Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[kcan2]

Two hours today. A little bit of drizzle and rather chilly despite the predicted 8C.
Everybody got out and the patch the field treasurer and I have cleared of the storm debris (mostly the shed) became very interesting for the chickens.
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Mow had become a lot more assertive with Sylph and Tull. Sylph rather unwisely ignored a warning peck from Mow at the feed tray and Mow went to full battle order.
Tull is bit of an outcast currently. She's not laying eggs while Mow and Sylph are which means she doesn't get the attention of Henry and gets shoved out of the way so the laying hens can get best food options. She gets under my chair at treat time and I make sure she gets her share.
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Who wore that coiffure best - Fret or the French court? IMO, Ms. Fret has em beat for élégance naturelle

 

[Perris]

How's Idris today @Perris ? Have you had a chance to give her a thorough inspection?

she stayed in a coop all day, on a roost when I opened up, then in one of the nest boxes when I looked in later, then the other nestbox, and she was on the coop floor immediately below one of the roos when I went to close up.

I looked her over before I posted about her. That's when I discovered the soft 'water belly'. Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for?

 

[Perris]

Two hours today. A little bit of drizzle and rather chilly despite the predicted 8C.
Everybody got out and the patch the field treasurer and I have cleared of the storm debris (mostly the shed) became very interesting for the chickens.
View attachment 4008163

Mow had become a lot more assertive with Sylph and Tull. Sylph rather unwisely ignored a warning peck from Mow at the feed tray and Mow went to full battle order.
Tull is bit of an outcast currently. She's not laying eggs while Mow and Sylph are which means she doesn't get the attention of Henry and gets shoved out of the way so the laying hens can get best food options. She gets under my chair at treat time and I make sure she gets her share.
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is that the old goose pen at the back of photo 1? Any chance of extending the chicken run into it? I can't remember the details of the aerial photo of the site you shared a long time ago, but both chickens and geese were on the same side of the site I think, and not too far apart.

 

[ManueB]

- Milk thistle: For 4 months after the ascites, Raisin had about 0.3 ml of milk thistle extract on 1 tsp of rolled oats each morning. She knew to meet me in a secret spot for her oats. We went through a few bottles of this one before I stopped giving it to her, for now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGBV5BYP/

I've been thinking about giving my hen Kara milk thistle too because she has ascites and sometimes either a tiny speck of blood or yellow droppings, which makes me think her liver could need support. I wonder if you have heard of any counter-indication ? I only read that it is not recommended to give it along with any other meds as it will tend to diminish their effects.

While I was looking for the extract, I found out that milk thistle seeds are sold here for domestic birds like pigeons to add to their food as a preventive for liver issue. I wonder if that could be done for chickens. I suppose the silymarine content isn't monitored in those seeds as in an extract so it would be a lot less potent.

she stayed in a coop all day, on a roost when I opened up, then in one of the nest boxes when I looked in later, then the other nestbox, and she was on the coop floor immediately below one of the roos when I went to close up.

I looked her over before I posted about her. That's when I discovered the soft 'water belly'. Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for?

Perris, I'm sorry to read she is doing so poorly. I do see that her condition is more serious than I hoped.

Apologies if it seems obvious - check for any abnormal mass, or a stuck egg.
Another thing I would look for is respiratory distress. First signs would just be seeing her face move up and down excessively while breathing, because she has to force air through. It can be the effect of a mass abnormally squeezing her inside, making it hard to breathe.

She's not laying eggs while Mow and Sylph are which means she doesn't get the attention of Henry and gets shoved out of the way so the laying hens can get best food options

I have two hens who are permanently off laying now, Laure because she is on an implant, and Kara because of that reproductive issue. Their rooster Gaston makes a difference in his behaviour between those two, the ones who are temporarily off laying because of a molt, and the ones who are currently laying. Kara and Laure systematically get gently, but firmly, pecked away if they try to eat before all the other hens have had their fill.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 60s cloudy.

Have a great day!

 

[Perris]

Apologies if it seems obvious - check for any abnormal mass, or a stuck egg.

no apologies necessary; sometimes I miss the obvious! but in this case, I palpated gently and don't feel anything hard, just liquid.

Another thing I would look for is respiratory distress

it's not that either, in fact, her breathing while very shallow is fine. She has her head tucked under her wing most of the time. I think she's barely conscious most of the time.

When I opened up this morning she was on the coop floor, though not in the same position and not blocking the door, and she stayed when everyone else piled out. She was laying in her own very smelly yellow liquid waste, so I brought her in and cleaned her up, and set her down on a towel in an old washing up bowl. Through all that she only opened her eyes briefly, and when I finished she just tucked her head back into her wing, and hasn't moved since. I don't think she'll be with us much longer. But she does not seem to be in distress or discomfort, thankfully, so I won't hasten it. She may be able to go gently into that good night.

 

[BDutch]

Through all that she only opened her eyes briefly, and when I finished she just tucked her head back into her wing, and hasn't moved since. I don't think she'll be with us much longer. But she does not seem to be in distress or discomfort, thankfully, so I won't hasten it. She may be able to go gently into that good night.

Sounds a bit like my ‘Graaf Tel’ apart from the dirty mess. She passed away quickly and only seemed in pain when I picked her up or examined her.

If Idris dried up and is still around tomorrow I would give her a private box/covered crate with a nice clean nest in it, and put her in a nice spot outside. That way the others know she is still around , and can keep her company for a bit.

But of course we all hope for a miracle.

 

[no fly zone]

no apologies necessary; sometimes I miss the obvious! but in this case, I palpated gently and don't feel anything hard, just liquid.

it's not that either, in fact, her breathing while very shallow is fine. She has her head tucked under her wing most of the time. I think she's barely conscious most of the time.

When I opened up this morning she was on the coop floor, though not in the same position and not blocking the door, and she stayed when everyone else piled out. She was laying in her own very smelly yellow liquid waste, so I brought her in and cleaned her up, and set her down on a towel in an old washing up bowl. Through all that she only opened her eyes briefly, and when I finished she just tucked her head back into her wing, and hasn't moved since. I don't think she'll be with us much longer. But she does not seem to be in distress or discomfort, thankfully, so I won't hasten it. She may be able to go gently into that good night.

Hope she takes a turn for the better soon.

 

[Perris]

Thank you. I think that if she does, it'll be like one of the those cases where someone basically sleeps for days or weeks and then wakes up better. All other bodily functions have shut down in order to concentrate all her resources and energy in her immune system.

 

[Shadrach]

she stayed in a coop all day, on a roost when I opened up, then in one of the nest boxes when I looked in later, then the other nestbox, and she was on the coop floor immediately below one of the roos when I went to close up.

I looked her over before I posted about her. That's when I discovered the soft 'water belly'. Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for?

No, nothing particular. I was just wondering if you had found any probable cause for the water belly.