I lost Chloe today...

[CarriBrown]

Well, I'm learning a lot... I'll do whatever I need to do in order to keep my animals healthy!
DL- Here is the latest water quality findings for my area. Maybe you can figure it out? It looks like the floride goes up to unhealthy levels at times.... No wonder I only drink bottled water!

http://www.norco.ca.us/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2522

 

[allen wranch]

Carrie,
I am sorry for your losses. That is so terrible.

You may have mentioned in an earlier post, but what brand of layer feed are you using? Could you have gotten a bad batch? Have you switched since Molly died or are you still feeding out of the same batch? Just some thoughts....

 

[CarriBrown]

No, I've actually switched from mash to pellets since Molly died. And now last night, I bought some Purina stuff, so I'm going to start gradually mixing that in until it's about half and half. Some of the birds like the pellets and some like the mash. I think the mash is easier for the Silkies to eat... They can't really see with those big mushroom puffs on their heads!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry about Chloe's passing...

It sounds to me like it was a calcium absorption thing... I get oystershell at Petsmart and Petco sells Calcium grit. Since Obelisk has started laying again, I'll start putting out the Oystershell and adding the ACV again.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
well according to the article below (see excerpt) then it was too high...(remember though this could have happened from a combination of things and not just the water)
http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_m/m-112.pdf
(WATER QUALITY FOR LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY)
"Fluoride: No MCL is given, although a limit of2.0 mg/l is recommended. Fluoride interacts with
copper in dietary minerals....Secondary effects disturb metabolism, causing semi-starvation conditions." (if I understood the report correctly it said your water was 3.7)

 

[CarriBrown]

Yep, I know it could be other things and not just the water, but it sure sounds like water is a big factor. I'm still going to add oyster shells, garlic and vinegar just to make sure my bases are covered.

Fluoride interacts with
copper in dietary minerals....Secondary effects disturb metabolism, causing semi-starvation conditions.

Now, this is interesting. "Semi-starvation conditions". Molly's necropsy showed that she was underweight but that her gut had food in it. They told me I needed to feed her more and I told them, How could I? They are free fed.
And the metabolism... BOTH birds were sort of weird that way. They didn't really get "excited" like the other girls. When my girls see me, they come running, heads down to the ground, wings a' flappin'. But those two, nope. Sure, they'd make their way over, but they never seemed to have as much energy as the others. I thought it was just shyness...

 

[LICHICK]

So sorry about your girls. Brittle bones like cardboard? could it just be that the person sold you old chickens?

 

[CarriBrown]

The bones weren't "brittle" as in breaking apart. They bent like cardboard, or rubber.
I was told they were about 6 months old and getting ready to lay, so the thought of them being old never crossed my mind.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I wonder if they could've had rickets...my great grandmother had rickets when she was young...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickets

 

[new chickie]

So sorry for your loss.. she was a pretty little hen