Official Squatch Watchers

[FlyingNunFarm]

Everyone assumes mareks but you really need a test to know for sure.

Did they find a cause?

No. I asked for the Mareks test so that’s what they ran. If I want something else tested I can call and ask (and pay) and they can use the same samples I sent.

I’m not even sure what I would test for. Sugars eye was what freaked me out with the suggestion of Mareks. I obviously couldn’t have her tested but for the others to come back negative I think it’s ruled out.
I’m wondering if my Swedish Flowers just didn’t have good genes. Maybe in spring I’ll get more from somewhere else and add them into the gene pool.

 

[ronott1]

She’s processing the food it’s just not going anywhere. I’m going to have to clean out her whole area and double check for pooping.
If she’s impacted then what!?!

The crop pills might work. If not, then crop surgery to get whatever is blocking the crop out. It is often stuff like grass but chickens will eat a lot of bad things for them.

If you are not comfortable with the surgery, a vet can do it too

 

[ronott1]

No. I asked for the Mareks test so that’s what they ran. If I want something else tested I can call and ask (and pay) and they can use the same samples I sent.

I’m not even sure what I would test for. Sugars eye was what freaked me out with the suggestion of Mareks. I obviously couldn’t have her tested but for the others to come back negative I think it’s ruled out.
I’m wondering if my Swedish Flowers just didn’t have good genes. Maybe in spring I’ll get more from somewhere else and add them into the gene pool.

Genes is a possibility. Work on health.

Have you tried the oregano oil? I use big ol bird from south land organics too

 

[apryl29]

The elephant pattern is kind of frustrating.... It's free and that is awesome BUT its a download and I have no printer at all.


I may just make something similar but drawn by me lol.

I think the elephant quilt would be a wonderful baby quilt.

Do you have a library nearby? You could call and see what they charge. We only charge 10 cents to print black, 25 cents for color.

Male rates normally have a pair of torpedoes hanging under the tail. On one that size, they would be about 2 - 2.5 inches long and they are parallel to the tail, so to me it looks like it would be female. It's one of those obvious male/female differences that make me wonder how blind people are when they get unexpected litters, I mean,"one of these things is not like the others..." If it's a female with babies, the fur around her nipples will be missing, just like cats and rabbits do when they have litters they are nursing. Rolling it over will tell you everything you need to know. Most likely you have a colony somewhere, but unless there are a lot of snug areas under there, I doubt there's very many more there. It may be a female that just had a litter and is hiding them, or a young bachelor. We usually have a couple rats who take shelter in our garage during the winter, then leave again one the weather dried out a little and it warms up. We don't leave anything down there that constitutes food for them so they come in to stay out of the rain when they aren't out foraging. And yes, some have been 10 inches without they're tail, so they get big everywhere. They are normally Norwegian roof rats, and do not have large colonies unless there is a huge amount of space, and large amounts of food and water. Most of you don't have enough animals for a decent sized colony of them, but when one leaves, another usually scoots right in. Most of them will also be young, so a bachelor or female having her first or second litter.

Ugh.. I hope it's not a girl.. I checked last night and they didn't dig out a hole again so I'm hoping that was the last big one.. thought my spring trap was sprung... but that could have been set off by something else.

Plus you have to scoop poop no indoor poop animals allowed

I scoop chicken poop every single day. And while I hate scooping poop in general, it's part of having some animals. And then there's the whole picking up dog poop situation which is worse b/c at least in a litter box it clumps and doesn't smell as bad. IDK what's w/ dogs, but it's smells like something died 1/2 the time.

Actual chicken question:

During molt when hens stop laying eggs, their combs shrink to half their normal size. (at least mine have)

When roosters molt do their combs shrink as well?

Not that I noticed. Maybe it's breed dependent, or the type of comb. Both my boys had/have single comb.

33°-- feels like 24°-- high of 39°, low of 21°. 95% chance of precipitation.

How long till spring?

Right? Even if it didn't snow once before March, I'd still complain when it did snow. AND I left my stupid snow brush in my old car. -_-

Mornin ya'll.

