Keeping Chickens When You Have Arthritis.

[LaFleche]

With regard to the age-related ever so slowly dwindling physical abilities, the one thing I found most helpful was to reduce the number of poultry/animals accordingly.

So even with every task taking more and more time than it used to I find enough time to enjoy the animals and not only rush to clean and provide for them.

I realised that the fun does not necessarily increases proportionately to the number of chickens/animals I own.

And it also helps to reduce the guilty conscience

 

[ronott1]

With regard to the age-related ever so slowly dwindling physical abilities, the one thing I found most helpful was to reduce the number of poultry/animals accordingly.

So even with every task taking more and more time than it used to I find enough time to enjoy the animals and not only rush to clean and provide for them.

I realised that the fun does not necessarily increases proportionately to the number of chickens/animals I own.

And it also helps to reduce the guilty conscience

Good Advice!

 

[Sequel]

Ok, I got hooked
I personally don't have arthritis, but my wife has fibromyalgia. So I'm familiar with how things can affect everyday life.
The cart is a great addition. The larger the wheels the easier to move. Wider is better than taller. If it's home built would skis added for winter help or is the parh kept clear.
The main thing that I've seen that helps is being organized. The fewer steps in a task the easier and quicker it can be completed. Look at things and see what can be moved closer to where it's used. Placing frequently used items at waist to shoulder high so there's no bending or reaching to get them. One of the grabber tools is great for pick up of small items. View attachment 1506129Sometimes for me it's easier to write things out. I am forever creating lists. As I become more familiar I can start making the process more efficient. For example to me-
Water chickens
1 get waterer from coop
2 clean waterer
3 refill
4 replace in coop
I realized by writing it down that the hose was on the other side of the yard and I had to walk back and forth twice. My fix was get a second waterer and leave it by the hose. Now I fill the clean one on my way out and bring the older one back to clean when I'm done at the coop.
I know this sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal, but in a week I've saved about a quarter mile of walking. Sorry for being long winded. My mind wanders and the keyboard follows. Hope at least some of this helps.

That was very helpful! Organization, whoda thunkit? Seriously, you just described what I’ve been going through going too many miles to the hose etc. I was on crutches most of the winter and my own lack of organization about did me in!

 

[Sequel]

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!

I got one of those plastic pet food bins with a nice threaded lid at Habitat for Humanity store for $5. So far no rodent damage. I have power and lights in the coop and DH will run water too if I ask. It would be great to have a frost free hydrant up there so I’m not having to remember to drain the hose after using it.

 

[Sequel]

I didn’t realize this was an old thread! But it popped up and I’m glad to see it!

 

[LaFleche]

I didn’t realize this was an old thread! But it popped up and I’m glad to see it!

Yes, but it is still timely as we all age and experience the limitations that come with it.

 

[microchick]

I was keeping my feed out at the coop to save hauling it up from the shop every day but had to move my garbage cans (those puppies hold 100 pounds of food!) back down to the shop due to a raccoon trying to get into them and tearing up my work area. Got rid of the Raccoon but there are always more in the wings here.

@cmom, I'm sorry to hear that you DH has PD. We lost a dear friend to it two years ago. Not to the PD directly but to a fall caused by the PD. Does your husband see a motion specialist? I was talking to our late friend's wife not too long ago and she said that the motion (may be movement) specialist that her husband saw helped him more than any other doc that he went to.

As for being forgetful, welcome to the club! Seriously, I have note books that I stage around the house so I can write things down. The worst was when I had Lyme disease and it affected my memory horribly. I was working with my husband at the time as his office manager/nurse and had a notebook that I kept on my desk. I didn't have to write down whole sentences, just catch words that would spur my memory on. It worked quite well. We found the notebook recently and flipped through it. He was amazed how I managed to keep track of things while I was so sick.

It's tough being a care giver on top of having age related pain to deal with. I was a care giver to both of my parents for almost 20 years between the two of them. Make sure to take care of the care giver. With all you do or try to do you sound a lot like me. Promise?

@Sequel we have the frost free hydrants. The only problem we have from them is that the o-rings wear out and they start to leak. Replacing them is a pain in the back side.

How do you guys deal with opening bags and dumping them in containers? I usually have to ask DH to help and carry a pocket knife with me but they sure don't make it easy for us old folk!

 

[Sequel]

I was keeping my feed out at the coop to save hauling it up from the shop every day but had to move my garbage cans (those puppies hold 100 pounds of food!) back down to the shop due to a raccoon trying to get into them and tearing up my work area. Got rid of the Raccoon but there are always more in the wings here.

@cmom, I'm sorry to hear that you DH has PD. We lost a dear friend to it two years ago. Not to the PD directly but to a fall caused by the PD. Does your husband see a motion specialist? I was talking to our late friend's wife not too long ago and she said that the motion (may be movement) specialist that her husband saw helped him more than any other doc that he went to.

As for being forgetful, welcome to the club! Seriously, I have note books that I stage around the house so I can write things down. The worst was when I had Lyme disease and it affected my memory horribly. I was working with my husband at the time as his office manager/nurse and had a notebook that I kept on my desk. I didn't have to write down whole sentences, just catch words that would spur my memory on. It worked quite well. We found the notebook recently and flipped through it. He was amazed how I managed to keep track of things while I was so sick.

It's tough being a care giver on top of having age related pain to deal with. I was a care giver to both of my parents for almost 20 years between the two of them. Make sure to take care of the care giver. With all you do or try to do you sound a lot like me. Promise?

@Sequel we have the frost free hydrants. The only problem we have from them is that the o-rings wear out and they start to leak. Replacing them is a pain in the back side.

How do you guys deal with opening bags and dumping them in containers? I usually have to ask DH to help and carry a pocket knife with me but they sure don't make it easy for us old folk!

I let my 3 year old grandson scoop out as much of the bag as he has patience for. Turns out to be quite a lot! About the time he wants to do something else I can lift the bag and dump the rest. Actually I can lift the bags but my coop is up the hill from the house and garage so as long as I get it carried to the coop I’m good. I can lift the bags but don’t want to risk a back injury doing so.

 

[microchick]

I asked my Physical Therapist and rheumatologist how much weight was 'safe' for me to lift. They both told me the same thing when they asked me how much I was used to lifting and I told them 50 pounds but not for long distances and explained I raise chickens and have to move feed bags around. They both told me the same thing, okay as long as I didn't carry them for long distances or hold them for long period of times. Usually my husband steps in and bawls me out when he catches me trying to handle the bags by myself. My risk of compression fractures in my spine is kinda sorta high so I've had to concede defeat with this one and do like your grandson does and dip it from bag to garbage can.

I've also got the enlarged finger joints and my grip is horrible.

 

[Sequel]

I asked my Physical Therapist and rheumatologist how much weight was 'safe' for me to lift. They both told me the same thing when they asked me how much I was used to lifting and I told them 50 pounds but not for long distances and explained I raise chickens and have to move feed bags around. They both told me the same thing, okay as long as I didn't carry them for long distances or hold them for long period of times. Usually my husband steps in and bawls me out when he catches me trying to handle the bags by myself. My risk of compression fractures in my spine is kinda sorta high so I've had to concede defeat with this one and do like your grandson does and dip it from bag to garbage can.

I've also got the enlarged finger joints and my grip is horrible.

I had the joint at the base of my left thumb suddenly sport a knob! It’s the goofiest thing! I swear it wasn’t there and one day bingo! You now have a knob Grandma!