Official Squatch Watchers

[Sassysouth]

@apryl29 it was bright red blood. I am on the look out and monitoring poop today. If I see it again, I will go ahead an treat.

We are suppose to get 4 more hours of snow. It is blowing sideways from the north, so the backside of the run has snow it in. We may get 1”, so it is a dusting.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Ew.


Mine act like that every time I enter the coop or walk around the back of the run... Like Where's the treats?! What do you have? I use a small bucket to collect eggs and as soon as I set it down they have to check it out b/c there *might* be something to eat in it.


I tried to google it... what was it? Something that makes omelets?


You could *miss* some eggs when someone goes broody.


I've been turning the heater on all night long, of course it's pretty much running constantly since it never reaches 65 degrees, but it usually keeps them at a comfortable 20-30. But I also don't live there... if I did I'd probably only turn it on right before I went to be and set it to turn off at 7 am, but as it is the timer only goes for 10 hour max and it'd end up turning off when it's the coldest outside. In the morning I turn it off and it usually stays around 20-30 in the coop. Of course I only do this if it's in the teens or lower at night. The other day they forcasted that we'd be +3 overnight and I woke up the next day and it was -6! It was glorious on Thursday night. 50's all night long. I left the window wide open all day and night, but had to run over at lunch on Friday to close them up as the storm hit.


Odin's wattles did the same thing.. like a layer of white skin just came right off. I didn't pick at it, but the ladies helped him along since they won't leave him alone. They look better than they did before though. I think I'm just going to do the back and forth thing w/ the space heater, but only when it's in the teens or lower at night. They seem fine otherwise.


Oh no! Did you notice that she was having problems?


I know it's bad for you if you do it a lot, but have you consider tanning beds, or light therapy? Supposedly winter is really bad for SAD, & if you notice a big difference in your mood between winter - summer then it might help. Or try adding more vitamin D. I have a friend who has issues and added D, but then stopped b/c she 'felt better' then she started having problems again. Had to explain to her that she felt better and her levels were normal b/c she was taking the vitamin.. smh.


14 right now, we'll hit a "high" of 17... then back around zero over night. I think we need to start a petition or protest to get rid of this terrible weather. Snow and more snow here. At least school wasn't cancelled again.
The red poop... did you notice any other poop that had red in it? I've seen the intestinal lining being shed but it was never blood red, just pinkish.


Ugh... is there another dr who can see him? Is it HIS dr that's checking him, or just whoever is doing the rounds? If it's not HIS dr, I'd give their office a call and talk to them about things if you're not happy w/ his treatment. If it is his dr then they should be more clear with you about things than 'don't worry'... who wouldn't be worried? SMH. I hope they get things figured out soon for you guys.

Yes, several of the birds have been acting lethargic. I have been using medications, vitamins, food supplements, minerals, herbs etc. They just keep dying. I think Mereks is just very hard on SS.
I keep turning lights on and leaving them on. Hubby turns them off. I have plant lights ordered and will be keeping those on. I also take vitamin supplements daily, thanks.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Hubby has gone for surgery I'll keep y'all posted.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Good day to all. Our military post is currently CLOSED to all non essential personnel, so DH is having a day off. It SNOWED here yesterday evening and last night. DH is parked half way up our driveway as the snow and ice has made it impossible for him to get all the way up. HA!

Does the Squatchers have, like, a secretary??? LOL Someone needs to keep up with what we're all doing, so the likes of RJ, Rae, Parront and Kiki can get a condensed update when they get back

Gotta shovel out the run. So much snow!!! Only 1 chickie has wandered out this morning. Scaredy cat chickens! MAN UP!!!

Snowing now the storm is here. Hubby is scheduled for surgery, but haven't heard anything yet. He quit his feedings tired of tube leakage. Different doctors looked at it & said not to worry. How can they say that it was black and bloody. I hope things will change for him, so worried.

to hubby and you and your kiddo.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Yes, several of the birds have been acting lethargic. I have been using medications, vitamins, food supplements, minerals, herbs etc. They just keep dying. I think Mereks is just very hard on SS.
I keep turning lights on and leaving them on. Hubby turns them off. I have plant lights ordered and will be keeping those on. I also take vitamin supplements daily, thanks.

I open curtains and blinds all the time... the living room gets the best and longest amount of sunlight... yet, that is where the gaming set up is.. and the boys can't *see* the telly with the blinds open... so, for me to get any light at all, I have to *hide out* in my bedroom... which ends up sucking me back down into depression... cause I get so cocoon-ish then..... and don't accomplish anything... and then that makes me more depressed cause I feel like a loser... endless cycle.

