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

[Beekissed]

Can't get my iPad browser to load pics onto this, but below are links (hope they work... They take you to my fb pics, which are set to private..) to my two pit bulls hanging with their chicks. The first is a great shot of my youngster (about a year old in this shot) with his favorite peep sitting on his leg. He's admittedly not much of a protector to the flock, as he would rather play with them... But the second pic is of my "pit bull Pyrenees" (although clearly a staged photo - yes, I'm one of "those"... Sent out Easter cards this year which included this pic.) Anyways, she's a beast when it comes to protecting those chicks. Got herself a Tom cat and an opossum 2 days apart. So far, nothing else has even attempted to raid her coop.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=434875873194585&l=84e7d860d6
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=428545563827616&l=70cc26ff68
Love this thread, Bee! I don't have any unhealthy birds right now, but I'm learning so much for any future endeavors with doctoring worthy birds. Also following the FF & OT threads, can't get enough! Thanks for documenting your experience and sharing your wisdom to a newbie who can't get enough chicken info!!

Those are excellent pic!!! And beautiful dogs and birds you have there. Hey, any dog that is killing the predators is a livestock guardian in my book....you have livestock and the dog is guarding them~end of story. Not just guarding them but actually killing the offending predators...that's what my dog does also and this makes me feel good about his abilities to guard the flock.

 

[Beekissed]

I had a very good friend years ago who used to say, "Some people have 20 years' experience, and some people have a year's experience 20 times."

Just started back at the beginning of your thread; having read some of the later pages I had to read the whole story! I am a long way from the end but saw this and thought of my friend.

Truly a compelling read sprinkled liberally with very useful information. Proof positive of the will to live in your little feathered friends.

Your friend is very wise! I always used to say that old adage "with age comes wisdom" is slightly off base. I have found out that sometimes age shows up at the party all by itself.

 

[galanie]

Deleted, read next one.

 

[galanie]

Daily update on the Gnarly Bunch:   No eggs.  Not one, darn it.  But, I see much evidence of good nutrition and the loss of the parasitic infestations paying off.  More and smoother feathering, the chests are definitely filling out..even on the skinniest bird, and I noticed several legs with old, damaged scales trying to slough off. 

I have my eye on the Middle Sister, the one White Rock that still looks skinny and pretty scraggly.  She is the one with the swollen joints in her ankles and toes.  I'm going to give her time but I'm wondering if that joint swelling, which is not going away on her new diet and environment, is symptomatic of arthritis and could be causing her to not thrive.  Of all the birds, she has made the least progress.  She is probably almost half of her normal size and weight and, whereas Raggedy Ann is making great strides in recovering, Middle Sister isn't. 

Her poop is good, she is moving and eating good, and she has spunk....but her feet look swollen, though she does not show disability there.  She is not putting on good flesh and feathering like the rest of the White Rocks, who are the same age and genetic make-up.  I'll try to get pics tomorrow of what she looks like now so you can compare with what she looked like at one week. 

If I do a cull before colder weather, it will be this hen.  I know what it feels like to have arthritis pain when cold and damp weather sets in and it isn't fun.  I see no reason to make her suffer through the winter just to prove I can nurse her back to her former self, if I even can...I'm not so sure on this one. 
 

 

wow! I respond and three responses are ahead of mine so it makes no sense! LOL! Anyway, originally my response to this is:

Most of me wants to say "OH NO! KEEP HER! Poor thing is just old, she deserves to stick around!" But the other part of me says, "Well, poor thing, but we have to do what we have to do."

Though I am rooting for her just the same to get better.

 

[Beekissed]

Most of me wants to say "OH NO! KEEP HER! Poor thing is just old, she deserves to stick around!" But the other part of me says, "Well, poor thing, but we have to do what we have to do."
Though I am rooting for her just the same to get better.

My mom is too. I think all us old gals sympathize with old hens...they work all their lives producing something worthy and then what do they get? The stew pot. Same as us...deeply unappreciated for our efforts for family and home all these long years. But just because she will be killed does not equate not appreciating her. It's because I feel for her that I don't want her to go into the winter months without a layer of good fat to keep her warm and I don't want to think of those swollen joints aching when the cold rains blow.

I had to make the same decision with my sweet and loyal dog, Lucy, when she had finally gotten so old and in pain that she couldn't keep weight on her frame, her teeth were worn down to nubs and it was a struggle to get to her feet. It was time. I had nursed her along for a few years with those symptoms but I finally had to decide, was I doing this for her or for me? Did I have the right to deny her a merciful, peaceful end just because I didn't want to be without her in my life? It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make but I do not regret it.

With my dear, old chickens the death is even more gentle than with those I do not know. She is cradled, she is dispatched quickly and she is again cradled while she is dying. We really can't ask for much better than that in this world....a good life and a good death.

One thing I truly believe~good, loyal and sweet animals that know their place on this Earth and work in conjunction with humans, as is their purpose, I will see once again when I reach Heaven. My old horse is waiting in the meadow in front of my home there, grazing alongside my dear sheep, and all my dogs will run out to greet me, just like they have always done. My chickens? They will be foraging in those wildflowers over by the old red barn and my grandma will be tossing them a handful of corn as she walks by with a basket of eggs.

