INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[hoosiercheetah]

I almost didn't reply since you hadn't edited it yet, but here goes...

Can you post some pictures of her?
How far down does the squishiness go? Is it less squishy at any time during the day?
Does she emit a stink like sour milk when you press in on the squishiness?

Ha! That's funny!

I'm at work now, but I'll try to get pics this afternoon when I'm home.

The squishiness didn't go down past about half of the keel bone. It's really just the front of her, but it's shoulder-to shoulder across.

I haven't noticed any kind of smell from her at all. Actually she and the other GC are the nicest smelling chickens I have.

The only behavioral change I've seen is when I pick her up. She still tries to run away and squawks a little when I grab her, but once I've got her, she's completely tolerant of being handled and looked over. She let me look through her feathers, stretch her wings out, and for a while she let me turn her on her back in one hand. Very out of character for this particular bird. Some of it I can chalk up to acclimation - I've been trying to handle them as often as possible, and all of my girls are getting a little less flighty and fighty - but this felt different. While I was holding her she put her head down on my arm and closed her eyes, like she was resting. When I went to set her down, it was back to flapping and squawking as usual, and she acted totally fine running around with the others.



Edited just because now everyone expects it. ;-)

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

PLEASE CAN PEOPLE SHOW UP TO THE COMITTEE MEETING ON THE 16TH Here's the address.

9001 E. 59th Street
Lawrence, IN 46216

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Ha!  That's funny!

I'm at work now, but I'll try to get pics this afternoon when I'm home.

The squishiness didn't go down past about half of the keel bone.  It's really just the front of her, but it's shoulder-to shoulder across. 

I haven't noticed any kind of smell from her at all.  Actually she and the other GC are the nicest smelling chickens I have.

The only behavioral change I've seen is when I pick her up.  She still tries to run away and squawks a little when I grab her, but once I've got her, she's completely tolerant of being handled and looked over.  She let me look through her feathers, stretch her wings out, and for a while she let me turn her on her back in one hand.  Very out of character for this particular bird.  Some of it I can chalk up to acclimation - I've been trying to handle them as often as possible, and all of my girls are getting a little less flighty and fighty - but this felt different.  While I was holding her she put her head down on my arm and closed her eyes, like she was resting.  When I went to set her down, it was back to flapping and squawking as usual, and she acted totally fine running around with the others.



Edited just because now everyone expects it.  ;-)

Sounds like what @SallyinIndiana was trying to help me find in my birds, which they didn't have. But you may need to slaughter because respiratory bugs stay with your flock fore
Very.

 

[browncow15]

I was referring to the new babies starving to death since the mother ran off and left them.  I still don't think I could feed them to the chickens even if is is probably more humane and a faster death!!!  I need to check but I believe I don't have the warfarin poison, but the other kind.  The one mouse I encountered that had eaten it was writhing around in a truly horrible way!  I still use the poison in my attic, but i feel REALLY bad about it.  I wish nature would just stay in nature.

Ah that makes sense

 

[ChickCrazed]

I came home yesterday to one of my Isbar pullets just sitting in the coop by herself, puffed up and eyes closed. I thought she was dead but she did walk forward a couple steps when I nudged her, but then stopped, sat and closed her eyes again. I pulled her out, dosed her with poly-vi-sol and put her in sick bay with Gregor. She didn't move. I gave them scrambled egg for dinner, she didn't eat or drink. This morning I pulled her out, gave her a bath and had her on my kitchen counter while I scrambled another egg. I was going to try to get her to eat something and she died on the counter while I made her breakfast - had a head and neck spasm gasped and died. I am a bit freaked out now. Her symptoms don't match Gregors AT ALL. In fact, her symptoms seem to align more to with coccidosis (puffed up, lethargic, eyes closed) but I would think that by 15 weeks of age they should have built up their immunity. With all the rain we have gotten in the past few weeks, maybe that played a part and she was just weaker genetically. Interestingly, she was the "rumpless" isbar, so maybe there was always something wrong with her.

