Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[RoyalChick]

Maybe its important that some air can pass through the membrane. Do ask the pharmacy if its possible to wrap it in for a good healing process.

Vet wrap isn’t air tight. It might help keep it in place though.

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, we didn't get more rain tonight, and just an on and off slight drizzle today.

The bigger chickens don't want anything to do with the rain . I think they have forgotten what it is ? They stayed sheltered in the run a big part of the afternoon. The smaller and younger chickens tend to mind less getting wet.

Yesterday Nieva’s foot was bleeding again when we took the bandage off, and I think it's because the gauze stays sticking to the wound. If it does it again next time i’m going back to corn dressing. It still doesn't look nice, maybe slightly less swollen. This evening we have a birthday dinner for my partner so we tended to Alba's foot during the day, it's still possible though difficult to catch her, and she is looking a bit better still, but I’ve said that before and it got worse again.

I found a baby louse on Lilly. I’m always worried for the black chickens because i’m not sure I will see if they have parasites, they are hard to spot. I treated her with the surfactant spray and she hated it. She’s usually the sweetest hen but she has been avoiding me all day.

I’ve received the DT. I’m a bit confused on dosage because the information given per chicken, 2g daily per head, doesn't correspond to 10% of the feed. It’s the same with the essential oils, since it's all very experimental, there is no (or I could not find ) reliable information on "safe" dosage. So i’ll be conservative and go with the minimum amounts, for a month. For the essential oils i’m using linalool chemotype thyme, peppermint, oregano, and turmeric, in wheat germ carrier oil (I couldn't find hemp seed oil which is my preferred choice). I won't detail dosage, but I will do as I always do, alternate so as not to use oregano more than two days in a row because it's effect is too strong.

Pied Beau says Cocorico

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Yep, we are going to sit in the same tiny nest, what's the problem ?
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A bit of chest bumping. I still wonder about Laure as she has such huge red wattles and crest and big feet, but her feathers don't look roosterish. I’ll be relieved when /if she starts laying.
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It looks like Merle is planning a cycling afternoon? She will need one friend to push down on one pedal taking turns with another friend pushing down on the other pedal. But who will steer the bike? Maybe Gaston?

 

[ManueB]

Vet wrap isn’t air tight. It might help keep it in place though.

I think reading your link and the information posted by @BDutch that these dressings are meant to keep the wound in a anaerobic humid environment. So wrapping them would not be an issue.

I’m hesitant though because on the safety sheets of the ones I have for blisters, it's expressly mentioned not to used them on an infected wound. I thought that bumblefoot was a potential staph infection? Though it's hard for me to believe that Nieva would really have a staph infection because I have seen in it on one of my colleague and it took 48h to generalize and send her in a comma.

I guess I could try one and just leave it on for two days to see how the wound reacts. And I could buy the duoderm types that are made for wounds.

It looks like Merle is planning a cycling afternoon? She will need one friend to push down on one pedal taking turns with another friend pushing down on the other pedal. But who will steer the bike? Maybe Gaston?

They would have also encounter a real problem to shift gears : this is my partner 's grandfather's bike and you needed to take the wheel off and turn it around to change the gear !
*********************

Today both Merle and Léa only have one idea: sitting in the same (empty) nest. Yesterday evening I took them out before leaving for dinner. I checked on them when I came back, and Léa was back in the nest. I took her out, and have been taking both of them out regularly today.

The boar was back tonight. It found another way in. It threw out the four remaining courgette plants, destroyed the 12 outdoor tomatoes plants and broke their stakes, and took out all the baby leeks I had managed to replant. Today the hunting team shot one that has been doing huge damage in a place higher above, where one of my partner's acquaintance keep highland cows, it was 110 kilos. They will be coming to kill "ours" next sunday. Seb, Amelia’s partner who is captain of the team said he saw it one evening and it's about 80 kilos.

They are coming to take Petit Blanc tonight . I feel both relieved and sad that he’s going. We could have kept him until the end of september, he is not quite four months yet. My partner told them we could take him back if it didn't work out. He is slightly less afraid of me now, but he has definitely not gotten to the same point of trust he was before. I used to be able to catch and handle him and now at best he will come near me when I bring the pullets some treat.
I also hope Pied Beau won't be too lonely, as they hang out together all the time, but maybe he will become more assertive without Petit Blanc dominating him. I will certainly find it even more difficult when he leaves, we have really become attached to him.

It was becoming difficult mainly for Piou-piou, as she is one of the hens that the four males want to mate with. The crust on her wound was ripped off today, either by a rooster or she did it herself. It is clean under, but makes her very fragile. I think it itches her because she has been picking at her feathers again since she got wounded, which she wasn't doing anymore.

once again Chipie and Cannelle had words.

 

[RoyalChick]

I think reading your link and the information posted by @BDutch that these dressings are meant to keep the wound in a anaerobic humid environment. So wrapping them would not be an issue.

I’m hesitant though because on the safety sheets of the ones I have for blisters, it's expressly mentioned not to used them on an infected wound. I thought that bumblefoot was a potential staph infection? Though it's hard for me to believe that Nieva would really have a staph infection because I have seen in it on one of my colleague and it took 48h to generalize and send her in a comma.