Me and this chicken? We will meet again. This will just be a short separation, and then? Forever together.

 

[galanie]

My mom is too.  I think all us old gals sympathize with old hens...they work all their lives producing something worthy and then what do they get?  The stew pot.  Same as us...deeply unappreciated for our efforts for family and home all these long years.  But just because she will be killed does not equate not appreciating her.  It's because I feel for her that I don't want her to go into the winter months without a layer of good fat to keep her warm and I don't want to think of those swollen joints aching when the cold rains blow. 

I had to make the same decision with my sweet and loyal dog, Lucy, when she had finally gotten so old and in pain that she couldn't keep weight on her frame, her teeth were worn down to nubs and it was a struggle to get to her feet.  It was time.  I had nursed her along for a few years with those symptoms but I finally had to decide, was I doing this for her or for me?  Did I have the right to deny her a merciful, peaceful end just because I didn't want to be without her in my life?  It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make but I do not regret it. 

With my dear, old chickens the death is even more gentle than with those I do not know.  She is cradled, she is dispatched quickly and she is again cradled while she is dying.  We really can't ask for much better than that in this world....a good life and a good death. 

One thing I truly believe~good, loyal and sweet animals that know their place on this Earth and work in conjunction with humans, as is their purpose, I will see once again when I reach Heaven.  My old horse is waiting in the meadow in front of my home there, grazing alongside my dear sheep, and all my dogs will run out to greet me, just like they have always done.  My chickens?  They will be foraging in those wildflowers over by the old red barn and my grandma will be tossing them a handful of corn as she walks by with a basket of eggs. 

Me and this chicken?  We will meet again.  This will just be a short separation, and then?  Forever together. 

You have no idea. I had to make the very same decision, not on an animal, but on my own mother. She made me her decision maker for that even though I am the youngest of four. She made her wishes known not only verbally but in writing. She absolutely, with no doubt ever, did not in any event, want to be kept alive artificially. So I got to make the decision to "pull the plug" so to speak.

After that, making the same on an animal is almost, but not really, child's play. TMI? You judge. Compassion, you bet. But still rooting for the hen? OH HELL YES. Understanding? YES. It's never easy, be it your hen or your mom. You do the best you can and you do what you have to do. I'm just glad she was as strong as she was and as though I feel I don't hold a candle to her, taught me to be as strong as I am.

 

[Beekissed]

No, it's never easy. But then, life ain't easy. Someone has to make the hard decisions, don't they? I'm not surprised that your mother trusted you to carry out her wishes...you seem strong enough to stick to that plan and trustworthy enough to not let your own feelings get in the way of her end of life needs.

That's what it really comes down to in life, be it in regards to animal or humans...being strong enough to do the right thing while putting your own feelings to one side to help another.

In the end, these chickens are food. They are good animals and I admire them so, but they are here to fulfill a purpose and that is to live and die in service to us humans. I'm a big fan of everything fulfilling its purpose on this Earth.

 

[galanie]

No, it's never easy.  But then, life ain't easy.  Someone has to make the hard decisions, don't they?  I'm not surprised that your mother trusted you to carry out her wishes...you seem strong enough to stick to that plan and trustworthy enough to not let your own feelings get in the way of her end of life needs. 

That's what it really comes down to in life, be it in regards to animal or humans...being strong enough to do the right thing while putting your own feelings to one side to help another. 

In the end, these chickens are food.  They are good animals and I admire them so, but they are here to fulfill a purpose and that is to live and die in service to us humans.  I'm a big fan of everything fulfilling its purpose on this Earth. 

 

Thank you, Bee. This is why, in light of the "bigger picture" as they like to say now, "it's just a chicken" - no matter how much you care. You aren't being calloused or insensitive. It's a chicken.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

My mother says that "there are things worse than death" and - from the suffering I've seen in others - I have a feeling she's right. Sometimes a putting down can be the kindest gift we can give our pet companions. My daughter is a vet tech and had to assist with putting down her own dog. Tears, certainly, but she knew she was doing her a favor.

I've got two new buckets in the sink with freshly made FF. Threw in some dried split peas, hope that's okay. Was surprised at the vinegar as I thought the Mother would be more substantial. It looks like cloudy vinegar to me with residue in the bottom of the bottle. Poured about half of it into a gallon of regular ACV in the hope of making more. We'll see.

This thread has turned into a group science/animal husbandry project with a heavy dose of wisdom and common sense. I love it!

 

[Beekissed]

I like that description! I never know what these threads will romp into, so that's half the fun. I don't know where it will all end.

You are right also about some things being worse than death. I've worked as a hospice nurse and I can honestly tell you that there are many, many things worse than death. Death is pretty uniform across the board...most folks end the same way and a lucky few just go out like a light. The worse than death scenarios are incredibly gut wrenching to watch and to try to help. After seeing those, one prays for death for the one suffering through it and, in the dark reaches of the night, quells the fear of suffering the same fate.