Pipd's Peeps!

[Crazy Maizie]

Looks like you've put a lot of effort into that article.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

That article is truly my pride and joy on this site. I love updating the data on it and seeing the results change bit by bit, year by year. Sometimes it's pretty labor-intensive like this time, though, because I kind of neglected it last year so that was two years worth of updates to apply to it.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

So... I'm officially worried about Rooska now. This is day 4 on miconazole (three days on it so far plus this morning's dose, I mean) and no real improvement except that her breath is smelling just a little bit better. Her crop still won't budge and she's dehydrated because she isn't drinking on her own. I'm pushing fluids today and hoping for the best, I guess. I don't know what else to do for her. She's gotten scary thin from not being able to eat, so I don't know how much longer she can keep going like this. I really don't want to lose her, too.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Sorry to hear that? Is it sour crop? Do some give oil to help that?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yes, sour crop. I've never found oil to be an effective treatment for it. My normal treatment regime, which has been very successful up to this point including on her one time before, is 2-3 days on an epsom salt laxative twice daily to get things moving, ~1 week on an antifungal for the souring, and then weaning back onto normal food and we're good to go. The only difference between now and previous times is that I had nystatin as my antifungal before and this time I have miconazole, so I have to wonder if it's just not working as effectively. I've ordered some nystatin now but it's projected to be here in 7-10 days, so who knows if that's even going to be soon enough. All I can do is keep fighting and hope she hangs in there until something starts working.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I went ahead and started her on laxative again yesterday. Something moved overnight because there was a fresh dropping in her hospital pen this morning. She also seems just a tiny bit less dehydrated, though still pretty badly dehydrated at that. It's not much, but maybe something to be hopeful about? Her crop still feels very full, though. I'll keep pushing fluids and dosing her in the mean time.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Rooska's still hanging in there. Looks like her crop emptied a little bit overnight, so that's positive! I'm still pushing fluids / laxative to try and keep things in motion. If she can just get that crop emptying like normal, we can get her back to eating and regaining all that weight she lost.

The farmers in the area have started to harvest their fields and my allergies have kicked into overdrive, so I've been pretty miserable the last day or so. UGH! Hope they finish soon so that I can go back to breathing normally again

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

One of my two oldest hens, Raven, a Gold Laced Wyandotte who'll be 12 next April, was bent over eating when I noticed a flash of white at the base of her neck slightly toward her right shoulder. I took a closer look and found this feather that started growing in color, and then turned pure white, as if she ran out of ink part way.

She was not pleased with me picking her up. I got this sour look from her before she flew back down to the floor to go back to eating.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Rooska's nystatin finally arrived! Getting that first dose around was an experience, but I've learned a few things from it and know better going forward at least. When I removed the tube feeding tube from giving her her first dose, she straight up YELLED at me! Guess she didn't much like that! But at least it seems like she's still got plenty of fight left in her!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I have been remaining optimistic about Rooska all this time, but tonight when giving her her night dose of nystatin, I noticed a weary look in her beautiful brown eyes that has me feeling less confident. I think she may be running out of strength. Her crop still seems stalled for some reason. She does still poop small amounts at a time, but it's just not enough. I'm out of ideas, out of options, and I don't want to keep her going indefinitely just to make myself feel better. This is absolutely devastating to me, and hard to write through all these tears, but it may just be time for me to start considering when to pull the plug and let Rooska have some peace. My giant Lavender princess, who announces her arrival with a great, loud "BRRRK?" The hen who loves people so much that she'd choose to sit in the middle of a group of us rather than pick just one lap to cuddle in. I cannot stop crying.



Edit 9-22, to add to this situation, my Campine, Ihi, is dying suddenly this morning. She hasn't been herself for a few months now, so it's not a huge surprise, but it does feel like it's rather abrupt after all this time without any real symptoms to go off of for treatment. I've brought her in to the warmth as a cold front has gone through and it's chilly today. I don't expect her to last the day.

Edit again, Ihi is gone. My crazy Campine. What a lousy day.