The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

lead poisoning can make the crop adhere to the spinal column and shrink

 

[Mumsy]

I should mention that I may well not be looking at the picture correctly, and am in NO way trying to question you, Mumsy. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I just wanted to ask.

Interesting about lead poisoning! I wonder (just wondering out loud, here) if it was actually an abscess under the tumor which seemed to look like a small crop, and her true crop was large and swollen from poisoning/inability to process food or pituitary tumors (or both - lead poisoning can cause all sorts of nastiness!)

I am glad you question because that helps me and everybody to get the correct information. This necropsy and all you letting me post about it was the only good thing that could come out of this poor creatures short life and miserable suffering. They can't tell us what hurts and it makes me cry to think about what it must have been like every day with insides so messed up.

Her crop was so small I couldn't see it until I cut that growth off. Only half my forefinger fit in it empty. For a seven month old pullet, she lasted as long as she possibly could.

Thank you everyone and especially del for helping me through this necropsy and awful day. Binkus is no longer suffering and there a good possibility this lead poisoning was the reason for the mystery.

 

[Leahs Mom]

LET'S TALK ABOUT PREVENTION....

So that we know what we're dealing with here, and to prevent this from happening to our birds....If it was, indeed, lead poising:

What are the ways a bird could have gotten lead poisoning?

-Old metal feed pans that have lead?

-Feeding from ceramic pans/bowls/crocks that contain lead and sloughs off into the feed? (All ceramic made right up to the 2000's, including the stoneware dishes and crock pots have lead in them and it comes to the surface and gets into your food. Unless ceramic is marked lead-free when you purchase it, DON'T BUY IT. DON'T EAT FROM IT, COOK IN IT, OR FEED IN IT.)

-Old paint in the seller's coop/barn?

-What else?

 

[Bulldogma]

LET'S TALK ABOUT PREVENTION....

So that we know what we're dealing with here, and to prevent this from happening to our birds....If it was, indeed, lead poising:

What are the ways a bird could have gotten lead poisoning?

-Old metal feed pans that have lead?

-Feeding from ceramic pans/bowls/crocks that contain lead and sloughs off into the feed? (All ceramic made right up to the 2000's, including the stoneware dishes and crock pots have lead in them and it comes to the surface and gets into your food. Unless ceramic is marked lead-free when you purchase it, DON'T BUY IT. DON'T EAT FROM IT, COOK IN IT, OR FEED IN IT.)

-Old paint in the seller's coop/barn?

-What else?

Target practice.

OK - not like it sounds. If bullets are left out, a chicken could be attracted to this shiny object while free ranging and swallow it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Could a person have a chicken tested for lead by their local or state extension agent? Is this a common occurance?

 

[Bulldogma]

I just want to share a bit of happy news!

Our black Silkie did not get the part as a wookie (even though she puts on a convincing show).




Nope - she's gone broody, and has earned a new nick-name!



Darth 'Bator *insert theme music here*

 

[Leahs Mom]

Darth 'Bator *insert theme music here*

 

[rowerjen]

Darth 'Bator *insert theme music here*

 

[Mumsy]

LET'S TALK ABOUT PREVENTION....

So that we know what we're dealing with here, and to prevent this from happening to our birds....If it was, indeed, lead poising:

What are the ways a bird could have gotten lead poisoning?

-Old metal feed pans that have lead?

-Feeding from ceramic pans/bowls/crocks that contain lead and sloughs off into the feed? (All ceramic made right up to the 2000's, including the stoneware dishes and crock pots have lead in them and it comes to the surface and gets into your food. Unless ceramic is marked lead-free when you purchase it, DON'T BUY IT. DON'T EAT FROM IT, COOK IN IT, OR FEED IN IT.)

-Old paint in the seller's coop/barn?

-What else?

Leaded paint flaking off windows in old barns or from salvaged windows used in new barns. Welded solder on galvanized buckets or hardware cloth fences. Drinking tainted water in puddles near where cars, trucks, or tractors are serviced. (lead is in batteries)

 

[aoxa]

Leaded paint flaking off windows in old barns or from salvaged windows used in new barns. Welded solder on galvanized buckets or hardware cloth fences. Drinking tainted water in puddles near where cars, trucks, or tractors are serviced. (lead is in batteries)

Yes I have seen my birds eat chipped paint at my old house.. my garage was 100 years old.. Thinking back.. I lost all of my first group of birds in that location.. Similar wasting away symptoms.. This was before I ever culled a bird and before I knew what I do now.. maybe it was lead poisoning as well...

I learned a lot today thanks to your posts Mumsy! Thank you!

PS: Margaret lost her toes last night

She's one funky little girl. Stubby hehe.. She is feisty with the babies. Good thing she can't run as fast as them, or they'd be a whole lot more picked on than they are. She wants to be head hen, and I admire that. She will be just fine. A little weird, but fine.