What did you do with your flock today?

[PopoMyers]

Those naughty chickens escaped again! Houdini roo was proudly strutting the yard, and I think crowing this morning near my open upstairs bedroom window. Caught the gray hen flying up between the top of the run and the tarp covering, through an opening in the netting I was working on repositioning. I chased her back down from the garden side of the run. Finally stretched the netting from the edge of the roof out horizontally, attaching onto tree branches. Let's see if that works. Another egg eaten. Time to get some fake ones. Maybe blow out a few and fill with something?

 

[Nomadicus]

Those naughty chickens escaped again! Houdini roo was proudly strutting the yard, and I think crowing this morning near my open upstairs bedroom window. Caught the gray hen flying up between the top of the run and the tarp covering, through an opening in the netting I was working on repositioning. I chased her back down from the garden side of the run. Finally stretched the netting from the edge of the roof out horizontally, attaching onto tree branches. Let's see if that works. Another egg eaten. Time to get some fake ones. Maybe blow out a few and fill with something?

fill with mustard is what I'm told works.

 

[Goose Girl]

I done a lot with my flock yesterday!
My back is telling me about it this morning.
I cleaned the duck tank filled it up with water, done some cleaning in the run and duck house spread some straw out and got everything duckling safe for the new babies. View attachment 2128642View attachment 2128643

Moma looks tired but proud snd very happy!!! Congratulations!!!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Blackberries?! I didn't know you had those there. Are all the chooks up Koke'e now? Work is never done, but the satisfaction from finishing projects is priceless.

GREEN FABWOOD Wooden Fake Eggs-6Piece https://a.co/d/1NKYuJ3

They are cheap and worth it.

Yes, blackberries gone wild up here. It is a real nuisance plant.

 

[Shetland lover]

Ugh, it's another mystery...I'm starting to think my soil has issues I should test! It again is only affecting a chicken that is recessive genetically.

She came up lame the day before we left for our vacation and when I picked her up, her legs were all swollen and hot to the touch! I brought her in and gave her Enrofloxacin in her water and slathered her legs with vaseline. By Wednesday, her legs were still swollen and also her little comb had ballooned up as well. She has no other signs of illness or bumblefoot except the weird swelling, so switched her meds to an all in one med--with a percentage of doxycycline, enroflox, ronadazole, and one other thing. I also started applying magnesium oils to her legs instead of vaseline and supplemented her with a mix of oils that help lower uric acid. Trying to cover all the things I could think it might be. The leg swelling is way down and her feet are much cooler, but now have scabs and look like they are healing from sores. The comb hasn't gone down much though and she definitely doesn't feel well. She eats some, drinks some, and sleeps a lot...but she is standing again and last weekend she didn't want to stand at all. Any ideas?

My first thought would be Mycoplasma Synoviae. It primarily manifests as hot, swollen legs and joints which later blister. This would account for the scabs on her legs and comb - basically the blisters healing. Tylan soluble is the preferred treatment but only seems effective in younger birds at the acute stage of the disease i.e. if given when the symptoms first show. So probably too late to treat her with this. The enrofolaxin should work but if it is m.synoviae, it's unlikely to completely clear - whatever you treat with - as it becomes too entrenched in the air sacs and hollow bones. Blossom will be a carrier for life and could infect other birds in your flock. I'd continue with what you're using and give good supportive care. A splash of cider vinegar in her water has been found to be useful too.
Denagard has had good results as a treatment but should not be given to birds being treated with coccidiosats as it is toxic combined with these.
Is it possible your soil has a heavy burden of e.coli? E.coli is often a factor in reducing immunity in birds and allowing other diseases in. E.coli thrives in poorly drained environments. Just thinking about your old death coop here.

 

[Shetland lover]

Haha, that's Mumble. She's a bit of a lurker

Too cute! Gladys is a bit of a lurker too, she's always creeping up behind me

 

[Shetland lover]

From what I was told, she was one of a bunch purchased at a feed store. Here's top view. No black barring on front of neck. Such a mystery. By golly, @Shetland lover, she could be a gold legbar. Just her earflaps aren't white, or does that develop later? Check link picture from a search. https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODk4WDEwMjQ=/z/7Z8AAOSwdfZa-AUL/$_86.JPG

She might even be a golden creele legbar. She's probably just non-standard with her non-white ear lobes. The golden creele standard allows cockerels over a year old to have pinkish colour bleeding into the white so it's possible for them to have pink ear lobes. I'd say that'd tie in with not her being from a breeder.

 

[Shetland lover]

I was hoping for blue eggs. I'll let you all know when she lays in a couple months.

If she's golden creele she will still lay blue!

 

[Shetland lover]

GREEN FABWOOD Wooden Fake Eggs-6Piece https://a.co/d/1NKYuJ3

They are cheap and worth it.

Yes, blackberries gone wild up here. It is a real nuisance plant.

Make delicious jam and pies though!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Ugh, it's another mystery...I'm starting to think my soil has issues I should test! It again is only affecting a chicken that is recessive genetically.

She came up lame the day before we left for our vacation and when I picked her up, her legs were all swollen and hot to the touch! I brought her in and gave her Enrofloxacin in her water and slathered her legs with vaseline. By Wednesday, her legs were still swollen and also her little comb had ballooned up as well. She has no other signs of illness or bumblefoot except the weird swelling, so switched her meds to an all in one med--with a percentage of doxycycline, enroflox, ronadazole, and one other thing. I also started applying magnesium oils to her legs instead of vaseline and supplemented her with a mix of oils that help lower uric acid. Trying to cover all the things I could think it might be. The leg swelling is way down and her feet are much cooler, but now have scabs and look like they are healing from sores. The comb hasn't gone down much though and she definitely doesn't feel well. She eats some, drinks some, and sleeps a lot...but she is standing again and last weekend she didn't want to stand at all. Any ideas?

Your poor baby! I've never seen anything like that. I'm glad her legs show some improvement. Might mean there's hope for her.