MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

No, I don't have scales accurate enough. It would be good to get a set like they have at the vet though.

I use digital kitchen scales. They're good for + and - one gram.

 

[Shadrach]

So far today, Lorna has had three feeds and we're both getting much better at it. There's one more feed due 7.30-8pm.

She has weighed 833g all day. I'm considering her weight stability a minor win. Hopefully tomorrow she will be a little heavier.

Where do you feed her MJ? Do you sit on the floor in the house to do it?

 

[MaryJanet]

Where do you feed her MJ? Do you sit on the floor in the house to do it?

No, I sit her on a table top in the back porch, which is beside the pullets' room. I'm still building up my skills and its important to have everything I need within arm's reach and that's the most convenient spot.

Is it better to sit on the floor?

 

[Shadrach]

No, I sit her on a table top in the back porch, which is beside the pullets' room. I'm still building up my skills and its important to have everything I need within arm's reach and that's the most convenient spot.

Is it better to sit on the floor?

No, not at all. A table at a convenient working hight is ideal. As you write, it's useful to have everything ready and within reach.

 

[MaryJanet]

No, not at all. A table at a convenient working hight is ideal. As you write, it's useful to have everything ready and within reach.

She's become very good at sitting in the lunch box to be weighed.

After weighing, I move her into a big wicker box that I usually use to accumulate the recycling, which I've lined with a big scarf. The scarf is wrapped around her to keep her from flapping. Then the worst part starts, lifting her head and placing the needle-like thingy into her beak and down the side into her crop, checking with my other fingertip to make sure it's in the right place, like Mark showed me. I push the syringe until it doesn't want to be pushed any more (it's been filled to 10mls of quite thick liquid food, like a thick soup) and then draw the needle thing out of her as fast as possible without hurting her. Then I make myself feel better by telling her how brave she is and how sorry I am before releasing her back to her friends. The whole process is getting quicker and quicker, this morning from picking her up to releasing her was maybe 3 minutes.

Does that sound like I'm doing it right?

 

[MaryJanet]

I forgot to mention that I've been cleaning the needle thing in boiling water afterwards, to keep it as sterile as possible.

 

[Shadrach]

She's become very good at sitting in the lunch box to be weighed.

After weighing, I move her into a big wicker box that I usually use to accumulate the recycling, which I've lined with a big scarf. The scarf is wrapped around her to keep her from flapping. Then the worst part starts, lifting her head and placing the needle-like thingy into her beak and down the side into her crop, checking with my other fingertip to make sure it's in the right place, like Mark showed me. I push the syringe until it doesn't want to be pushed any more (it's been filled to 10mls of quite thick liquid food, like a thick soup) and then draw the needle thing out of her as fast as possible without hurting her. Then I make myself feel better by telling her how brave she is and how sorry I am before releasing her back to her friends. The whole process is getting quicker and quicker, this morning from picking her up to releasing her was maybe 3 minutes.

Does that sound like I'm doing it right?

It sound great; far better than my struggles. I've done it kneeling on a concrete floor with the chicken between my legs facing away from me. Sore knees and backache and one very pissy chicken.

 

[MaryJanet]

It sound great; far better than my struggles. I've done it kneeling on a concrete floor with the chicken between my legs facing away from me. Sore knees and backache and one very pissy chicken.

Well, that's a relief. I'll soldier on for now. She been nibbling at the pellets and the tiny leaves of mini bale of lucerne hay today, so that's good.

 

[LozzyR]

It’s hot today, suddenly. Nyssa is moulting. Can chooks moult when it’s really hot? I would have thought they could, but I’m worried there’s an underlying problem. There was a greenish poop and I don’t know if it is from lots of grass or an infection. And Snowy did a small poop that looks like there’s a bit of intestinal lining. Too much stress!

 

[MaryJanet]

Can chooks moult when it’s really hot

I don't know, sorry. It's not something I'd feel worried about though.

Green poop is likely from grass. All three pullets have green poop right now from the lucerne they've been nibbling on.

I also wouldn't worry too much about the intestinal lining, maybe it's nothing? If a few more pieces come out, maybe take her to the vet? Lorna's was surprisingly orange, like a yolk.