PS. My morning and evening vitamins looks like small snacks there are soooo many of them!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Morning Squatchy folk. Smuv, your chickens are just acting chicken of the unknown. They will get over it.
Got up early to go to a test but hubby told me the wrong day, though i thought i had the right one. So i turned around and came back to bed. Glorious with my feet on the heating pad!

 

[apryl29]

@apryl29 it was bright red blood. I am on the look out and monitoring poop today. If I see it again, I will go ahead an treat.

We are suppose to get 4 more hours of snow. It is blowing sideways from the north, so the backside of the run has snow it in. We may get 1”, so it is a dusting.

I hope it was a fluke and everyone's ok. Who knew that owning chickens required one to be a veterinarian.
Are you guys going to be close to normal temps later this week too?

Yes, several of the birds have been acting lethargic. I have been using medications, vitamins, food supplements, minerals, herbs etc. They just keep dying. I think Mereks is just very hard on SS.
I keep turning lights on and leaving them on. Hubby turns them off. I have plant lights ordered and will be keeping those on. I also take vitamin supplements daily, thanks.

Ugh... hopefully if that's the case any others will become resistant to it. I would suspect that the cold makes it harder for them to fight and keep fighting these illnesses. I've seen a lot of posts on here about people having losses this winter. It's so sad & frankly makes me a little paranoid every time I go out to the coop. I was very worried about Jaiden b/c she lost a lot of weight, practically skin & bones) and always seemed cold and puffed up even when the others weren't, but it looks like she's gained weight in the past week... won't stop me from being paranoid though.
Your husband reminds me of my dad.. going through the house and turning off all the lights, sometimes even if someone was in there.. Muttering about wasting electricity. Can you get a paddle and smack his hands every time he turns a light off?

 

[CapricornFarm]

I open curtains and blinds all the time... the living room gets the best and longest amount of sunlight... yet, that is where the gaming set up is.. and the boys can't *see* the telly with the blinds open... so, for me to get any light at all, I have to *hide out* in my bedroom... which ends up sucking me back down into depression... cause I get so cocoon-ish then..... and don't accomplish anything... and then that makes me more depressed cause I feel like a loser... endless cycle.

PS. My morning and evening vitamins looks like small snacks there are soooo many of them!!

Put a tv in their room so you get the benefit of light. Yeah, i used to take lots more supplements but i got tired of swallowing all that. I am taking mvi and glucosamine.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I hope it was a fluke and everyone's ok. Who knew that owning chickens required one to be a veterinarian.
Are you guys going to be close to normal temps later this week too?


Ugh... hopefully if that's the case any others will become resistant to it. I would suspect that the cold makes it harder for them to fight and keep fighting these illnesses. I've seen a lot of posts on here about people having losses this winter. It's so sad & frankly makes me a little paranoid every time I go out to the coop. I was very worried about Jaiden b/c she lost a lot of weight, practically skin & bones) and always seemed cold and puffed up even when the others weren't, but it looks like she's gained weight in the past week... won't stop me from being paranoid though.
Your husband reminds me of my dad.. going through the house and turning off all the lights, sometimes even if someone was in there.. Muttering about wasting electricity. Can you get a paddle and smack his hands every time he turns a light off?

I really dread going out to the coop. I keep putting it off. I even put a heat lamp in there to try and help them get through winter. There is also a 100 watt bulb that some of them sit by.
Hubby likes to save money. I can always retreat to my room or the workshop for constant light. Or do some activity like woodburning that requires more light. Maybe i need to explain SAD to him.

 

[apryl29]

I really dread going out to the coop. I keep putting it off. I even put a heat lamp in there to try and help them get through winter. There is also a 100 watt bulb that some of them sit by.
Hubby likes to save money. I can always retreat to my room or the workshop for constant light. Or do some activity like woodburning that requires more light. Maybe i need to explain SAD to him.

LOL that's me every single day. I didn't get out there until 10 over the weekend. I wanted to sleep in, then it was cold out. It doesn't help that I don't live w/ my chickens.. I cannot wait until I can leave their doors open at night again so they can go outside when they wake up & I can go over later in the afternoon. If it wasn't soooooo cooollllddd. I'm sick and tired of cold wet feet. This winter has just been brutal for everyone, animals and people. I cannot wait for it to be over. It's sad when you look forward to 35* weather b/c it's "warm".
I think some people don't think it's a real issue, esp if they have a job where they're getting more sunlight than the people with the problem. Even an hour driving into work to sit in an office is more light than some of us get. But since it's not a problem for them, it shouldn't be a problem for you... not that they don't care, they just don't understand.