***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[hotcurltr]

Thank you for all the info and informative links.

I thought I had hit the multi button but I guess I didn't. I had bought two week old chicks at auction back in March, and one of them came down w/wryneck. I really believe it was due to injury, but she couldn't hold her head up enough to swallow water well, but kept on eating. THANKS TO ALL THE GOOD INFO FROM THE PEOPLE ON THIS THREAD, she recovered. It wasn't over night. It took over a month. She would just go in circles or go backwards. Sometimes, it was like she was trying to concentrate, she could walk forward. We would tube feed her water several times a day, (I'm afraid to do the syringe thing, because of aspiration. and it's so easy to tube.) until she could do it on her own, and of course the vitamin regimen. Today Molly(NanaKat named her for me, after Molly Brown for overcoming great odds) is a normal pullet and very active and happy. I do believe in culling(euthanasia) if they are really suffering and there is no need to do that to them. I now have am Ameraucana pullet w/ cross beak that I trimmed wrong, then hubby tried to fix it and now she can't eat on her own at all. Before we did that she could, but she was thin. Amyway Robin was going to take her and still is I think if her beak grows back. She is tube fed 3 times a day and is a lover. She loves to sit high on my chest for hours. if I'm watching a movie, and just cuddle and play kissie face.. She hates it if I hold her tight, so she rides on my arm or shoulder when I go put her up. I keep her and a buddy in the laundry room in a good sized pen. It's where I usually quarantine, which isn't often, because the only outside birds i usually get are baby chicks that have to be kept in a brooder. I have another little pen outside the laundry room door, so they can go outside. I do feel bad for her, because she thinks she's normal and will chase bugs. and scratch and try to eat. I read in the chicken chick's site and several others who sucessfully kept crossbeaks who lived out their lives happy. So for now, I'm playing it by ear, but just love her to pieces. I didn't think I could handle it, because I have terrible anxiety if something is wrong with any of my animals. Windy me again. But there are terrific people on this thread who understand how we feel, even if they agree with us or not. AND ISN'T THAT WHAT LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND FRIENDSHIP IS ALL ABOUT. We all march to a different drummer. IT WOULD BE A PRETTY ZOMBIE LIKE WORLD IF WE WERE ALL ALIKE. THE STEPFORD WIVES.. LOL

 

[ashtree]

Had a failure to thrive issue today.   I've had my eye on her for nearly a week, really giving her the benefit of a doubt since she was a girl very dark fm and only 2 feather bow tie, but tonight it was just obvious, it wasn't getting better.   She presented as lame (later stages s/sx) but it was really her heart.  After I did the deed and was looking everything over, when I got the her heart it was just mush, no telling how she was still alive.

Sorry you lost her but I wonder what caused that. Genetic defect? At least you know something was off tho.

 

[Kassaundra]

So sorry. I know you're working hard on trying to continue your old breeding plan.

I like when I do a necropsy and find results. When I don't since I'm no expert I just fell ugh. That's why I alway have a dead bird picked up if it isn't the weekend. Oh, I've been nmeaning to ask you. Do you think my first boy, the birchen could of had an embolism. I don't know if chickens get them or not, but I was thinking about that when you said it was deep bruising.

Definitely a possibility. The bruise was to the bone.

 

[Kassaundra]

Sorry you lost her but I wonder what caused that. Genetic defect? At least you know something was off tho.

I think so, I've had a couple others over the past 2 years that on necropsy discovered very mushy heart, they all presented as failure to thrive. Since I do not know the genetic origin in the flock, I will have to rely on culling the offspring, would rather cull the one or not hatch eggs from the one, but this will do for now.
I eat the culls so it is tasty young tender meat

 

[BetsyOK]

I've been raising silkies for 8 or so years and have found them to be very heat and cold tolerant. My pens/coops are all in shade, but the only other thing we've done to keep them cool is to occasionally put ice cubes in their water. One winter the wind was such that a couple of mornings quite a few of them were covered with snow, as they didn't move into their coops but stayed out in the pen. No problems whatever. I think that if they've been allowed to experience normal weather all along, their bodies will adjust. Their very dense feathering provides a lot of insulation. I very rarely lose any to heat or cold.

 

[ashtree]

I think so, I've had a couple others over the past 2 years that on necropsy discovered very mushy heart, they all presented as failure to thrive.  Since I do not know the genetic origin in the flock, I will have to rely on culling the offspring, would rather cull the one or not hatch eggs from the one, but this will do for now. 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I eat the culls so it is tasty young tender meat

So was she from hatching eggs?

 

[ashtree]

I've been raising silkies for 8 or so years and have found them to be very heat and cold tolerant.  My pens/coops are all in shade, but the only other thing we've done to keep them cool is to occasionally put ice cubes in their water.  One winter the wind was such that a couple of mornings quite a few of them were covered with snow, as they didn't move into their coops but stayed out in the pen.  No problems whatever.  I think that if they've been allowed to experience normal weather all along, their bodies will adjust.  Their very dense feathering provides a lot of insulation.  I very rarely lose any to heat or cold.