A cold 19° this morning. The birds are grumpy and Gretchen was actually visibly shivering. She has a naked bum and is missing about 70% of her feathers.
I believe she thinks molting sucks.

The fire in Ventura county CA is looking horrible!
They showed video of the high wind blowing embers moving fast.

I saw that on the news this morning. It's so scary... I hadn't seen anything recently so I didn't realize they still had fires going. It's so sad. I guess all the political drama pre-empted the real news.

NOT MAREKS!!!!! Got the results today. Whewph

Great News!!!!

 

[CSAchook]

She’s processing the food it’s just not going anywhere. I’m going to have to clean out her whole area and double check for pooping.
If she’s impacted then what!?!

Stool softener. TwoCrows has an article. I will go find it. BBS

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I felt this poor chicken up from tail to beak. I can feel her whole crop. As awful as it sounds I even "poked around" where I thought the crop should be emptying to see if I could feel anything. I feel the grit I've gotten her to eat. This morning I picked her up to change her bandage and a bunch of fluid came out. (Do not pick up chicken quickly) Once it starts coming out I hold her head down, butt up and let gravity work. It's thick gross smelly stuff that looks like mostly digested food. I play her like a bagpipe. Hold her under one arm and run my hand down her neck toward her beak. Get what's in her throat out. She usually seems relieved.

I completely emptied her area and put a new blanket down. If she's pooping or not I'll know.

 

[CSAchook]

I felt this poor chicken up from tail to beak. I can feel her whole crop. As awful as it sounds I even "poked around" where I thought the crop should be emptying to see if I could feel anything. I feel the grit I've gotten her to eat. This morning I picked her up to change her bandage and a bunch of fluid came out. (Do not pick up chicken quickly) Once it starts coming out I hold her head down, butt up and let gravity work. It's thick gross smelly stuff that looks like mostly digested food. I play her like a bagpipe. Hold her under one arm and run my hand down her neck toward her beak. Get what's in her throat out. She usually seems relieved.

I completely emptied her area and put a new blanket down. If she's pooping or not I'll know.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/

 

[ronott1]

I felt this poor chicken up from tail to beak. I can feel her whole crop. As awful as it sounds I even "poked around" where I thought the crop should be emptying to see if I could feel anything. I feel the grit I've gotten her to eat. This morning I picked her up to change her bandage and a bunch of fluid came out. (Do not pick up chicken quickly) Once it starts coming out I hold her head down, butt up and let gravity work. It's thick gross smelly stuff that looks like mostly digested food. I play her like a bagpipe. Hold her under one arm and run my hand down her neck toward her beak. Get what's in her throat out. She usually seems relieved.

I completely emptied her area and put a new blanket down. If she's pooping or not I'll know.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Do you have a library nearby? You could call and see what they charge. We only charge 10 cents to print black, 25 cents for color.


Ugh.. I hope it's not a girl.. I checked last night and they didn't dig out a hole again so I'm hoping that was the last big one.. thought my spring trap was sprung... but that could have been set off by something else.


I scoop chicken poop every single day. And while I hate scooping poop in general, it's part of having some animals. And then there's the whole picking up dog poop situation which is worse b/c at least in a litter box it clumps and doesn't smell as bad. IDK what's w/ dogs, but it's smells like something died 1/2 the time.


Not that I noticed. Maybe it's breed dependent, or the type of comb. Both my boys had/have single comb.


Right? Even if it didn't snow once before March, I'd still complain when it did snow. AND I left my stupid snow brush in my old car. -_-



I saw that on the news this morning. It's so scary... I hadn't seen anything recently so I didn't realize they still had fires going. It's so sad. I guess all the political drama pre-empted the real news.


Great News!!!!

Good idea to use the library. There are a few complicated patterns I would like to try someday.

Working on an all neutrals lap quilt today. Finished will be 50" x60" aprox.



Nunny! Great news on the test results!
I wish I could help regarding her crop.
Poor dear, puking is horrible whatever the species.

 

[drumstick diva]

Poor hen. It's really not the least bit funny. But, the thought of you playing her like bagpipes is hysterical