MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I've watched a few threads run out of control over the years. Working ones way through 10 pages or more per day is not what I'm interested in given much of it is just chat or people trying to respond to every post.
I try to respond to those posts that ask a direct question and read the rest leaving a like or whatever.
I've been lucky on my thread most people seem to understand that a little chat is fine but pages of one line responses just ruins the thread. It may get lots of posts but I'm more interested inpost quality than quantity. Your thread and Ribh's thread run at a good pace and I read both, plus a couple of other slow cookers.

What are the other slow cookers you read? I'd like to take a look at them.

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick having read about Bernie's crop on Shad's thread, I just wanted to remind you that Mary's slow crop was due to a GI obstruction. Surgery revealed the obstruction to be a protective fat lump around a hernia, which Dr Mark reduced as much as he could before repairing the hernia. So, like I usually do, I think it's wise that a beloved hen sees a good exotic species vet when she's not well, in case it's something that requires images and surgery.

Thanks MJ - I had remembered that.
Unfortunately I don't have access to a Dr. Mark equivalent.
There has been a lot of drama since I posted the situation. In a nutshell, when I went in for the evening crop massage I was puzzled to find that Bernie was wet. I switched from red light to normal headlamp and found that she and I were covered in blood.
I tried to find where it was coming from but couldn't identify an obvious wound.
She survived the night - which was not an obvious outcome given the blood - and I managed to get a slot with the vet today. Just a vey who is willing to see a chicken - but definitely not a chicken expert.
The outcome of this is the following:
- Blood seems to be coming from a toe that she has ripped off the nail and maybe the final segment of toe itself.
- Vet agrees with my view that the crop is the result of slow digestion not an obstruction
- She has lost weight over the last 6 months which was the last time I weighed her. Note to self: I need to weigh my flock more often
- Vet thinks she can feel a small lump - possibly a tumor deep in her abdomen

The lump and the weight loss suggest she has something nasty going on beyond her molt.
Poor Bernie. Not giving up on her yet, but I feel terrible that I did not notice the weight loss. Not that I could do anything different.
She did deliver a big glob of liquid poop at the vet and she is tucking in to raw egg right now, so something is working its way through.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thanks MJ - I had remembered that.
Unfortunately I don't have access to a Dr. Mark equivalent.
There has been a lot of drama since I posted the situation. In a nutshell, when I went in for the evening crop massage I was puzzled to find that Bernie was wet. I switched from red light to normal headlamp and found that she and I were covered in blood.
I tried to find where it was coming from but couldn't identify an obvious wound.
She survived the night - which was not an obvious outcome given the blood - and I managed to get a slot with the vet today. Just a vey who is willing to see a chicken - but definitely not a chicken expert.
The outcome of this is the following:
- Blood seems to be coming from a toe that she has ripped off the nail and maybe the final segment of toe itself.
- Vet agrees with my view that the crop is the result of slow digestion not an obstruction
- She has lost weight over the last 6 months which was the last time I weighed her. Note to self: I need to weigh my flock more often
- Vet thinks she can feel a small lump - possibly a tumor deep in her abdomen

The lump and the weight loss suggest she has something nasty going on beyond her molt.
Poor Bernie. Not giving up on her yet, but I feel terrible that I did not notice the weight loss. Not that I could do anything different.
She did deliver a big glob of liquid poop at the vet and she is tucking in to raw egg right now, so something is working its way through.

It's so unnerving when things escalate like that. I hope you're feeling OK.

 

[RoyalChick]

It's so unnerving when things escalate like that. I hope you're feeling OK.

Just sad. She is such a force of nature that it is hard to see her laid low.

 

[MaryJanet]

Just sad. She is such a force of nature that it is hard to see her laid low.

Well, the toe will be OK in time. Did the vet recommend images of the internal lump?

 

[RoyalChick]

Well, the toe will be OK in time. Did the vet recommend images of the internal lump?

No. The vet care I can get for a chicken is very basic.
She would never be able to do surgery and so there isn’t much call for advanced diagnostics either.
She is a good basic vet and as I am on my own, and expensive spare set of hands. I just have to hope that Bernie can have a decent quality for as long as possible.
Right now she is happy enough though a bit annoyed to be confined to the hospital ward. I have only done so because of the blood - I don’t want anyone pecking at her. I will let her out tomorrow or the day after once the scab looks a bit more stable.

 

[MaryJanet]

No. The vet care I can get for a chicken is very basic.
She would never be able to do surgery and so there isn’t much call for advanced diagnostics either.
She is a good basic vet and as I am on my own, and expensive spare set of hands. I just have to hope that Bernie can have a decent quality for as long as possible.
Right now she is happy enough though a bit annoyed to be confined to the hospital ward. I have only done so because of the blood - I don’t want anyone pecking at her. I will let her out tomorrow or the day after once the scab looks a bit more stable.

I hope she does well and that the vet was mistaken about the lump - seems like it might be possible given the lack of training?

 

[MaryJanet]

I took a video of the morning stampede.

 

[RoyalChick]

I took a video of the morning stampede.

They are certainly full of energy!

 

[MaryJanet]

And the vulture had a very thorough scrubbing.