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

[holm25]

Thank you, Isaiah. I really, really don't want to lose Mary, of all the birds I could lose. And, of course, I'm happy my buddy has improved. I guess it was something minor. Everyone else seems okay, though naturally, the elderly hens can go anytime. And Dusty, well, she's lived a full measure of years for a big Orpington hen.

Best of luck Cyn. I hope she pulls through this and is back with everyone soon!

 

[speckledhen]

I have not been out there yet, but DH said she was up front, laying down, her beak in the food bowl picking at food I left from her last night so she is showing some interest in food, at least. I'll check her when it's daylight.

January was a tough month. First, Partridge Brahma pullet almost scalped, open to the bone, by overzealous cockerels competing. She's healed up now, thankfully. Then, Dusty's crop ballooned up and refuses to go back to normal no matter what we do. Then Atlas sounded like he was getting pneumonia. Now, Mary has a mystery injury (calling it an injury for now-I know she's in pain).

Snow, my splash Ameraucana, has completely lost the use of her right leg to arthritis now, and eats so little, she's lost most of her weight. She was usually a pretty chunky little hen, but she is a bag of bones and feathers and lays with legs out to one side to get the pressure off them. Amanda, the evil "I won't share my bowl" Amanda, is allowing Snow to lay next to her. That means she knows Snow is not long for this world. And Panda, who closely guarded Caroline as she died in Oct, lays next to Snow a lot, something she never did previously. So, we are probably set to lose a couple more old gals, but both Dusty and Snow are 9 years old. Gypsy is older than both of them. She seems okay, but she could go before they do. And what to say about Amanda? She is the oldest here now, will be 10 in March, and has laid eggs in Nov, Dec and this month as well. I have some tough old gals, but it's amazing since Mandy can't even walk and hasn't really walked for at least 3 years.

 

[Wyatt0224]

I hope all is well with Mary. At least the old girls lived a long and happy life.

 

[speckledhen]

I took Mary a scrambled egg. She ate some, then squat walked to the back, darkest corner and turned her face to it. Her poop is all urates and dark green so she's been off her feed longer than I realized. I wonder if there is something more sinister going on, a liver problem or some insufficiency just showing up now. I hope not because, in that case, there's truly no hope for her.

On a brighter note, Dusty's crop is down some, strangely enough. Still some minor bloat, but definitely not as blown up as it was. If she's dying, fine, but I hate for her to be uncomfortable and hungry in the process.

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[GingersHuman]

Oh,dear. Seems nothing with life or animals can be easy!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh,dear. Seems nothing with life or animals can be easy!

You said a mouthful. Some months, it doesn't pay to go to the barn, I guess, though months like this, thankfully, are few and far between.

 

[speckledhen]

Either Athena has started laying again, or Zara finally laid her first egg at 44 weeks old. Found an elongated egg in the shavings this morning, not in the nest, where Athena has always been faithful to lay. Geez, a new record, Zara.

My Mary is still the same. She will walk from back to front, but she will not fully stand, stays hunkered down. She picks at food a tiny bit, but is not laying now. I think it may be a back injury, as Mary suggested. I think Hector jumped down and all that weight came down on her back. Maybe she walked into his path as he jumped, hard to say. I watched him almost hit Thea jumping off the roost this morning. So, I am just hoping her body can repair itself with lots of rest. Mary, how often do you think I can give her a baby aspirin? I gave her that one at the beginning, but that's all. I don't usually give anti-inflammatories for days in a row, but I think it may help her to give her another about now, what do you say?

 

[1muttsfan]

You can dissolve 5 baby (81 mg) aspirin in a quart of water and give that to her free choice. The dose in chickens is 2.5 mg per pound three times daily. This thread has a few posts that are helpful -

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/840411/using-aspirin-on-chickens/10

 

[speckledhen]

You can dissolve 5 baby (81 mg) aspirin in a quart of water and give that to her free choice. The dose in chickens is 2.5 mg per pound three times daily. This thread has a few posts that are helpful -

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/840411/using-aspirin-on-chickens/10

Oh, thank you, Mary. I know she is drinking because I saw her on several occasions so that way, I know she's getting some relief. Will do that. Gosh, I'm so worried. She is my best of the three. Why, oh why is it always the best one or the favorite one?