The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

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Yes it is. That was something I've always enjoyed with any of my livestock...they trusted me when they trusted no one else. It makes it more like a ballet to work around animals that trust you but don't get underfoot. They move out of your way when you walk through them but they don't dart away in fear. I hate stumbling over animals...too much chance you could trip and step on one.

It's a lovely thing, that trust between livestock and caregiver...a sort of mutual respect and harmony that you find so rarely these days. I don't want lap chickens that you trip over when you do your chores but I sure do like it when they stand next to you, watch the things you do, even sing you a little song of contentment...I take that as the highest of compliments. It tells me, "I trust you to do what is right and I don't have to fear you."
 
This thread is so informative. Thank you for posting your progress. Your philosophy on chicken health is inspiring. I am learning so much. My heart goes out to those poor chickens. But how fortunate they are to have you as their friend.
 
Update: Went up after dark to examine skin, vents, and legs. Everyone got another coat of Nu-Stock just for kicks and giggles and all birds with vent gleet got NS on their vents and surrounding skin.

GOOD: When first received the birds two days ago, they were examined and approx. 8 of the chickens had lice and mites...a lot of them. No mistaking the bugs, they were just crawling these birds. They were all dusted thoroughly with wood ashes at that time.

Tonight, only 2 hens and the rooster had any signs of lice and mites on their skin. These birds have the most feathering, so I'm assuming I didn't get the ashes down to their skin as well as the other more naked birds. All three got an additional dusting but I think only time will help as they dust themselves more often and better than I could ever do.

GOOD: All were very strong and fought vigorously at being handled, except Toby, who never fights me, and Moby Dick Two, who is too incredibly large and heavy to fight anything. I don't know how she maintained her extreme weight when the others did not...and her one of the hens that is infested with lice and mites. She also has more feathers than the others...go figure. Good genetics, I suppose.

GOOD: All caked on feces to feet and feathers is gone...I'm assuming from just being outside in the dewy grasses and the grooming.

GOOD: Poops are firm and normal in appearance, though seem to have a lot of feed residue...this means they have very poor absorption of their nutrients. When the fermented feed gets done, I'm hoping a steady diet of some of this each evening will help correct the poor digestion. I saw no evidence of worms in any of the feces examined today.

GOOD: All birds but one were on the new roosts...YAY!...and they looked comfortable, plenty of space for each bird and the width of the roosting pole seemed comfortable. I'm using a rough bark sapling pole...good gripping, good roundness for the natural curve of the talons.

BAD: Now that the loose feces have been cleaned from their vents and surrounding feathers by simply being out on clean pasture and getting to dust and groom, I can see that nearly all of them have vent gleet in varying stages of severity. Some have big, swollen lumps right above the vent on the abdomen. These lumps are red, tender and barren of any feathering. I'm thinking this is cellulitis from the fungal infection. NOT good and only time will tell if this will go away. It looks very tender, so the lotion will help to some degree to protect it and soothe. This NuStock is pretty adherent, so it should protect for some time.

All vent gleet and swollen, reddened skin got a good slathering of NuStock, which is an antifungal and is known for fast action and good feather regrowth to affected areas.

Now....we'll wait and see how clean soils, clean coop and water, good probiotics in the feed and water,sunshine and fresh air will help these birds.
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Beekissed said:
Yes it is. That was something I've always enjoyed with any of my livestock...they trusted me when they trusted no one else. It makes it more like a ballet to work around animals that trust you but don't get underfoot. They move out of your way when you walk through them but they don't dart away in fear. I hate stumbling over animals...too much chance you could trip and step on one.

It's a lovely thing, that trust between livestock and caregiver...a sort of mutual respect and harmony that you find so rarely these days. I don't want lap chickens that you trip over when you do your chores but I sure do like it when they stand next to you, watch the things you do, even sing you a little song of contentment...I take that as the highest of compliments. It tells me, "I trust you to do what is right and I don't have to fear you."
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Trust of their caretaker is paramount. Without it, the animals will always be under stress. Stress kills.
 
Ok I have a question...
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...... Wood Ash??? What is it.... Where do you get it??? Is it bought or made on our own??
 
Thank you Bee for your kind words and encouragement. I understand how heartbreaking it can be to have an animal not trust you. I didn't expect my girls to and didn't even know if they ever would, did'nt matter really, I wasn't helping them for that, but surprisingly they never really ran from me and it only took a short time before one by one they came to trust me completely. How quickly I was able to pick up the one with gleet (?) and wash her bottom without a fuss just amazed me and made me feel rather priviledged, like somehow on some level they were able to understand I was there to help and make their lives better. there is one, I call Crockpot,
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that bonded to me almost immediately and follows me like a puppy getting her nose into everything I do and just seems to enjoy being with me. Silly girl.

You really eased my mind about not worming them sooner (or at all), thank you. The DE is great for maintaining a hostile environment externally for pests and internally for the "other" critters but some folks I respect were saying I should still worm them "just in case" even tho I have not seen any sign of anything in their poo. (I really was looking for excuses to delay doing it).

Wow! a hard shelled egg? Now that's amazing! Took me months to get 2 of my girls laying normal eggs consistantly. (the other 2 were laying "whoppers" within weeks
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) I did the same thing. Fed them back to them. Even bought some eggs (better than nothing) to up their protein right away. They were so calcium depleted it took some real work and quite a balancing act to restore things without over doing it but I think we are finally there.

BTW~what worked to bribe my last shy lady? Mealworms. Hen candy!!! Started giving them to everyone in the evening to up their protein a bit more to help with the molt and feather regrowth. Now, all I have to do is shake the plastic container I keep them in and they come running!!! Spoiled chooks!
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How wonderful it must have been to hear your roo be a roo again! My favorite hymn is any of the really old ones. Never dawned on me to sing to the girls even tho I've sung many times to my other animals. Have to try that!
 
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