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

[getaclue]

Awwww, so sorry to hear about Mina. I don't really know of anything that prevents seizures in chickens.

 

[speckledhen]

Me, either, Cheryl. I don't think they can be stopped. These D'Anvers have had some neurological issues, first Carly, then Spike and now Mina. I think it's her age more than anything else. I just hope she goes on her own and we don't have to put her down, but her left leg is really bad for some reason. She holds it up and when she places it, it seems "loose' in the hip area. She may have hurt herself during an unobserved seizure.

 

[speckledhen]

Now that I observed her in two more seizures, I think her leg is only weak because it's on that side, not because of injury. Her toes are curling under when she walks. I think she at sometime in recent past, had a stroke of some sort that led to this series of seizures that are becoming more frequent and weakness on that side. She'll be walking then lift one leg to seem to scratch her face, but I think it's really the first part of a seizure. Then her head will tilt to the right, beak facing left and almost twist backwards/upwards and usually, she'll then fall on the floor flopping all over the place. Today, she caught herself and was able to stop it just after the head tilt thing, but she seized twice more tonight. I wonder how many times she's doing it when we don't see it. She'll snap out of it quickly, seem slightly dazed then begin acting normally except when she places the right foot down with toes curled. She is eating and drinking so far, unlike Carly was when we were forced to euthanize her.

 

[h2oratt]

I am so sorry. It is hard to watch our birds age.

You crocheting reallybeautiful. I knit but have never been able to read a pattern. I don’t have the patience. I think I have adhd. Or add

 

[speckledhen]

I learned how to read a pattern just to do one certain shawl. Not all patterns are written well, though, LOL.
Mina is a tough little old hen, but these seizures are going to take their toll. I didn't see her have one today, but that doesn't mean she didn't.

 

[speckledhen]

Mina is still here, miraculously. The seizures are getting more violent, but they subside and she gets up and eats and drinks and acts like she wants to run with the other birds. She has several each day. How on earth is a 12+ year old 20 oz hen still alive after all this time going through multiple seizures each day? She's a tough little gal!
Bash still has something wrong in his throat, but he's over his molt, looks good, sounds good, etc.
Scarlett, one of the splash EEs, has a belly the size of a large softball, has to walk splay-legged because of it, yet she's still around, still participating in life, albeit slowly. I'm to the point that I may have to attempt to drain her, though I have not done that in years. It would only help her comfort-wise, not to fix her issue, and it would stress her out so should I do that or let nature take its course?

 

[getaclue]

You mention that Scarlett is doing pretty good in all other regards, so it might be worth giving her relief from the fluid, if it can be done with one needle puncture, and it can be done in a reasonable amount of time, then dressing the small puncture from the needle. If not, then let nature take it's course. No one knows your chickens better than you do, so the decision is yours.

 

[speckledhen]

I have to keep remembering that draining never fixed any hens in this condition. She is really down today so it won't be long anyway, unfortunately. I thought about it, but Tom reminded me, yet again, that it never does much good. I think she might die while we're trying to drain her, that's how bad she is today, all hunched up and miserable.

 

[getaclue]

I'm sorry she's gone downhill. I know it doesn't fix anything, but I was thinking more along the lines of it helping her walk a bit more normally.

 

[speckledhen]

Yeah, me, too, Cheryl. She didn't walk at all today, stayed in the cage, warm and quiet.