She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[scflock]

SC, you did score a good deal. Especially sweet that you were able to get rid of birds which weren't profitable for you, and get a nice flock of birds which should be VERY profitable for you, without laying out any cash.

Thanks. I'm very excited. I don't regret selling the Polish at all, and the kid that bought them loves them. Being able to just flip the money to get the Ameraucanas was great, but after finding out who Paul Smith is, I'm really excited. This is going to be the best blood I have ever started with. I've already jumped into the biggest Ameraucana thread I could find so that I can learn from the experts

 

[WVduckchick]

Can you bend that leg at all? How much does she complain, when you do get it flexed? Still can't palpate a tendon? Do a careful palpation for the tendon. If it's slipped, it's slipped big time, maybe even ruptured. If you can find it, try to slide it into place, after a warm soak. If not, Here's my suggestion, and I'm not authorized to give advice, but... this is what I might try before culling: First palpate her hips. Feel for the hip joints on both sides. If you have some one hold her so you can work with both hands, that will make it easier for you to do a comparison. If hips seem symmetrical, and there is good movement in the affected hip (though it may be stiff from being in an extended position for so long. the question is, can you get forward flexion in the hip?) Now, if the hip seems ok, look at the knee. If you can flex that knee, and she will allow you to hold it in a flexed position, you could splint it in a flexed position, held up close to her body with a figure 8 going around her trunk, then around her lower leg between knee and ankle. Be sure it doesn't constrict to cut off circulation. I'd leave it on for a day, remove for some range of motion (very gentle and limited), and replace it. Try for a week, and keep assessing to see if it's helping. I wonder if you could use a cut sock, or something similar with a hole cut for the other leg to hold that leg in place?

I still cannot feel the tendon. Its almost like there isn't one there! I worked with her some last night and she doesn't much mind when I bend and flex the leg. She squalls a little, and flaps her wings like crazy, but it doesn't seem to cause her intense pain. I can get her to stand on my fingers, with the majority of her weight on just that leg. She can push with it. I was actually comparing her hips also, and I feel like the problem is more likely in the upper region, where the leg actually meets the body, instead of at the hock, as I originally assumed, but its still the hock that she cannot bend on her own. Its hard to describe, it just doesn't feel "right".
I do appreciate your insight and will read this again this evening, as I mess around with her more.

 

[rossfam06]

He is very handsome! I love the coloring. So what if he's a little feminine with his high-pitched crowing and his liking of nesting... LoL!!

Right!!! Totally a Metrosexual bird if you ask me!!! LoL!!!!

Thanks. I'm very excited. I don't regret selling the Polish at all, and the kid that bought them loves them. Being able to just flip the money to get the Ameraucanas was great, but after finding out who Paul Smith is, I'm really excited. This is going to be the best blood I have ever started with. I've already jumped into the biggest Ameraucana thread I could find so that I can learn from the experts

Did you tell him about Damien and how he could be mean???

 

[WVduckchick]

Ok, here are the pics of the new Ameraucanas. After doing a little research yesterday, I am very happy with the purchase. They are the offspring of birds purchased directly from Paul Smith. I had never heard of him before, so I googgled. He is a huge breeder from Texas who is also on the board of directors of the Ameraucana Breeders Club. I had no idea. The woman I bought them from didn't mention that in the ad, but she told me when I went to pick them up. She sent me an email Paul had sent her telling her how to identify which birds came from which of his pens. These are the most direct from the breeder birds I have ever bought, only 1 generation removed. I think I accidentally scored a great deal

Nice! They look very healthy and sweet! You said 3 weeks old? Sounds like you robbed that woman! lol Why was she getting rid of them?

 

[WalnutHill]

Thanks. I'm very excited. I don't regret selling the Polish at all, and the kid that bought them loves them. Being able to just flip the money to get the Ameraucanas was great, but after finding out who Paul Smith is, I'm really excited. This is going to be the best blood I have ever started with. I've already jumped into the biggest Ameraucana thread I could find so that I can learn from the experts

Those are some beautiful birds. My foundation Narragansetts were 1 generation removed from Kevin Porter's stock and my prize tom is the offspring of that pair. Breeder quality from a quality breeder shows!

 

[scflock]

Right!!! Totally a Metrosexual bird if you ask me!!! LoL!!!!

Did you tell him about Damien and how he could be mean???

I was very upfront about Damien, and they were there when I caught him, so he reached a new level of rage that I have never seen from a chicken

I think his plan is to try and calm him down, then breed a more docile rooster. The kid knows how to incubate, so he is getting a flock that is already laying a ton of fertile eggs. The mom and dad were there, and I was very honest about Damien over the phone before they ever came. I wouldn't want someone to surprise me with something like that

Nice! They look very healthy and sweet! You said 3 weeks old? Sounds like you robbed that woman! lol Why was she getting rid of them?

