Surviving Minnesota!

[I Love Layers]

I am sickly today... Body is killing me...

Hope you get better!

Holm are you suffering from vodkaitis??

My guess is herpacifalitis. I had it last week

.
A made up disease my class made for anything from a cough to A fever.

 

[duluthralphie]

Toad attack?

You are very close to correct, however the toad says it was self defense.



I am trying to finish up my rapid whole blood test for the state. I am about 2 weeks behind due to weather, injuries and procrastination. I had left the toads to close to the end.

The process of taking a sample is pretty straight forward. I have to put identifying leg bands on the bird, flip it over on its back holding it down with one hand while plucking the feathers out from under it's arm (wing). Then locate a blood vein and stick the bird with a needle and get a drop of blood. Then transfer the blood to the test plate and mix with a reagent.

I was on Chicken number 106. Better known as Bert's kid. I wish there was a way for you guys to all understand just how huge a toad is. Without seeing and lifting one it is hard to comprehend a chicken as big as a turkey in body size. They are squatter than a turkey with legs 3 times as thick.

They are generally friendly birds without a mean bone in their bodies. However, that can change when you try to tip them over, lay them on their backs and pull the feathers out from under their arms. I assume this would be about the same as someone flipping me over and pulling the hair out from under my armpits. I would probably resist a little too.


Well, 106 was not happy with the whole idea. In addition to trying to hold him down finding a blood vein on a toad is hard to do. They are not like a layer where the vein just sits there for you to see. I know where the vein should be. I just could not see it. The toad was getting upset after about 15 repeated attempts to blindly hit the vein. Again to better understand this imagine having a blind lab tech Freshly out of school with no experience draw blood from your arm.

I decided I had injured the left wing enough and went to flip hm around and pull the feathers off his right wing while searching for the vein. Number 106 was not happy with this new attempt.

Now in retrospect I might have made a minor error. I had just put a new needle on the sticker (technical term for the blood drawing thingy). I could not find a decent vein, My wife, the nurse, was helping me. She was not holding the bird she was pulling feathers and trying to see if she could see a vein. (So now the Toad has two people pulling the "hair" out from under his arm) He had a frown on his face mixed with a grimace.

I needed to get a better look so, (here comes the error) I laid the needle/sticker thingy down on top of the toads wing (the far end)......

And was searching and pulling feathers like a mad man, thinking where else can I find a blood vein. When the toad decided enough is enough. He flipped the end of his wing up, at an incredibly fast speed. The needle thing being far out on the wing tip was launched like an atlatl. It flew about 9 inches straight up and through my finger. I remember looking at the top inch or so of the needle sticking out the top of my finger. Thinking this is not right, followed by intense pain.

I pulled the needle out, but being single minded found a vein and stabbed the toad! I got my blood and carried the toad back to his pen. By then my finger was starting to turn an interesting shade of purple/blue.

I thought I should call the state poultry lab and see if I have to worry about any side effects of being stabbed with a dirty needle. In my former life being stabbed with a dirty needle was not a good thing and an immediate trip to the ER.

The lab just laughed when I told them a toad stabbed me. They had never heard of anyone being stabbed by a toad before. She even said " tell me again how this happened" I know she had me on speaker phone as I heard someone giggling in the background. She told me she is just a lab tech and I should talk to Dr Voss. Dr Voss is Veterinarian with a master degree in Public health. (She is a real genius) She laughed when I told her the toad stabbed me too. BUT she at least control the laughter enough to tell me "Luckily with chickens A human cannot catch a herpes or aids from a dirty chicken needle."

She did say I should go to the urgent care and get a prescription for antibiotic and a tetanus shot if mine is out of date. I am pretty sure mine is out of date, I think I had one in Junior high.


I went to the urgent care, I had to fill out a form on what happened. The receptionist said "we do not do needle stick here"

I said "it was not a human needle but a chicken needle"... I could see somewhere in her mind she was confused, however she seemed to be the kind of person that would get confused counting the proper change when paying with a dollar bill for a 99 cent candy bar.

She went and asked the Dr. I heard the Dr say " a what?" The Dr came out and asked if it was a new needle or had been used on a chicken" She had that smile that says " this guy is an idiot" I know the smile I had just used it on the receptionist.


