Keeping Chickens When You Have Arthritis.

[pennyJo1960]

Yeah, makes me glad that as bad as I would love to have another horse, there is no way I could take care of it the way I did when I was in my 20s. Still, every time I drive by one of our Amish neighbor's fields and see the little steel gray filly with black face, mane, tail and socks that was born this spring........Yeah, I sigh and keep on driving.

These days, chickens are more my speed.

Do not get me wrong rode daily when I was young rode my horse daily my sporster every where else before that is was a KZ now can't even do a bicycle

 

[Kfults]

@Kfults, have you ever tried ginger root for your stomach? It works wonders on mine when it acts up. I use capsule form. Also for IBS Greek yogurt and fermented foods. For me, sauerkraut sets things straight so to speak.

Chicken is high on the 'anti-inflammatory' diet for me also. And if you are worried about your calcium levels steer clear of red meat. Your body actually wastes calcium in order to digest red meat. Poultry and fish are the preferred meats.

I haven't posted in a while. My last trip to the rheumatologist went well. He is pleased with my progress although he informed me that on top of the borderline RA and osteoarthritis, I also have ankylosing spondylitis. I had a bone density test done and then they coated the first three 'itises' with osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Yeah, gotta admit I was a tad bummed. AS is a progressive disease and with Osteoporosis, my lifting is limited to 20-25 pounds. I spent a few weeks feeling sorry for myself then DH set down with me and pointed out how I could modify my activities to suit my bones. Today he drove my 150 pounds of feed up to the coop in the van, helped me unload it and then turned it over to me to dip out feed and mix it in the big garbage can I use. I'm using my farm wagon, wheelbarrow and three wheeled cart more, and even managed to clean two coops using a US Mail tote which is about the size of a bushel basket and holds about 25 pounds of litter when full. All I had to do was shovel, tote the tote, dump it, repeat until finished. I made more trips but realized, hey, this isn't a race.

Things are pretty much back to normal now....with modifications, but isn't that what it's all about? Keeping our favorite feathered fiends in spite of our aches and pains?

I am taking Ginger capsule daily along with a whole list of other anti-inflammatory supplements. I have been off prednisone and MTX for over a month. The small staph like infection cleared up.... then I developed a new one and the old one returned overnight! I am now on Bactrim and my stomach is tolerating well. Taking the supplements and new diet has helped my overall flu like symptoms and fatigue, but the joint pain continues to get worse. I went on a weekend trip last weekend to see my son ( hubby drove ) and had a flare for couple days then did some shopping yesterday and threw myself back into a flare. Hubby is at my sons this weekend with our daughter- they are going to the Texas renaissance fair. I am home. I couldn’t make the car ride again. I don’t see Rheumy till Dec. she won’t be happy I don’t want to continue with the MTX, I don’t want to continue to weaken my immune system and get staph infections. Us Nurses our colonized! All those years of ICU and MRSA patients! Not sure where to go from here. Thinking of going to a functional medicine doctor ( also internist ) in Houston where my son lives. IDK

 

[Kfults]

I am taking Ginger capsule daily along with a whole list of other anti-inflammatory supplements. I have been off prednisone and MTX for over a month. The small staph like infection cleared up.... then I developed a new one and the old one returned overnight! I am now on Bactrim and my stomach is tolerating well. Taking the supplements and new diet has helped my overall flu like symptoms and fatigue, but the joint pain continues to get worse. I went on a weekend trip last weekend to see my son ( hubby drove ) and had a flare for couple days then did some shopping yesterday and threw myself back into a flare. Hubby is at my sons this weekend with our daughter- they are going to the Texas renaissance fair. I am home. I couldn’t make the car ride again. I don’t see Rheumy till Dec. she won’t be happy I don’t want to continue with the MTX, I don’t want to continue to weaken my immune system and get staph infections. Us Nurses our colonized! All those years of ICU and MRSA patients! Not sure where to go from here. Thinking of going to a functional medicine doctor ( also internist ) in Houston where my son lives. IDK

Sorry so gloomy!
On a positive note I made an almond crust sugar dairy free pumpkin apple pie earlier this week and ate 1/4- after few days in fridge I gave to the chickens! They loved it! With their pumpkin covered beaks! LOL

 

[ronott1]

Sorry so gloomy!
On a positive note I made an almond crust sugar dairy free pumpkin apple pie earlier this week and ate 1/4- after few days in fridge I gave to the chickens! They loved it! With their pumpkin covered beaks! LOL

I want to make cinnamon rolls tomorrow!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sorry so gloomy!
On a positive note I made an almond crust sugar dairy free pumpkin apple pie earlier this week and ate 1/4- after few days in fridge I gave to the chickens! They loved it! With their pumpkin covered beaks! LOL

That sounds yummy.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Thought about making cinnamon rolls myself need to get some cream cheese

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

So, what are some natural anti- inflammatory supplements? Are there websites anyone could point me to?
I have issues with my hands and arms and the strength in them. For instance, I bought some chopped straw which is really packed in the bag. I can barely pull it out due to strength issues. I am thinking of opening the whole bag up and putting into a metal can for storage while using it.
Does anyone else have ideas on how to store items to make them easier to use, but also keeping the rodents out?
I also will be carrying water to the run this winter. Currently I am using plastic watering cans, but I am wondering if there is something better to use?

 

[pennyJo1960]

I use shavings guys carry them or use a dolly to move them cut them open us a
garden rake the real short one to rake shavings into the coops just turn the bundles to get good coverage

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I use shavings guys carry them or use a dolly to move them cut them open us a
garden rake the real short one to rake shavings into the coops just turn the bundles to get good coverage

I have shavings too they are packed pretty tight as well. I am using both right now - see which one I like better or see if I like the combo of the two. My coops are smaller it sounds like as I don't use a whole bag at a time.

 

[pennyJo1960]

See my Coop my Main one is a geodesic dome 17 feet in diameter extra heavy duty tarps
are on it.. Knock on wood never lost a bird to predator so far smart enough to not say
never My other two coops are tiny by size but perfect for what is in them one has two rooms each has a window there is screen door the rooms are not large maybe 8 x 10 the one I can stand in it the other room I have to bend at the neck which is very painful the silky live in it and anything they raise the last eggs they hatched for me was marans this time it is the ones I am hatching in the halloween hatch... I use one in theirs 3 in my main coop.. so sorry to have written a book here