3 of them were 6 weeks, those were the ones on the ground. The other 14 are 3-4 weeks. The woman that sold them is a teacher at a community college. She had ordered the original birds for the Farm School that is going to be started this fall on her campus. They are going to start a study on landrace breeds vs. manmade. I don't think she realized just how special her birds were, and I certainly didn't. She had only advertized the three 6 week olds on Craigslist. Simple ad for BBS Ameraucana chicks, no mention of Paul Smith until I emailed her. When I contacted her I asked if she had any more. She had to go outside and count

I offered her $100 for all of them, and she sounded excited to get it. It wasn't my intent to rob her, but after finding out where the birds came from I think I did. No takesies backsies

 

[scflock]

Those are some beautiful birds. My foundation Narragansetts were 1 generation removed from Kevin Porter's stock and my prize tom is the offspring of that pair. Breeder quality from a quality breeder shows!

I'm just in shock. I bought black copper marans back in January, and they are far from what I had hoped. They just started laying beautiful eggs, but they are way off SOP. They are supposedly Jeanne birds, but they have some characteristics popping out that definitely show some bad outcrossing somewhere down the line. I just got extremely lucky on these Ameraucanas

 

[WalnutHill]

I still cannot feel the tendon. Its almost like there isn't one there! I worked with her some last night and she doesn't much mind when I bend and flex the leg. She squalls a little, and flaps her wings like crazy, but it doesn't seem to cause her intense pain. I can get her to stand on my fingers, with the majority of her weight on just that leg. She can push with it. I was actually comparing her hips also, and I feel like the problem is more likely in the upper region, where the leg actually meets the body, instead of at the hock, as I originally assumed, but its still the hock that she cannot bend on her own. Its hard to describe, it just doesn't feel "right".
I do appreciate your insight and will read this again this evening, as I mess around with her more.

I just processed a broiler with the same rearward leg extension (came on in the last couple of weeks) and it was a total femur to hip displacement. It is possible that PT may resolve it even now with stretching, massage, and movement. But yes, if you were to make a body sling from a sock toe, cut a hole for the head and neck, cut it long enough to reach between the hips and tail, and a slit cut that can be used to loop around the shank for support. A piece of vet wrap, or a double twist in the leg loop, may be necessary to keep it from slipping up above the hock.

 

[WVduckchick]

I was very upfront about Damien, and they were there when I caught him, so he reached a new level of rage that I have never seen from a chicken

I think his plan is to try and calm him down, then breed a more docile rooster. The kid knows how to incubate, so he is getting a flock that is already laying a ton of fertile eggs. The mom and dad were there, and I was very honest about Damien over the phone before they ever came. I wouldn't want someone to surprise me with something like that

3 of them were 6 weeks, those were the ones on the ground. The other 14 are 3-4 weeks. The woman that sold them is a teacher at a community college. She had ordered the original birds for the Farm School that is going to be started this fall on her campus. They are going to start a study on landrace breeds vs. manmade. I don't think she realized just how special her birds were, and I certainly didn't. She had only advertized the three 6 week olds on Craigslist. Simple ad for BBS Ameraucana chicks, no mention of Paul Smith until I emailed her. When I contacted her I asked if she had any more. She had to go outside and count

I offered her $100 for all of them, and she sounded excited to get it. It wasn't my intent to rob her, but after finding out where the birds came from I think I did. No takesies backsies

I hope he can tame that devil... lol Sounds like a good kid.

I thought those looked a little older than 3 weeks, but I couldn't remember exactly what you said. The guy that I bought my silkies and extra comets from had some Ams that looked like your black ones, but he said they were mean, so I went with the silkies. I doubt they were very good blood lines, but now kinda wish I had considered them. They are gorgeous. But the comets have turned into very nice birds! (the silkies are still dumb and not very friendly lol)

I just processed a broiler with the same rearward leg extension (came on in the last couple of weeks) and it was a total femur to hip displacement. It is possible that PT may resolve it even now with stretching, massage, and movement. But yes, if you were to make a body sling from a sock toe, cut a hole for the head and neck, cut it long enough to reach between the hips and tail, and a slit cut that can be used to loop around the shank for support. A piece of vet wrap, or a double twist in the leg loop, may be necessary to keep it from slipping up above the hock.

Good info. Thank you. I will definitely spend some time figuring some things out this evening. If I can get her wrapped up, should I suspend her with her feet barely on the floor (like in a sling chair, etc), or just let her try to move about on her own?

 

[scflock]

I hope he can tame that devil... lol  Sounds like a good kid. 

I thought those looked a little older than 3 weeks, but I couldn't remember exactly what you said.  The guy that I bought my silkies and extra comets from had some Ams that looked like your black ones, but he said they were mean, so I went with the silkies.  I doubt they were very good blood lines, but now kinda wish I had considered them.  They are gorgeous.  But the comets have turned into very nice birds!  (the silkies are still dumb and not very friendly lol

Damien is going to be a handful, but they knew that going in. $100 for a proven breeder flock with 6 hens was a steal for him as well, so it worked out for everyone.
So far these chicks are extremely sweet. I'm going to spend as much time with them as I can, because I can see myself scaling down and focusing on them and the marans in the future. If I can get an Am rooster as sweet as Silas and Tate I will be set