I have been shopping necropsy prices and thought I would share with the group that the University of Missouri will do a basic necropsy for $55. I am going to ship her overnight to have one done and hopefully provide some clarity. I hope there isn't something going through the flock but I would rather know.

In case anyone wants to save the information for the future since it is half the price of Purdue:

University of Missouri
573-882-6811
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
1600 E Rollins
Columbia, MO 65211

 

[Minminme]

I found a heavy steel pipe connector in the same aisle as the pvc at lowes, pretty much anything with some weight would work, it just needs to fit down the width of the feeder and be heavy enough to pull the string as the feed level goes down. I just grabbed something like this since it was close by when I was getting the PVC for the feeder - I'm sure you could find something more elegant

http://www.lowes.com/pd_144301-6100..._product_qty_sales_dollar|1&page=2&facetInfo=

Elegance isn't an issue! Lol practicality is more important to me really. I thought of trying to find something "flat" and heavy with a hole in the middle that I could put an eyebolt into. If it were flat it would help press the feed down the pipe. Last winter I ran into a small issue with these feeders, did you have any problems like this...when the weather was severely cold after a short warming up spell the feed would stick to the sides of the pipe on the inside, I'd have t put my hand down in or use a "dish mop" to push the feed down and keep the pipe clean and feed moving freely.

 

[Minminme]

My daughter is home from work today, she is a wonderful (although amateur)photographer. She's going t take lotza pictures of all my babies. So I can post a picture heavy post later t show off my girls (and guys of course).

 

[ChickCrazed]

I wanted to add to my above post that I have been researching Coccidosis and I do think that is what my pullet had. I did not have bloody poop but I do think I have noticed some yellow foamy poop. I found this picture of a pullet that had it and it is absolutely identical to my poor isbar

I feel awful that it was preventable if I had noticed the signs (I really thought they would have had a solid immunity at this point and bloody poop if not). Guess we live and learn and at least I don't think it is related to Gregor (which I STILL think is vitamin deficiency). I am still going to send her for a necropsy though. It is worth it for peace of mind. I will also be dosing EVERYONE with corrid for the next 5 days. Not taking any chances!!!

 

[racinchickins]

I came home yesterday to one of my Isbar pullets just sitting in the coop by herself, puffed up and eyes closed. I thought she was dead but she did walk forward a couple steps when I nudged her, but then stopped, sat and closed her eyes again. I pulled her out, dosed her with poly-vi-sol and put her in sick bay with Gregor. She didn't move. I gave them scrambled egg for dinner, she didn't eat or drink. This morning I pulled her out, gave her a bath and had her on my kitchen counter while I scrambled another egg. I was going to try to get her to eat something and she died on the counter while I made her breakfast - had a head and neck spasm gasped and died. I am a bit freaked out now. Her symptoms don't match Gregors AT ALL. In fact, her symptoms seem to align more to with coccidosis (puffed up, lethargic, eyes closed) but I would think that by 15 weeks of age they should have built up their immunity. With all the rain we have gotten in the past few weeks, maybe that played a part and she was just weaker genetically. Interestingly, she was the "rumpless" isbar, so maybe there was always something wrong with her.

I have been shopping necropsy prices and thought I would share with the group that the University of Missouri will do a basic necropsy for $55. I am going to ship her overnight to have one done and hopefully provide some clarity. I hope there isn't something going through the flock but I would rather know.

In case anyone wants to save the information for the future since it is half the price of Purdue:

University of Missouri
573-882-6811
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
1600 E Rollins
Columbia, MO 65211

Sorry to hear about your loss. I hope the necropsy gives you some results that you can use to prevent anything happening to the rest of your flock.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@hoosiercheetah

Usually the "squishy" is "sour crop" which is a yeast infection. IF that's what it is, it can usually be remedied with a few adjustments.