The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

Hi all
I have been battling with my girls for a while beginning with red mite to a respiratory infection which hopefully are all now cleared.

The coop, run and the garden have been cleaned and disinfected. They have been treated for mites contineously so should all be healthy (cannot find anything on them or the coop or at the end of their feather shafts) but now a couple of them have swollen ankle joints.



Their perches were about 4 foot high and I noticed that a couple of them seemed to limp after jumping off the perches so the only thing I can think of is that they have injured themselves jumping from such a height.

So.....I have lowered their perches to just on 16 inches from the floor, put Ropadiar (oregano tonic for poultry) in their water but 3 of them have swollen ankels that are warm to the touch but no scab or hardness in the foot pads. I was thinking that by doing what I have should eliminate any further injury from jumping, infection should be helped by the ropadiar tonic but here is what I am not sure of.......

Is there a natural anti inflamatory that I can give them to help reduce the swelling and assist them to heal or am I looking at a vet visit?

Any and all help greatly appreciated.

Just thinking out loud here and hoping to help or spark an idea from someone else that might help....

Anti-inflammatory remedies work against inflammation by thinning the blood, like alcohol, aspirin (salasilates, etc. I'm know I misspelled that, BTW).
Other acids can help with inflammation and/or infection, like vinegar (I guess it'd be ACV).
Sage is supposed to be good for inflammation and hotflashes and such.

I'm not necessarily suggesting any of these things specifically, but I'm hoping to put info out there that might lead to an answer.


Found this:
"Some of these natural remedies include natural ingredients from ginger, turmeric, rosemary, bark extract of White willow, omega-3 fatty acids, jojoba oil, essential oils like lemongrass, mint, etc."
on this site:
http://www.naturalantiinflammatory.org/

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

The blood of chickens doesn't clot well to begin with ... therefore I've been advised against giving anything to birds that thins the blood, including pain killers.

 

[fosterson]

Quote: Salicylates. From Salix, the Latin name/scientific name for willow, from which salicylic acid was originally derived. I was a pharmacy tech for 10 years or so.

Salicylates DO reduce inflammation, but it's not by thinning the blood. The antiinflamatory action is actually quite separate from the anticoagulant action

 

[TeaChick]

I live in town w/ lots of cats, pets and feral, and ALWAYS loose chicks to them when left uncovered. Having broody mom or flock w/ roos has never helped, only a covered run has helped.

Thank you. I'll have to remember that. We have fox and raccoons and opossums, etc. So, things that climb. Thanks!!! =)

 

[TeaChick]

Salicylates. From Salix, the Latin name/scientific name for willow, from which salicylic acid was originally derived. I was a pharmacy tech for 10 years or so.

Salicylates DO reduce inflammation, but it's not by thinning the blood. The antiinflamatory action is actually quite separate from the anticoagulant action

Good to know. Thank you!!!

 

[Scott H]

Oprah is not feeling better, just glad she made it through the night. She'll eat treats if I hand feed her...will not come when I call....looks miserable. She did eat a couple of small pieces of turkey and quite a bit of fresh spinach....loaded with calcium.
Weather is supposed to let up in a couple of days. Hopes she can make it one more night...

• Today A 20 percent chance of snow before 1pm. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 10. Wind chill values as low as -5. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
• Tonight A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 2. Calm wind. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Monday A 30 percent chance of snow before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 18. Wind chill values as low as -8. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Monday Night A 20 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 12. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
• Tuesday A 30 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 23. Light south wind. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Tuesday Night A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Wednesday Night Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 19. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

This has got to be brutal with half your feathers....she slept in a nesting box last night so no heat from her buddies.

 

[Scott H]

The blood of chickens doesn't clot well to begin with ... therefore I've been advised against giving anything to birds that thins the blood, including pain killers.

Isn't an Epsom salt soak anti-inflammatory? Maybe that would help?

 

[TeaChick]

Oprah is not feeling better, just glad she made it through the night. She'll eat treats if I hand feed her...will not come when I call....looks miserable. She did eat a couple of small pieces of turkey and quite a bit of fresh spinach....loaded with calcium.
Weather is supposed to let up in a couple of days. Hopes she can make it one more night...

• Today A 20 percent chance of snow before 1pm. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 10. Wind chill values as low as -5. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
• Tonight A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 2. Calm wind. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Monday A 30 percent chance of snow before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 18. Wind chill values as low as -8. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Monday Night A 20 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 12. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
• Tuesday A 30 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 23. Light south wind. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Tuesday Night A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Wednesday Night Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 19. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

This has got to be brutal with half your feathers....she slept in a nesting box last night so no heat from her buddies.

Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood that her getting up/out to eat meant she was feeling better.

I'm sorry for her that she's feeling so miserable!!!

for you and her (I know how it feels to have a "sick" chicken)
I hope things get warmer sooner than expected.

 

[Alibabe]

Just thinking out loud here and hoping to help or spark an idea from someone else that might help....

Anti-inflammatory remedies work against inflammation by thinning the blood, like alcohol, aspirin (salasilates, etc. I'm know I misspelled that, BTW).
Other acids can help with inflammation and/or infection, like vinegar (I guess it'd be ACV).
Sage is supposed to be good for inflammation and hotflashes and such.

I'm not necessarily suggesting any of these things specifically, but I'm hoping to put info out there that might lead to an answer.


Found this:
"Some of these natural remedies include natural ingredients from ginger, turmeric, rosemary, bark extract of White willow, omega-3 fatty acids, jojoba oil, essential oils like lemongrass, mint, etc."
on this site:
http://www.naturalantiinflammatory.org/

Thank you so much, I have ginger, tumeric and rosemary on hand. I wonder if I made a 'tea' with these ingrediants and added a small amount to their water daily if that would help.

The blood of chickens doesn't clot well to begin with ... therefore I've been advised against giving anything to birds that thins the blood, including pain killers.

I don't have any asprin or pain killers on hand that I could give to chooks so I cannot give them anything at present without going to a vet first thing tomorroww.

Salicylates. From Salix, the Latin name/scientific name for willow, from which salicylic acid was originally derived. I was a pharmacy tech for 10 years or so.

Salicylates DO reduce inflammation, but it's not by thinning the blood. The antiinflamatory action is actually quite separate from the anticoagulant action

I will try google to find out where I can get some willow - is it an essential oil?

Thank you. I'll have to remember that. We have fox and raccoons and opossums, etc. So, things that climb. Thanks!!! =)

Isn't an Epsom salt soak anti-inflammatory? Maybe that would help?

I have baking soda but not epsom salt, if it is an anti inflamatory I can get some in the morning and try soaking their feet. Thank you.

 

[TeaChick]

Thank you so much, I have ginger, tumeric and rosemary on hand. I wonder if I made a 'tea' with these ingrediants and added a small amount to their water daily if that would help.

That sounds like it couldn't hurt.
Do be careful. Someone might know if any of those is toxic to chickens or not.
Tea is not usually a strong infusion, so if you had the EO of any of those around, that might do better being added to their water one or two drops at a time.
OR, you could sprinkle some of whatever on their food.
Just ideas. =)