I guess I could try one and just leave it on for two days to see how the wound reacts. And I could buy the duoderm types that are made for wounds.

They would have also encounter a real problem to shift gears : this is my partner 's grandfather's bike and you needed to take the wheel off and turn it around to change the gear !
*********************

Today both Merle and Léa only have one idea: sitting in the same (empty) nest. Yesterday evening I took them out before leaving for dinner. I checked on them when I came back, and Léa was back in the nest. I took her out, and have been taking both of them out regularly today.

The boar was back tonight. It found another way in. It threw out the four remaining courgette plants, destroyed the 12 outdoor tomatoes plants and broke their stakes, and took out all the baby leeks I had managed to replant. Today the hunting team shot one that has been doing huge damage in a place higher above, where one of my partner's acquaintance keep highland cows, it was 110 kilos. They will be coming to kill "ours" next sunday. Seb, Amelia’s partner who is captain of the team said he saw it one evening and it's about 80 kilos.

They are coming to take Petit Blanc tonight . I feel both relieved and sad that he’s going. We could have kept him until the end of september, he is not quite four months yet. My partner told them we could take him back if it didn't work out. He is slightly less afraid of me now, but he has definitely not gotten to the same point of trust he was before. I used to be able to catch and handle him and now at best he will come near me when I bring the pullets some treat.
I also hope Pied Beau won't be too lonely, as they hang out together all the time, but maybe he will become more assertive without Petit Blanc dominating him. I will certainly find it even more difficult when he leaves, we have really become attached to him.

It was becoming difficult mainly for Piou-piou, as she is one of the hens that the four males want to mate with. The crust on her wound was ripped off today, either by a rooster or she did it herself. It is clean under, but makes her very fragile. I think it itches her because she has been picking at her feathers again since she got wounded, which she wasn't doing anymore.

View attachment 3637617View attachment 3637618View attachment 3637619View attachment 3637620View attachment 3637621View attachment 3637622View attachment 3637623View attachment 3637624View attachment 3637625View attachment 3637626View attachment 3637627View attachment 3637661View attachment 3637662once again Chipie and Cannelle had words.View attachment 3637663View attachment 3637664

one reason I suggested it is that the vet has clearly dug deep for the infection and has had antibiotic.
I would be like you and want to remove it to check after 2-3 days because I am a nervous Nellie!

 

[Perris]

that boar must be driving you nuts! what a pita! have any autumn / winter crops survived its ravages? That first photo of Merle is one for a caption competition I think

 

[BDutch]

I think it was a wise decision to reduce the number of males. If you like to keep Pied Beau, you might consider to rehome another rooster.

one reason I suggested it is that the vet has clearly dug deep for the infection and has had antibiotic.

Yes. I wouldn’t worry about infection. Hope she gets well soon.

So sorry for your veggie garden. Boars are not funny.

Granny Ini mini and teenager Abby make a sweet couple.

 

[ManueB]

that boar must be driving you nuts! what a pita! have any autumn / winter crops survived its ravages? That first photo of Merle is one for a caption competition I think

It didn't touch any type of squashes, the carrots, and strangely, the two squares we protected with flimsy nettings from the chickens, so we have left over broccolis, winter salads, and four kale plants.
We don't do much of a winter garden but we’re more worried about what will happen long term if we begin having boars. It's difficult to secure the whole fence perimeter, because of the size, and the steep rocky ground.

I think it was a wise decision to reduce the number of males. If you like to keep Pied Beau, you might consider to rehome another rooster.

I don't want to re-home my current roosters either. I know I can't have them all though.

Yes. I wouldn’t worry about infection. Hope she gets well soon.

So sorry for your veggie garden. Boars are not funny.

Granny Ini mini and teenager Abby make a sweet couple.
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That's such a nice picture!
As awful as chickens can sometimes be together, they can also be wonderful caring for one another.
I’m sorry I don't remember, are both Ini Mini and Abby deutsch bantams ? There is some air of similarity between the two.

 

[Perris]

so glad to hear the boar destruction wasn't complete.

It didn't touch ... and strangely, the two squares we protected with flimsy nettings from the chickens

that's great empirical evidence for the theory why the flimsy scaffolding (debris) netting that I use works! predators are afraid of getting caught up in it; they instinctively avoid it.

And it's cheap and easy enough to set up that maybe it's an option for your whole perimeter.

 

[RoyalChick]

so glad to hear the boar destruction wasn't complete.

that's great empirical evidence for the theory why the flimsy scaffolding (debris) netting that I use works! predators are afraid of getting caught up in it; they instinctively avoid it.

And it's cheap and easy enough to set up that maybe it's an option for your whole perimeter.

I have found the same thing. I use deer netting a lot rather than scaffolding netting but it is the same principle. Floppy and unpredictable is not something any critters are keen on.
Mind you, bear and wild boar atr in a different class of critter!

 

[Molpet]

It's difficult to secure the whole fence perimeter, because of the size, and the steep rocky ground.

Is a couple strands of electric fence possible?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry.72229/