Keeping Chickens When You Have Arthritis.

[Flockincrazy]

Keep moving guess I stepped out of here for a time back in still in pain but a doc I have now wants to take my tramadol away he says my pain is not that great

They really have no clue i take Cymbalta for my pain it helps i used to be on Norco hate that stuff the Cymbalta doesn't make me tired like the Norco see if your doc is willing to try it

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I'm 72 years young and in a wheelchair. Luckily I can walk a few steps without too much pain.
My coop and pens are about 75 yards from my hfouse.
I use a golf cart to haul food and other supplies.
The food is kept in metal trash cans on my back porch.
I use kitty litter buckets and fill as many as I need as heavy as I can carry them. I bring them to the lift in my chair and transfer the buckets to the golf cart.
My husband ran water close to the coop and I have a hose going to each of the 3 pens so I don't have to drag the hose around.
I do not my bring the cart into the pens. One, it will not fit, two, it's death on chickens.
I keep an old wheelchair in each pen so I can move the buckets to the feeders and rest when I need to. I collect the eggs and bring them to the golf cart. You would be surprised how moving things around in a wheelchair makes hard jobs easier.
It takes a while to feed and water the 2 pens of roughly 70 chickens and chicks and a pen for 6 geese.
At times I get some help but mostly, I do it myself. Hubby hates the chickens so no help there.
I try to plan my duties so I get as much done with the least amount of effort.
Frankly, I enjoy my time with the chickens. It is hard work but I will keep doing this as long as I can.
chickens rule!!!

Chickens rule and you rock! Awesome simply awesome you inspire me!

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I am only 46 but have degenerative arthritis in my spine and hands ( elsewhere I am sure but only place xray’d) and inflammatory RA. Diagnosed this year. I had to quit working as a nurse and retire. The chickens (12) were to keep me active and give me something to do. I can’t use or lift feed or water buckets. I have a flat pan in the coup and run that I put out a scoop of feed into each am. I have multiple water bowls in the coup, run and free range fence area. I have hose to fill daily. I keep the feed inside by the back door in the large Rubbermaid totes (someone pictured). My hubby backs up our utility trailer to the coup door using his 4 wheeler and I sweep deep litter pine shavings into it ( when time to clean the 10x12 coup) he then drives it to our flower beds and dumps. Some days I can barely get out of bed due to debilitating fatigue, but I MUST tend the chicken and I do. On days I feel better I do more like work in my container veggie garden. If I am feeling real good I will pull few weeds to throw in the run.
My set up means if I am not home- a chicken sitter must come feed and water them daily. I don’t go many places anymore. Fatigue and pain are not worth it. When I do my mother n law or 12yr old twin neighbor girls feed and water them.
My primary MD said my chickens were therapeutic! I sit and watch a lot of chicken tv!
I once was a critical care emergency nurse (27 yrs)..... now I tend chickens
I thank God for hubby who has been supportive and try to view my new life as a blessing.

You and I sound alike. I was a radiation therapist who treated cancer patients. Many don’t know what that is then I became the administrator over the cancer center in our hospital for many years. I had almost a thirty year career in oncology until arthritis and degenerative disc disease did me in. I have the dreaded fibromyalgia that will set in also if my pain sets in too bad and doesn’t allow me to get adequate sleep after proper time. Then that is where real trouble starts. My muscles shut down and start spasms and I can do anything. I try to not let that happen. It is a bad seen. Cannot yet seem to get all of these explanations over to family yet- distant. They haven’t seen me go through it but my husband and kids have so that’s what counts. They have to live with me and help me and they know what’s real or not. Like today my spasms are so bad that I can’t walk due to the heat and I have also been sweating and dehydrating I thing too much. This has been an added problem that I am not used to so I am having to add another level of being careful. My groin muscles and calves are spamming really bad. Driving me nuts. If it’s not one thing it’s another. But please keep your chin up! I am glad you have your chickens for therapy to look forward too as I do mine. I know 46 is young 43 was young for me. Please feel free to message me and vent anytime or just talk chicken !

 

[cmom]

Don't get a joint replaced until you cannot take it no more, or else you may be dissatisfied. I've had both knees and both shoulders done. You have to be in enough pain to want to go through with the recovery, and to put up with the physical limitations of an artificial joint. Once you are at that point it is worth it.

My DH had a shoulder replaced several years ago. The Dr. told him not to use it for several weeks. After a couple of weeks he thought it felt good and went on like normal. Big mistake. He did something and it still bothers him but he won't do anything about it.

 

[ronott1]

My DH had a shoulder replaced several years ago. The Dr. told him not to use it for several weeks. After a couple of weeks he thought it felt good and went on like normal. Big mistake. He did something and it still bothers him but he won't do anything about it.

