Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

interesting; I guess she has changed her system over time, as this one, which I watched this morning, says she free ranges 24/7

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I did try today but I'm at least one hand short. Fret does not like being handled and I try to respect this and bug her as little as possible.

Merle Hagbird has had a feather growing on the bottom of his foot a few times. I also don't have pictures of that, so here's a general tax photo of the handsome fella.

The time it was bad enough to make him limp and look miserable, I soaked his foot in warm water & epsom salt for 5 minutes, 2x/day for 3 days, topped off each time with a spray of Veterycin and a raisin.

However, Merle likes being handled (and raisins). It could be hard on Fret to be held that long, and it's a little cold to run around with a wet foot right now. Plus, where would you source hot water at the allotments?

Maybe you can scoop her up for a quick antibacterial spritz to the foot each visit, to help her fight off any developing infection? That's doable by yourself as long as you have the spray bottle cap off, on the ready, when you catch her. Or wait until she roosts and then tickle her foot so she lifts it, and spritz spritz.

 

[Shadrach]

Merle Hagbird has had a feather growing on the bottom of his foot a few times. I also don't have pictures of that, so here's a general tax photo of the handsome fella.
View attachment 3999902

The time it was bad enough to make him limp and look miserable, I soaked his foot in warm water & epsom salt for 5 minutes, 2x/day for 3 days, topped off each time with a spray of Veterycin and a raisin.

However, Merle likes being handled (and raisins). It could be hard on Fret to be held that long, and it's a little cold to run around with a wet foot right now. Plus, where would you source hot water at the allotments?

Maybe you can scoop her up for a quick antibacterial spritz to the foot each visit, to help her fight off any developing infection? That's doable by yourself as long as you have the spray bottle cap off, on the ready, when you catch her. Or wait until she roosts and then tickle her foot so she lifts it, and spritz spritz.

I've coated the area in a strong mix of iodine and vaseline recently but I couldn't see any sign of infection. It's just a stupid place to grow a feather as I told her as I did her foot.
I can always catch her, day, or off the roost. I dunno, some hens you can tell just fuss a bit and skip off non the worse for wear, while I can tell Fret really doesn't like it. Strange really given the amount of times I've handled her when she's been broody.
I'm tenpted to yank the feather out. Now that the feather has grown out a bit, it folds under her foot and she seems okay with this.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I've coated the area in a strong mix of iodine and vaseline recently but I couldn't see any sign of infection. It's just a stupid place to grow a feather as I told her as I did her foot.
I can always catch her, day, or off the roost. I dunno, some hens you can tell just fuss a bit and skip off non the worse for wear, while I can tell Fret really doesn't like it. Strange really given the amount of times I've handled her when she's been broody.
I'm tenpted to yank the feather out. Now that the feather has grown out a bit, it folds under her foot and she seems okay with this.

If you yank it, she really might never forgive you.

Merle was just fine after the feather grew out some. My memory is hazy, but I think that took the better part of a week.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Could you cut it flush to her footpad when it is done growing in? With a walnut for her trouble?

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good afternoon one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 60s sunny.

Have a great day!

 

[Molpet]

I'm tenpted to yank the feather out. Now that the feather has grown out a bit, it folds under her foot and she seems okay with this.

It will just grow back

 

[fuzzi]

Merle Hagbird has had a feather growing on the bottom of his foot a few times. I also don't have pictures of that, so here's a general tax photo of the handsome fella.
View attachment 3999902

The time it was bad enough to make him limp and look miserable, I soaked his foot in warm water & epsom salt for 5 minutes, 2x/day for 3 days, topped off each time with a spray of Veterycin and a raisin.

However, Merle likes being handled (and raisins). It could be hard on Fret to be held that long, and it's a little cold to run around with a wet foot right now. Plus, where would you source hot water at the allotments?

Maybe you can scoop her up for a quick antibacterial spritz to the foot each visit, to help her fight off any developing infection? That's doable by yourself as long as you have the spray bottle cap off, on the ready, when you catch her. Or wait until she roosts and then tickle her foot so she lifts it, and spritz spritz.

I love his name!

 

[Shadrach]

Could you cut it flush to her footpad when it is done growing in? With a walnut for her trouble?

As Molpet points out, it will grow back and hse would have to go through the growing the feather out stage all over again. I think it's probably better, given no infection, to let her deal with it. If she can cope with it bending under her foot then I'm good with that.

 

[Shadrach]

One and a half hours today. On the cold side at 6C, strong winds but it stayed dry and everyone got out for a bit eventually although some were more keen than others.
Henry would have quite happily stayed in the coop extension but Sylph wanted out on the field and Henry obviously felt, and quite rightly so, that he should be out there with her. He did come out after Sylph had been foraging for a quarter of an hour and Sylph went to him and back into the extension.
Fret hates the wind and wouldn't come out at all for a while.

They all had some forage time and went to roost twenty minutes earlier than I would expect on a better day.