INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pginsber]

I said goodbye to my best critter friend today and about ripped my heart out , she was 6. RIP Sugar, my oldest Oberhasli goat doe. I am sharing what happened with all of you because its my fault. I have kept goats all my life, starting around 11 years old. A few years without when I had to live in town. I have always used the pelleted type goat wormer. One of my girls lived to 14 years old! I was also naive to the fact it does not kill all worms goats can get. Had my vet out to look at her and do fecals on everyone. She had a "barber pole" worm infestation, and it took her life this morning. Devastated, anyone that's ever met Sugar knows she was pretty special, and like a family dog to us. Here is one link I found for those that keep goats, or plan to, just a short summary of what it is:
https://thefreerangelife.com/barber-pole-worms-in-goats/
This was a new one on me, and cost me - dearly. No, we can't know everything, but its our responsibility to try. Deworming on schedule is great, but fecal tests and a vet is the true answer for proper care. Going forward I will have fecals done every 6 months, cows and goats.

So sorry to hear about your loss. Thank you for sharing with us, so we may avoid the heartbreak you're enduring now.

 

[Indyshent]

@jchny2000 I'm so sorry about you and Sugar

 

[JanetMarie]

@jchny2000 Deepest sympathies .

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

My brahma hen has a bare bottom. No signs of mites, lice, or vent gleet. She is in a small prefab. Well, it is big enough for them to roost in, but she doesn't roost - only sleeps in the nest box. I have closed off the nest boxes and she sleeps on the pull out poop tray, so really no better and will still not roost. The roost bars are probably too narrow.
We are currently building a new coop. Hopefully we should be done soon. Anyway, do you think sleeping in the nest box could cause this? Or could there be other reasons?
I sprayed her with poultry aid and after that dried with blue kote. She has already gone through a full molt. She is 3 and the only big girl I have. The others are Isa Browns. I have not seen any of them pick at her and if they get too close, she gives a mean peck. So, I really doubt one of the others are doing this to her. About a month ago, I switched their feed to all flock raiser which has 20% protein. Treats are minimal and I supply them with a boredom bottle (water bottle with holes filled with their feed) and sometimes a suet basket filled with chopped veggies. This has been going on for at least 2 months now. It hasn't gotten worse, but I can't really tell as she has so many feathers.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

My brahma hen has a bare bottom. No signs of mites, lice, or vent gleet. She is in a small prefab. Well, it is big enough for them to roost in, but she doesn't roost - only sleeps in the nest box. I have closed off the nest boxes and she sleeps on the pull out poop tray, so really no better and will still not roost. The roost bars are probably too narrow.
We are currently building a new coop. Hopefully we should be done soon. Anyway, do you think sleeping in the nest box could cause this? Or could there be other reasons?
I sprayed her with poultry aid and after that dried with blue kote. She has already gone through a full molt. She is 3 and the only big girl I have. The others are Isa Browns. I have not seen any of them pick at her and if they get too close, she gives a mean peck. So, I really doubt one of the others are doing this to her. About a month ago, I switched their feed to all flock raiser which has 20% protein. Treats are minimal and I supply them with a boredom bottle (water bottle with holes filled with their feed) and sometimes a suet basket filled with chopped veggies. This has been going on for at least 2 months now. It hasn't gotten worse, but I can't really tell as she has so many feathers.

I do think its her sleeping habits. Either location is going to hold moisture in to some extent. Is the skin reddened?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

thank you everyone for your kind words.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I do think its her sleeping habits. Either location is going to hold moisture in to some extent. Is the skin reddened?

Yes, it is red. Not like worrisome, but looked worse when I put the poultry aid on. So looks worse wet.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So, springtime is usually when I worm everyone. Birds included. I've used ivermectin pour on a long time. Recently bought Valbazen to rotate wormers for them and also ordered paste wormer for my cattle. What does everyone use, what critters do you keep?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Yes, it is red. Not like worrisome, but looked worse when I put the poultry aid on. So looks worse wet.

I think you are on the right track. Think diaper rash in a baby, first sign is redness to the skin. Is it possible to attach a 1x4 to the existing perch, might encourage her to use it. I know the prefab coops are harder to modify.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I think you are on the right track. Think diaper rash in a baby, first sign is redness to the skin. Is it possible to attach a 1x4 to the existing perch, might encourage her to use it. I know the prefab coops are harder to modify.

Thanks! I am hoping the new coop will help.