I have seen similar issues before with not letting surgeries heal up correctly

 

[pennyJo1960]

That can be awful painfull if your not healed all the way .. had the left acl repaired almost 11 years ago still solid yes arthritis about gets me in it but the acl he used my hamstring .. My hips are killer that and my neck dizzy spells now are from turning my head no feeling in my hands or feet but 30 chickens keep me going

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My DH had a shoulder replaced several years ago. The Dr. told him not to use it for several weeks. After a couple of weeks he thought it felt good and went on like normal. Big mistake. He did something and it still bothers him but he won't do anything about it.

I have seen similar issues before with not letting surgeries heal up correctly

It's important to follow those doctor directions, or follow through with the physical therapy after a replacement for the best outcome. Even than they aren't always perfect. I was told they are for pain relief, not for better mobility, or better use.

It doesn't sound like your DH had therapy, @cmom ? Did he have a reverse shoulder replacement or a regular one? I now have one of each. The reverse is for when your rotator cuff doesn't work anymore, and requires no therapy. It can take up to 2 years after a replacement for it to feel right.

 

[microchick]

I just found a whole page of responses that I wasn't notified about and just found while back tracking. Apologies for not responding.

@thepick4uchicks I was diagnosed with Rheumatic Fever in 1976. I was 26, and spent one month in the hospital and a total of 6 months total in bed. I contracted a strep throat while working as a nurse on a pediatric unit where germs ruled. It was a life changer for sure.

I have degenerative disc disease and stenosis in my cervical vetebrae along with a scoliosis and degenerative changes/osteoporosis/arthritis in my lumbar area. I also have serum negative RA that only responds to steroids during a flare.

@penny1960 I was wondering when you were going to drop in again, girl. Sorry to hear about the doc thinking he knows how bad that you are hurting and how the pain affects you. At best my pain is a 1-2. By the end of the day it is a 4-5 and when it goes acute it's a solid 7-9. The initial acute phase is when the pain is the worst and when that happens all I can do is hobble to the sofa with my husband's help with ice bags on my back and pain killers within reach.

It astounds me that any doctor would say, oh you aren't hurting that bad! The audacity! IMHO if I were in your shoes I would ask to be referred to a pain specialist and let them deal with your chronic pain so that he/she HAS to listen to them.

I am so glad that I have the MRI's, Rheumatologist reports and Dexa Scan reports on hand. One day my doctor was talking to me about my pain medication and I told him, don't worry, I don't and won't abuse it. His response was, that isn't my concern. I'm more worried that you aren't taking it when you need it.

That is the one big bit of advice that I can give to anybody dealing with chronic pain and degenerative joint diseases is make certain that you have your health care provider/hospitals etc, give you copies of all of your tests whether they are labs or radiology reports. They belong to you, not the hospital and you have a right to a copy for your own private records.

@ronott1 Sorry I missed the question about the 4 wheeler. What we would like to get is one of those little 4 wheel drive Kie Mini Trucks. Here in Missouri we can drive ATVs and Minis on the road without license plates. People drive them into town all the time plus people in town drive golf cars around. Our town is small, only 1300 people and we live on a gravel road approximately 8 miles from town.

As for the question about heating, no we only have wood heat. We bought a wood splitter 6 years ago and love it to pieces. We have approximately 24 acres of oak, hickory and Honey Locust timber. We harvest at least 10 cords of split wood on hand right now harvesting mainly dead standing wood. We know we won't be able to keep harvesting our own wood forever but that is one of those things where it's 'not yet'. Plus we have Amish around us that we can probably hire to harvest our wood for us when the time comes.

 

[Vickischics]

Great ideas guys! Keep em coming!

Right now my hydrant is out of commission at the moment, so I use the cat litter jugs for water also. My husband helps me fill them and load them in the wagon or cart. The big jugs hold 2.5 gallons of water each, the small ones about 1.5 gallons. The wagon will also hold a bucket, once again, kitty littler bucket, well cleaned out and aired out, loaded with 2 days worth of food to top off the feeders. A coffee can of scratch and BOSS. I use a lot of the gallon ice cream jugs and if there is a sick or injured bird, I throw the first aid stuff in the container and into the wagon it goes along with rubber gloves.

I have three of the pick up sticks. I've even used them to snare a just out of reach bird in the coop.

I really like the idea of keeping a towel, drinking water, etc, close at hand.

Currently, my feed is stored in our shop, in a small connecting room. I'm considering moving the garbage cans out to the coop, but need to get two more metal cans.

Has anyone had luck using the big plastic cans and keeping mice from chewing through.

Definitely, organize a plan and act on it so you can get everything done at once.

Hope I'm not the only person who thinks garden hose in 100 foot lengths makes a GREAT gift!

Thats funny because last Christmas, I got two 100 ft contractor hoses from Mr. Claus. He knew just what I needed. Lol

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am going to give this Doc one more chance.. He is one of those early practice guys that knows everything wants me on a statin as my blood pressure is 300
I am 60 I do not care gets higher when you tell me I do not have pain