Old Polish getting wet and dirty UPDATE, :-(

[Tootsie]

OKAY I trimmed her "hair", let me know if I should trim more. Her one eye is a bit closed but I see no injury, maybe age?

Here is her set up, I clean her cage at least once a week as she spills a lot of food, maybe now she will spill less.

Here is another shot of her now. She still doesn't look great she is slouching, granted she is old.

She LOVED the attention, I wrapped her in a towel while trimming her and she just wanted to take a nap. Since I bathed her last week I want to wait before doing it again since she is old and frail. Hopefully she will stay dry. Why does she always seem to be getting new feathers, is it a polish thing?

The feed store sell 2 kinds of oats and I need to know which to get, one is crimped oats and I forget what the other one is called.

 

[ncCHICKS]

Do you have anything bigger than that? It looks awefully small? Maybe you should build a small coop and run... She looks good now, give it a few days and if she gets muddy again, maybe it's not sight

 

[Redfeathers]

Good job on the "haircut" she will be able to see much better now. I hope that helps.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Try a rubber band or hair tie around her fro. Since she is getting old she needs a little help. Does she have a run beyond the grate?

 

[peepsnbunnies]

Hi Tootsie,
Another thing you can try is raising her water up higher so she does not have to bend over and put her head down in the bowl so far. All of my waterers are elevated, as I have silkies, showgirls and polish. It seems to help.

Bless you for taking special care of a sweet old lady.

Lisa

 

[Tootsie]

I have plenty of bigger crates but she is so inactive I didn't want her to get lost in there. Here is a side view.

And a front view:

If you guys think she would enjoy a bigger crate I can move her in one week.

I will need the bigger crates the night before the fall show on Saturday to crate the phoenix boys. Then she can have it. There is one right next to her I could use then.

Here is some of her group, they will be moving to a new coop soon but may keep her and a few in there depending on the temperature.

I just don't want her to get lost.
Whenever I have tried taking her out of her crate she just stands there.

She did have a standard buddy who has since died and on a nice day I would out them out in a run together. I had to find one who wouldn't pick on her.

 

[mikarod]

Are any of your birds allowed to walk around outside???

 

[chickenlady]

Her birds do get to walk around. She has a pretty large property and has many coops. Alot of her birds are rescues and require special care. This polish girl is a pretty old gal and is much safer (and happier) to be in a cage. She is over 10 years old. I bet there are not many people out there that are taking the time (and spending the money) to care for a bird that old, never mind even having one that old. Tootsie takes extremely good care of all her birds. Keep up the good work Jean!!

 

[Tootsie]

Thanks, that must be you Jeanette because you are one of maybe 3 on BYC who have been here I didn't get to show you Pete's coop yet . I tried to email you but the email bounced to tell you to look at my blue bird entry in the photo contest here on the board.

Hey mikarod do you read? My birds are all FREE RANGE DURING THE DAY (except 4 special needs birds including Miss Moppet, of which 2 are in the house) BUT THESE pictures were taken at night and I don't know about you but I lock them up at night for their safety. The only other bird I have crated is Spiceman who you see in the crate to the left because he was so badly beaten up on more than one occasion by other roos that he finally lost an eye and suffered a severe ear infection from it too so it is in his best interest to be crate and he is in a big dog crate where he has plenty of room. The photos don't really show the depth of his crate but it is about 4 1/2 feet x 2 1/2 x 2 1/2.The other crates are in place for moms with babies or birds ready for a show or special needs or whatever but I don't owe you an explantion anyway. If you read from the beginning of my post you would know why she is crated. She is crated for her own protection, she can hardly see, duh! Or if you like you could visit my site and look at all my birds or check out their pictures on my entry page 3 of the blue bird photo contest

.

I have almost 10 acres. I have the barn group of 72 adults and 13 chicks with moms in a 2 acres pasture with my sheep and goats protected on the outside by electric fence. Then Pete's group of 30 lives in the other garage at night and front yard during the day. Jack's group, some are still in with Moppet at night about 30 until I finish the new coop. 12 are already in the new coop. They go out in the backyard or front during the day.

Then the phoenix (about20) have a coop at night of their own. I hope that answers your question.

 

[mikarod]

There was no need to give a snide remark. It was a simple question because I did not know the background on your farm.

It's odd...I had a 14 year old Minorca who walked around just fine.

It was a simple yes or no question. I suggest being kinder to those who attempt to help you.