The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[oldhenlikesdogs]

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That's cold for your neck of the woods.

 

[speckledhen]

That's cold for your neck of the woods.

The single digits are, no question, though we usually have at least one night in that area. It's been below zero once or twice in the time we've lived here. It was 2* the night that Isaac got frostbitten feet (bad circulation, sleeping on the cold floor because he fell off the roost in the middle of the night).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The single digits are, no question, though we usually have at least one night in that area. It's been below zero once or twice in the time we've lived here. It was 2* the night that Isaac got frostbitten feet (bad circulation, sleeping on the cold floor because he fell off the roost in the middle of the night).

I'm definitely worried about my critters during these cold snaps. Did Isaac lose toes?

 

[speckledhen]

I'm definitely worried about my critters during these cold snaps. Did Isaac lose toes?

Yes, he lost two toe ends. Poor thing didn't even have frostbite on his comb, only his poor feet because of the circumstance.

 

[1muttsfan]

My little granny bird that spent some time in my garage last fall after a late molt lost most of the ends of her toes after she went back into the coop. Even when I put her on a roost after dark she would jump down and dig down into the shavings in the corner nest box (which is on the floor), and the floor underneath was soooo cold that eventually she got frostbite . She just could not be reasoned with.

 

[speckledhen]

Frostbitten feet are less likely to happen in this steel barn because it's flat on the ground, no air can flow underneath, plus the floor is raised up with some insulation under most of it in the form of airspace and lots of Walmart bags stuffed under there. The original coop was raised off the ground quite a bit and even though we tried to block off the wind from blowing under, it was still a lot colder.

 

[speckledhen]

Today, I opened the door to the Old Hens #2 pen with Georgie. Georgie stood up and hobbled out into the hallway, following her sisters. She then just stood there looking all droopy so I put her outside in the sun and she was picking at scratch that the last group left on the ground. Her right side is the weakest so maybe a mini-stroke? Her color is really good, but she just looks tired. She will eat a little and drink some, but loses her balance and the right side is just droopy. But, she is still with me and showing interest in life a little bit.

 

[1muttsfan]

Good old girl.

 

[1muttsfan]

My friend who keeps her horses here is gone for a few weeks. She pays an older couple to stay at her house, and they do the horse chores here during the week, and I feed on weekends. Well I went out to grain the horses and one of them - the one I would have expected it from least - suddenly ran past me, spun around and kicked me right in the gut. Knocked the wind right out of me, and I laid there flat for a few minutes with my pony standing over me trying to figure out what was wrong. When I was able to get up I chased her away from the group and threw the bucket at her until I'm pretty sure she will avoid me if she sees a bucket in my hand. I called the other folks and warned them to be careful with her, and not go in without a training stick in their hands.

That is why I tell people over and over that there is no such thing as a safe horse. A friend and horseman was kicked the same way once by the oldest, tamest horse he owned, and ended up in surgery with a ruptured spleen. If I had bent over and she caught me in the head they may have found me on Monday frozen, as the high temp right now is only 8, and it's going to fall into subzero overnight. She may have only been "horsing around", but so dangerous...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My friend who keeps her horses here is gone for a few weeks. She pays an older couple to stay at her house, and they do the horse chores here during the week, and I feed on weekends. Well I went out to grain the horses and one of them - the one I would have expected it from least - suddenly ran past me, spun around and kicked me right in the gut. Knocked the wind right out of me, and I laid there flat for a few minutes with my pony standing over me trying to figure out what was wrong. When I was able to get up I chased her away from the group and threw the bucket at her until I'm pretty sure she will avoid me if she sees a bucket in my hand. I called the other folks and warned them to be careful with her, and not go in without a training stick in their hands.

That is why I tell people over and over that there is no such thing as a safe horse. A friend and horseman was kicked the same way once by the oldest, tamest horse he owned, and ended up in surgery with a ruptured spleen. If I had bent over and she caught me in the head they may have found me on Monday frozen, as the high temp right now is only 8, and it's going to fall into subzero overnight. She may have only been "horsing around", but so dangerous...

You are very lucky. Our neighbor got his face kicked by horse and has never been right since. I no longer keep horses because I can't move fast enough around them. Glad you are okay.