The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Here's a quote from Chicken Health for Dummies below on the aspirin. But if they aren't drinking this won't be of use.

@galefrances
Do you have any NuStock? That stuff stinks but it seems to help healing proceed very quickly and helps prevent infection. Not sure if I'd use it based on your description or not...but I did use it once on a bird that had been hawk attacked and had the back of her neck ripped pretty bad. The bad thing about it is that you can't see the condition of the wound since it has the ointment on it. The good thing is that it seems to work well and quickly. That hawk-attacked hen survived and is alive today, 2 years later, as a pet in a young lady's pet flock a couple hours south of me.

I have also used the gel version of Vetericyn to put into wounds. It's clear and you can see through it.

But, seriously, I don't like doing a lot with wounds besides being sure they're clean and doing for them what I'd do for myself. As @oldhenlikesdogs was saying, that girl I had that was attacked was in "starring into space" mode for a couple days, then perked up with time and is quite normal today. If it had gone on for more than 3-4 days in malaise I may have had to make a different decision.

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[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks for providing that Leahs Mom.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@oldhenlikesdogs
Not sure if this is the place to ask it but... going to anyway

I noticed in one of your photos that it looked like at least one of your goats was not inside a fence. Is there such a thing as "free range goats"?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@oldhenlikesdogs Not sure if this is the place to ask it but... going to anyway

I noticed in one of your photos that it looked like at least one of your goats was not inside a fence. Is there such a thing as "free range goats"?

Only if you want all your trees and shrubs stripped and you car climbed on. They are mostly kept in a fence. We used to have escapees when we had only an electric fence, but now they are woven wire with an electric strand and haven't escaped since. I have posted lots of photos so i don't know which one they appear to be free.

 

[gevshiba]

I thought about calling animal control. I'll call and see what they say, My husband is going to have to buy a gun, he just got out of the hospital and he hasn't hunted in years. My neighbor is watching for us. He has a gun,


Update: the rooster and the maran are alive this morning, I honestly don't know if I'm doing the right thing. The maran just lays on her side. I'm not sure what's wrong. When I put her down she flops to her left side. I'm giving both of them water with electrolytes with a syringe. Neither has been drinking on their own, i checked the roosters neck and there's no laceration. I don't feel anything wrong other than he can't hold his head up. I have each separated in their own hospital carrier and they are inside the run where they can see the other hens. They both let me hold them. That is a first! I'll give them a few days to see if there is any improvement. I've tried not to be attached to my chickens, but my heart is heavy.

I use Oreganol P73 as a natural antibiotic. You would need to get it at a health food or natural food store. I'm sure it can be ordered online, as well. I mix a drop into their water. Or if I'm using it on a group of birds, I'll mix a few drops. It's pretty potent. I use it on myself and the dogs, too. I try to always keep this and a few other things in the house at all times. Because of the punctures and muscle damage, I'd probably include some Arinica 30c as well. Wouldn't do any damage and I've seen how it does with puncture wounds when one of my dogs got in a fight before an agility trial. Good stuff!

 

[gevshiba]

Well, I procrastinated on culling the chick that was walking on the top of his feet. He didn't seem too distressed, so I let it go. Strangely, one foot is now normal and he's walking on the bottom of the other, but his toes are badly bent. I'm going to leave him alone, for now. I'll keep an eye on him and cull him when I feel he needs to be. Hopefully, they will be moving to the grow out pen in the coop this weekend. It's been raining constantly, so I'm way behind.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well, I procrastinated on culling the chick that was walking on the top of his feet.  He didn't seem too distressed, so I let it go.  Strangely, one foot is now normal and he's walking on the bottom of the other, but his toes are badly bent.  I'm going to leave him alone, for now.  I'll keep an eye on him and cull him when I feel he needs to be.  Hopefully, they will be moving to the grow out pen in the coop this weekend.  It's been raining constantly, so I'm way behind.

I've had chickens with curled toes, I currently have a salmon faverolle who's toes curl in a spiral, she does fine and you wouldn't know until you get close. So personally I would wait and see, if it's doesn't seem to be suffering I tend to wait and watch.

 

[galefrances]

Thank you to oldhenslikedogs, Leahsmom, and gevshiba. I have to go out later today. GNC is 20 miles away, maybe they'll have the oreganol and arinica. I'll make sure I stock my first aide kit with your suggestions. You've all been so helpful and very encouraging.

I redressed the marans wounds. They're looking better. I'd prefer to keep them open to air but I don't want any flies getting in there. I do have NuStock but I chose to use betadine, then neosporin after I flushed with saline. My dog had an allergic reaction to NuStock once so I'm a little nervous about using it. I remember Bee using it for gleet and it worked wonders. Both the maran and the rooster are alert, but unable to drink on their own. I have a lot of aspirin so I'll start that at their next drink time. I've been trying to go out every two hours.

The roo is much more active but his neck flops like a rag doll when he tries to lift it and the maran just lays there. I think her wing might be sprained.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@galefrances
How are things going today?

I wouldn't use the NuStock either since you had that experience.

 

[galefrances]

@galefrances

How are things going today?

I wouldn't use the NuStock either since you had that experience.

Not much change so far. I'm trying to get as much fluids in them that I can. The maran seems to still be in shock. I have to pry her beak open to give her water. She looks at me with a dazed look. I have to put the syringe in and shoot the water in the back of her mouth and then she'll swallow. She did put some weight on her legs when I put her back in her hutch, but then she went down and leaned on her side. I've got her propped up on a towel. I didn't change her dressings today. They're clean so I'm going to wait until tomorrow to see how her wounds are. Then I'll keep them open to air if they're not draining. My rooster seems like he's fighting to get well. He definitely wants to live. He'll open his beak for me when I put the syringe to his beak. He makes a kind of sucking sound as he laps up the water As fast as I fill his mouth. I think I'm going to try giving him some yogurt tomorrow and if he handles that then some scrambled egg. His eyes look very alert too. He stands up and moves around in a circle with either the top of his head or his face on the floor. It's quite bizarre. Do you think a neck brace would help him? I thought I might try sewing one out of a soft flannel and line it with foam. It's been exhausting. I'm so thankful my DH is able to help me now that he is feeling better.