LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[TwoCrows]

Glad to read! Sounds like a thriving cactus!

Yeah, I don't know what it is. This past year was very hard on them. Summer is typically an escape from the rainy winter months, but this summer was brutal. Totally threw them off. Even my oldest, hardiest lithops look pretty rough. I only have two that look OK. One that flowered and is expected to split soon, and one that has yet to flower. Odd, odd year. I hope our lithops pull through

Was your summer too hot or wet maybe? Maybe they are still dormant? My big Haworthia has finally woken up this past week with a long flower. Summer was WAY to hot for it and it looks a bit rough because of it. But I think its recovered and is awake. Hopefully your Lithops too are ready to wake up soon.

 

[fluffycrow]

At the same time, I have a pullet that isn't doing too well. Can't see any mites or lice. Breathing fine. No discharge from anywhere. No wounds that I could see. Crop feels good, albeit not too full since she isn't eating much. The only too signs are her acting lethargic/being a little puffed up with head kept close to her body, and her not having too much interest towards food. She was getting picked on by the others, so she got separated. Right now my main suspects are either something genetic that took its time to appear, exhaustion (she has always been on the smaller/lighter side, doesn't do too well with stress, and on Friday there was a bit of a conundrum because the acquaintance who does the butchering for me came by to pick up some of the boys. It could also be all the boys harassing her so far, in which case she should recover now that all but the most respectful are gone) or possibly some bug or something of that nature that she caught now that the weather is getting colder, and the property is getting muddier. If that's the case, I would not expect her to be the only one exhibiting symptoms. I hope that this will fix itself with her being alone for a bit, with good food and away from her rambunctious siblings. At the very least, if she is to pass, I hope that she will be the only one to do so

 

[fluffycrow]

Was your summer too hot or wet maybe? Maybe they are still dormant? My big Haworthia has finally woken up this past week with a long flower. Summer was WAY to hot for it and it looks a bit rough because of it. But I think its recovered and is awake. Hopefully your Lithops too are ready to wake up soon.

Wet, us? No, scorching is what it was . Pretty much back to back heat waves. First time I'd come across a lithops with a sunburn. They should did need some TLC after that. Glad to read your Haworthia is flowering again!

 

[TwoCrows]

At the same time, I have a pullet that isn't doing too well. Can't see any mites or lice. Breathing fine. No discharge from anywhere. No wounds that I could see. Crop feels good, albeit not too full since she isn't eating much. The only too signs are her acting lethargic/being a little puffed up with head kept close to her body, and her not having too much interest towards food. She was getting picked on by the others, so she got separated. Right now my main suspects are either something genetic that took its time to appear, exhaustion (she has always been on the smaller/lighter side, doesn't do too well with stress, and on Friday there was a bit of a conundrum because the acquaintance who does the butchering for me came by to pick up some of the boys. It could also be all the boys harassing her so far, in which case she should recover now that all but the most respectful are gone) or possibly some bug or something of that nature that she caught now that the weather is getting colder, and the property is getting muddier. If that's the case, I would not expect her to be the only one exhibiting symptoms. I hope that this will fix itself with her being alone for a bit, with good food and away from her rambunctious siblings. At the very least, if she is to pass, I hope that she will be the only one to do so

If its been wet for too long, I'd suspect Coccidiosis. Its everywhere in all soil all the time. It multiplies very fast in damp conditions. Lethargy, fluffed up, not interested in food, are the main symptoms. White urate stains on butt feathers too. It won't hurt to run some Corid (Amprolium) through her, the rest of the flock too if you can't separate her. This way you can rule Coccidia out.

 

[TwoCrows]

Wet, us? No, scorching is what it was . Pretty much back to back heat waves. First time I'd come across a lithops with a sunburn. They should did need some TLC after that. Glad to read your Haworthia is flowering again!

I think one of mine got sunburned too, big white patch on one of the leaves. They say temps over 100 can cook them.

 

[fluffycrow]

If its been wet for too long, I'd suspect Coccidiosis. Its everywhere in all soil all the time. It multiplies very fast in damp conditions. Lethargy, fluffed up, not interested in food, are the main symptoms. White urate stains on butt feathers too. It won't hurt to run some Corid (Amprolium) through her, the rest of the flock too if you can't separate her. This way you can rule Coccidia out.

Good thinking. I have some on hand, so I'll try it. If that's the case, I'll have to be on the lookout for it in case the rest of the youngsters get it. Haven't noticed anything concerning in any droppings (or any sort of suspicious residue near her vent), but with that number of birds, I can't be sure. Not risking it

Thank you

 

[fluffycrow]

I think one of mine got sunburned too, big white patch on one of the leaves. They say temps over 100 can cook them.

Oh, it definitely got over 100°F here! Actually, most days were over that. As much as sun stress can be pretty, sunburn is horrible!

 

[TwoCrows]

Good thinking. I have some on hand, so I'll try it. If that's the case, I'll have to be on the lookout for it in case the rest of the youngsters get it. Haven't noticed anything concerning in any droppings (or any sort of suspicious residue near her vent), but with that number of birds, I can't be sure. Not risking it

Thank you

Thats the easy thing about Amprolium, its pretty harmless to the birds but will cure them if this is a Coccidiosis thing, so why not try it. SO many people had issues with Coccidia this year, its on the rampage. You should see sone improvement in a few days, keep us posted!

Oh and use it for 5-7 days followed by probiotics for a few days after.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh, it definitely got over 100°F here! Actually, most days were over that. As much as sun stress can be pretty, sunburn is horrible!

You might need to use shade cloth this year. I had several cactus get burned this year, I ended up hanging 50% cloth and this helped greatly. They really don't like or need blasting sun, mine did a lot better in partial shade.

 

[TwoCrows]

@fluffycrow Also, if your girl is not drinking either, you may need to get her started and syringe a bit into her mouth, (hold her head level, not back) a few times the first day to get this stuff in her system.