She said I needed to go to the ER. That ain't gonna happen. I refuse to go twice in one month to the ER! I reasoned to Judy the needle was almost new. it was not like a rusty nail so the tetanus shot is not needed. Also I can't get AIDS from the chicken so lets go home. Of course, all the way home I received a lecture on going to the Dr, and how she was going to get me an appointment today to see one. (bet I miss the appointment)...

Anyways that is the story of how I got stabbed by a toad...

And why I cannot sleep right now, my headaches and my finger is throbbing. I still have more chickens to test today too...

At the rate these accidents are happening I will never make 90. let alone 100 like EJB did.



This is how my fingers looked after the incident:




Judy claims I am exaggerating, but we all know how she lies.

 

[duluthralphie]

Also in the news, MNChickMom and kids stopped over and they got to see how stupid my Pollack really is...

She had a hard time getting the kids to go home they just wanted to watch the stupid Pollack...

 

[Cebarmlds]

Sorry you keep getting hurt but I agree with Bert's kid, it was self defense.

 

[jerryse]

I am interested and will be available on Saturday or Sunday to go pick up. I can pickup for you Ralphie and Jerry and BC IF you want some. Just let me know which ones and you can pay me in May when we get together.

Very generous of you . I want 3 different Juneberries and a Evans cherry . Without looking I think beaver lodge was one that suckers freely . Want that and 2 more . Starting early today logging because I have a mid day eye doctor appointment . Major rain event coming tomorrow evening and several days . Predicted 3-4 inches total . So mud returns .

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, I am beginning to think you may be one of those individuals who is unfortunately afflicted with " accident prone syndrome". I had a friend in high school who had it. If there was an accident to be had he would find it. He died early. So I suggest that you be careful and listen more closely to the advise given freely by your better half of the Scandinavian race with higher average IQ.

Less poultry means less work and more time for fun. In your case it would likely result in more cuddling. Have you considered an appointment with a Dr. related to a mental evaluation ? I suspect that Judy has been thinking that such a visit would be in order.

Has anyone else noticed that the weather is depressing ? Those global warming nut jobs are not doing a very good job. I am beginning to think the nut jobs who predicted the beginning of a new ice age may be less nutty !

 

[duluthralphie]

Sorry you keep getting hurt but I agree with Bert's kid, it was self defense.

Here I was counting on you to be on my side...

Jerry I have a a White Legbar rooster that has a yellow tinge to his feathers. He is in my junk rooster pen I am thinking of moving him into the breeding pen because of a few other qualities I want from him...

Do you think the yellow is because he lives on corn or is it a genetic thing I would not want to bring in?


DO not yell at me people, Junk roosters do not get expensive feed....

 

[BantyChooks]

Ralphie, I am beginning to think you may be one of those individuals who is unfortunately afflicted with " accident prone syndrome". I had a friend in high school who had it. If there was an accident to be had he would find it. He died early. So I suggest that you be careful and listen more closely to the advise given freely by your better half of the Scandinavian race with higher average IQ.


Has anyone else noticed that the weather is depressing ? Those global warming nut jobs are not doing a very good job. I am beginning to think the nut jobs who predicted the beginning of a new ice age may be less nutty !

X2 on the first part. Ralphie's adventures are gonna make me go grey faster than kids are.

And yes... If I went by local weather to determine my stance on global warming, I'd roll around on the floor in silent laughter while pointing a finger at the thermometer.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie, I am beginning to think you may be one of those individuals who is unfortunately afflicted with " accident prone syndrome". I had a friend in high school who had it. If there was an accident to be had he would find it. He died early. So I suggest that you be careful and listen more closely to the advise given freely by your better half of the Scandinavian race with higher average IQ.

Less poultry means less work and more time for fun. In your case it would likely result in more cuddling. Have you considered an appointment with a Dr. related to a mental evaluation ? I suspect that Judy has been thinking that such a visit would be in order.

Has anyone else noticed that the weather is depressing ? Those global warming nut jobs are not doing a very good job. I am beginning to think the nut jobs who predicted the beginning of a new ice age may be less nutty !

It is very possible the problem is my refusal to believe I am over 40. I need to slow down and stop doing some of the things I do. The LESSOR Scandinavian mentions that a lot.

 

[BantyChooks]

It is very possible the problem is my refusal to believe I am over 40. I need to slow down and stop doing some of the things I do. The LESSOR Scandinavian mentions that a lot.

You're 20 years over that, I'm afraid... The other Scandinavian is correct.