Margo is in Trouble

[micstrachan]

And you’re right, I don’t know for sure that Margo isn’t eating. I’m pretty sure, though, that she’s not eating very much. I’ll stress a little less about that, since rebrascora pointed out she has some stores to draw on.

@casportpony, calcium pills are kind of huge. However, I’m thinking of mixing the ibuprofen with baby bird feed into a paste and could add the calcium there. Swiping a paste into beak worked great with my last sick hen.

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony, calcium pills are kind of huge.

How big are they?

 

[casportpony]

Mine swallow whole baby rats and mice!

 

[deepbluesea]

I just came upon this thread--whoa, you've really been through it! And still managed to be nice to me with my fly strike.

She looks much better in the last pic you posted--posture and general vigor both. Hope she keeps going in the right direction!

 

[micstrachan]

Good point. Bridgette eats whole lizards, snakes and the occasional frog. Maybe I’ll give Margo the calcium orally next.

 

[casportpony]

Kathy I love how methodical you are about backing things up with evidence! How do you find all this statistical data? Do you use Google and then trawl through every link until you find something that is appropriate?

I used to search for "chickens" and whatever I was looking for, but have found that if I search for "avian medicine" and whatever I get much better results. It's taken many hours of research to figure out what it takes to get one hydrated, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

 

[casportpony]

Good point. Bridgette eats whole lizards, snakes and the occasional frog. Maybe I’ll give Margo the calcium orally next.

I have two little OEGB's that need the occasional calcium and I just 1/4 or 1/2 them.

 

[casportpony]

Have you seen this video?

Edited to add:
That's in my medicating article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[rebrascora]

Mine swallow whole baby rats and mice

I wish mine did. Actually I would settle for just killing them, but last year my girls stood around and watched the rats come and swing off their feeder and help themselves whilst I dashed to get my air rifle. Maybe I feed them too well! Thankfully I am on top of the rat situation at the moment but I am aware it is an on going battle. It would be nice if some of my girly troops were prepared to go to war with me instead of being wimps or passivists!

 

[Kiki]

I used to search for "chickens" and whatever I was looking for, but have found that if I search for "avian medicine" and whatever I get much better results. It's taken many hours of research to figure out what it takes to get one hydrated, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

I search for "studies" too, I have found a lot of great studies.
I refuse to read anything a random blogger writes. REFUSE.