a little into shock, but mostly fine. The next day she was still a little slow and went to roost earlier, but 2 days later she became energetic again and was back to her usual self which we haven't seen for at least half a year.
It's been two weeks since the draining and Poopy is doing great
We also have Inky and Meimei kept laying softshelled eggs or shell-less eggs :-( We get about 2 eggs per week from the one and only Foxy.
Light is doing absolutely well ever since she got her 2nd implant in late March.
Poopy on June 27th.
A recent trip to a flower farm
Car show at NC blueberry festival
May 15th, birthday celebration for Foxy and Meimei (they were 3, top 2 in the picture). Light on the right and Inky at bottom.
On the table. From left to right: Foxy, Inky, Light, Poopy. This is March 15th. Poopy's water belly hasn't gotten bad.
The almighty Foxy on March 30th
Foxy and Meimei taking bath, March 30th
Two sweeties, April 4th
All 5 of them, on newly stained deck, April 14th. I especially love my 'headless' Poopy photo (the lightest chicken)
The main thing is that I took the courage to finally drain Poopy. Poopy has been having water belly for a while, maybe half a year. We can tell that she was definitely suffering. At some point, she started to have a bit labored breathing when sitting (looks normal when she is standing) and I suspect it is due to the extra pressure when sitting. Her poopy butt was getting worse and belly/bum area starts to lose feathers.
On June 16th, a few days after I got back home, I convinced my husband to drain her. In the end, we only used an 18 gauge needle to poke her right side, about 2 inches below the vent. No syringe was attached to the needle as I decided to let the liquid drain out of the needle instead of actively pulling.
It seemed going well except her needle hole kept leaking out fluid after I pulled the needle! We started to read more threads about this and felt like all we could do is to give her water with added electrolyte.
Fortunately the leaking stopped on its own after like 8 hours!! She appeared to be a little into shock, but mostly fine. The next day she was still a little slow and went to roost earlier, but 2 days later she became energetic again and was back to her usual self which we haven't seen for at least half a year.
It's been two weeks since the draining and Poopy is doing great
We also have Inky and Meimei kept laying softshelled eggs or shell-less eggs :-( We get about 2 eggs per week from the one and only Foxy.
Light is doing absolutely well ever since she got her 2nd implant in late March.
Poopy on June 27th.
A recent trip to a flower farm
Car show at NC blueberry festival
May 15th, birthday celebration for Foxy and Meimei (they were 3, top 2 in the picture). Light on the right and Inky at bottom.
On the table. From left to right: Foxy, Inky, Light, Poopy. This is March 15th. Poopy's water belly hasn't gotten bad.
The almighty Foxy on March 30th
Foxy and Meimei taking bath, March 30th
Two sweeties, April 4th
All 5 of them, on newly stained deck, April 14th. I especially love my 'headless' Poopy photo (the lightest chicken)