I've been meaning to ask you how you maintain the health of your flock in varying temperatures. I feel assured my girls are fine, maybe even spoiled I must admit tho from about 2-5 some of my girls do NOTHING. But that's kind of how we are in the house too. It's the hot lazy hours.

My sizzle has showed no signs of wry neck since yesterday morning. Hoping it was just a small injury. I threw lots of spinach and parsley in their run yesterday and he's eating like a champ!

 

[ashtree]

I thought I had hit the multi button but I guess I didn't.  I had bought two week old chicks at auction back in March, and one of them came down w/wryneck.  I really believe it was due to injury, but she couldn't hold her head up enough to swallow water well, but kept on eating. THANKS TO ALL THE GOOD INFO FROM THE PEOPLE ON THIS THREAD, she recovered.  It wasn't over night. It took over a month.  She would just go in circles or go backwards.  Sometimes, it was like she was trying to concentrate, she could walk forward.  We would tube feed her water several times a day, (I'm afraid to do the syringe thing, because of aspiration. and it's so easy to tube.) until she could do it on her own, and of course the vitamin regimen. Today Molly(NanaKat named her for me, after Molly Brown for overcoming great odds) is a normal pullet and very active and happy.  I do believe in culling(euthanasia) if they are really suffering and there is no need to do that to them. I now have am Ameraucana pullet w/ cross beak that I trimmed wrong, then hubby tried to fix it and now she can't eat on her own at all. Before we did that she could, but she was thin.  Amyway Robin was going to take her and still is I think if her beak grows back.  She is tube fed 3 times a day and is a lover.  She loves to sit high on my chest for hours. if I'm watching a movie, and just cuddle and play kissie face..  She hates it if I hold her tight, so she rides on my arm or shoulder when I go put her up.  I keep her and a buddy in the laundry room in a good sized pen.  It's where I usually quarantine, which isn't often, because the only outside birds i usually get are baby chicks that have to be kept in a brooder.  I have another little pen outside the laundry room door, so they can go outside.  I do feel bad for her, because she thinks she's normal and will chase bugs. and scratch and try to eat.  I read in the chicken chick's site and several others who sucessfully kept crossbeaks who lived out their lives happy.  So for now, I'm playing it by ear, but just love her to pieces.  I didn't think I could handle it, because I have terrible anxiety if something is wrong with any of my animals.   Windy me again.  But there are terrific people on this thread who understand how we feel, even if they agree with us or not.  AND ISN'T THAT WHAT LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND FRIENDSHIP IS ALL ABOUT.  We all march to a different drummer.  IT WOULD BE A PRETTY ZOMBIE LIKE WORLD IF WE WERE ALL ALIKE.  THE STEPFORD WIVES.. LOL

 

Yes there is a universal love for our birds on this board. I love it. I have learned so much and I'm kinda getting over my anxiety about doing things differently than others. Your crossbeak sounds so sweet. Will her beak grow back? Such a heartbreaking image of her scratching and not getting food. I'm
not familiar with tube feeding but I hate syringe feeding. My ameraucanas or EEs (depending on who you ask) are crazy. I mean CRAZY. I've never had such a mess in the brooder, every single day, many times a day. They run, jump, splash in their water, scatter quickly, then pass out in a heap of cuteness. I really need to hold them more because they are not liking people.

 

[BetsyOK]

I agree with Carl (cjarvis) and Kass. Used to work hard to help those with problems, but have learned that most will not get better and feel I'm prolonging their suffering. Saving them all tends to weaken the flock. My long-time chicken friends have told me that all along. That being said, bless those who go to extreme measures to care for their birds; thank goodness we are not all alike.

 

[NanaKat]

Morning Betsy! Is your computer doing any better on posting?

Kass, I really appreciate when you share your necropsy results...even the "young tender meat" comment!

We eat our culls too. I love old-fashioned egg noodles rolled super thin and hand cut with tender chicken and broth. A little fine chopped carrot and onion and a dash of garlic, salt and pepper....yummm!

Carl, thank you for sharing the Lecrosis info. My birds are loving the feed mix. Even the babies are flocking to the pan.

The hen I gave 12 chicks to night before last was moved to a floor pen with her new brood this morning.. She was so happy to get her chicks but she was in heaven teaching them to dust bathe and scratch in real dirt. They were answering her every cluck and call...gotta love a biddie hen.

The sand plums on our 160 in Prague are loaded and beginning to turn. The cooler weather slowed everything down. I'm going to go pick this week and begin making juice for jelly.

The two biddies with their chicks in the outside pen are old enough that today I will open that door and let the hens take them out to range...that will be a fun sight.

I have a load of dirt that was delivered for all the runs. Rain off the barn roof has washed the sand out and the chickens are scratching out the sand from under the concrete floor along the south wall. So the sandy red loamy soil will berm up that area and provide a good cover for the "cake" in the runs. All the outdoor coops need a new fluff too. That is my number one project for today.

Then ...With temperatures rising, the breeding pen eggs will be collected for the kitchen and the birds will be regrouped until the fall when eggs can be collected again for hatching. Will be shifting the hens to the layer pens and most of the roosters to a bachelor pen. There is always a little adjusting in the pecking order when this happens, but the hens are happier without a flock of boys vying for next in line.

Hope everyone has a great day.