Keeping Chickens When You Have Arthritis.

[Kfults]

Welcome @oldhenlikesdogs! You sound a lot like me also Stubborn.

I spent way too many years pushing myself to act like a 'normal' person when in reality there isn't anything normal about me. Now with the new diagnosis of OA and RA I'm learning to slow down.

I have gotten a lot of good ideas here on this thread and implemented some of them already, things like moving my feed containers (garbage cans) to the coop so I'm not making so many trips back and forth to the shops feed room with buckets. I'm also asking DH to drive the feed bags from the feed room up to the coop with the tractor and he helps me unload them. Me asking for help has been the biggest habit to develope and hang on to.

Yes, I fall too at times. Mainly because I have birth defects in my feet that resulted in very crooked bones. I stumble a lot from that and from my bad back also and if I catch my toes right, down I go.

I too try to keep active and my ever growing flock of bantams helps me do that. Got plans for a new room in my coop as soon as we can get our Diesel fuel tank moved from the area I'm planning to convert. After 4 weeks on Methotrexate (oh goody, tomorrow is shot day) I'm beginning to see some improvement in my overall flexibility and pain control so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my Rheumy will increase my dosage next week and my side effects won't worsen.

I am so glad the methotrexate is helping you! Every little bit of relief is so awesome!

 

[Kfults]

Maybe there is a card you can carry like diabetics have saying, I'm not drunk, I have Arthritis and don't walk well!

 

[Kfults]

As far as a few chicken keeping tips. I use plastic coffee cans for feeding. I was smart enough to save a bunch back when they had a nice thick handle which is easier to grip, and carry.

I also will use electric tape to bulk up bucket handles to make them easier to grip. My water bucket keeps getting smaller each year due to my back.

I use a cat litter scoop taped to a wooden handle to clean my turkey shed daily. No bending required. Husband dumps bucket before it gets too heavy for me.

I have my nestboxes at a comfortable height for me so egg collecting is easy and comfortable.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have these great scoops the Son found at the feed store two years ago large and bright yellow.. goodnight to all hoping all have restful sleep

 

[Kfults]

Hello Arthritis warriors! I actually left home for a few days and while gone: 1 pullet went broody and my cockerel sprained his leg. 3 days later I get home and placed broody in cage to break ( feel so bad- she is so unhappy) placed cockerel in sick bay cage to rest his leg. He seems to be pouting. My whole flock has fowl pox and broody has it terrible ( probably cause she isn’t eating or drinking enough) I gave both scrambled egg with nutridrench mixed in. Added little aspirin for pain for cockerel. Feel bad I was gone.
On arthritis front: Enbrel was approved (kinda scared of these immune suppression drugs) I have to wait to start Enbrel and hold methotrexate cause I am starting antibiotics for skin infection.
On a positive note- no severe flare symptoms!

 

[microchick]

Welcome back @Kfults. Your week sounds like mine. Saw rhumatologist on Wednesday. He's pleased with my response to the methotrexate and wants me to keep doing the wekly injections. He also pinned another diagnosis on me. Ankylosing spondylitis. So now I have borderline RA, Osteoarthritis and AS.

They yesterday I went out to let the birds out in their run and found one of my 7 week olds dead and another one sick. Turned out to be a coccidiosis outbreak. Little sick girl is doing much better today. I moved all three into my feed room and back in their brooder. I told them they just wanted more attention from mom. But I felt pretty miserable about the dead pullet. I never had a coccidia outbreak before so it blindsided me.

This after not sleeping at all well last night. Back hurt, foot hurt shoulder hurt. Finally drifted off about 3 am and got up at 8. Pretty bushed today but managed to get some work done in the runs.

Glad to hear that you got the Embrel approved and have't had a flare. Bummer that you have to delay. I hope you get the infection cleared up quickly. Try not to worry too much. I understand how you feel about the biologics. I feel the same way but frankly after the miserable night I had last night I might be tempted to try them if they would relieve the pain.

Hope your two problem chickens settle down for you and your broody gets over her obcession. I had one do that last month. She is a Buff O Marek's survivor and I just can't let any of them be broody so I wound up breaking her. Took three days and I don't know who was more miserable, me or her.

 

[ronott1]

Hello Arthritis warriors! I actually left home for a few days and while gone: 1 pullet went broody and my cockerel sprained his leg. 3 days later I get home and placed broody in cage to break ( feel so bad- she is so unhappy) placed cockerel in sick bay cage to rest his leg. He seems to be pouting. My whole flock has fowl pox and broody has it terrible ( probably cause she isn’t eating or drinking enough) I gave both scrambled egg with nutridrench mixed in. Added little aspirin for pain for cockerel. Feel bad I was gone.
On arthritis front: Enbrel was approved (kinda scared of these immune suppression drugs) I have to wait to start Enbrel and hold methotrexate cause I am starting antibiotics for skin infection.
On a positive note- no severe flare symptoms!

Oh My!

Have you considered vaccinating for fowl pox?

 

[Kfults]

Oh My!

Have you considered vaccinating for fowl pox?

I read about it but my whole flock has it, so hoping for immunity going forward. Will vaccinate any new chickens in future.

 

[Kfults]

Welcome back @Kfults. Your week sounds like mine. Saw rhumatologist on Wednesday. He's pleased with my response to the methotrexate and wants me to keep doing the wekly injections. He also pinned another diagnosis on me. Ankylosing spondylitis. So now I have borderline RA, Osteoarthritis and AS.

They yesterday I went out to let the birds out in their run and found one of my 7 week olds dead and another one sick. Turned out to be a coccidiosis outbreak. Little sick girl is doing much better today. I moved all three into my feed room and back in their brooder. I told them they just wanted more attention from mom. But I felt pretty miserable about the dead pullet. I never had a coccidia outbreak before so it blindsided me.

This after not sleeping at all well last night. Back hurt, foot hurt shoulder hurt. Finally drifted off about 3 am and got up at 8. Pretty bushed today but managed to get some work done in the runs.

Glad to hear that you got the Embrel approved and have't had a flare. Bummer that you have to delay. I hope you get the infection cleared up quickly. Try not to worry too much. I understand how you feel about the biologics. I feel the same way but frankly after the miserable night I had last night I might be tempted to try them if they would relieve the pain.

Hope your two problem chickens settle down for you and your broody gets over her obcession. I had one do that last month. She is a Buff O Marek's survivor and I just can't let any of them be broody so I wound up breaking her. Took three days and I don't know who was more miserable, me or her.

I am going to leave broody in cage for 24 hr and then block her nest and see if that does it. Hopefully she won’t pick a new nest. My cockerel doesn’t seem to be fertilizing anything- too big ( meat bird) with poor technique- no actual vent contact. Just walking on hens back . I hate to cull him, he takes protecting girls so seriously. When we r ready for chicks will probably get fertilized eggs from neighbor and slip under broody- but not now, not a good time and she is only 8 mo old.
7 mg prednisone has killed all flares, starting wean off again..... wish me luck!
AS sucks! Glad MTX is working so far, hopefully pain will improve soon!!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am having more in the lower back so it hurts to walk so do just that walk allot
I sold my ameracauna that was always broody I have the 4 silky just 4 that if I want I can
aspercream with lidocaine very happy since they put it on the market