What did you do with your flock today?

[PopoMyers]

Poo patrol, and raking up all the gazillion rocks that have been excavated by some strong feet. In the run, as I was raking, didn't even see one of Velma's gray green eggs until it broke, and immediately it was gobbled up. She had laid it in the run among the rocks at the edge, perfectly camouflaged. Made me sad again. Filled some deeper holes in the yard, only to have them immediately re-excavated. I suspect that I'll be raking rocks again in the near future.

 

[Shetland lover]

@Shetland lover how is Penelope?

Penelope is doing better, thanks. She's no longer coughing and isn't showing any respiratory distress now. She's still sneezing but she's running around with everyone else and being super bossy as usual. Not totally happy with her progress as she's not eating much. Penelope is an absolute glutton normally so this is worrisome. She's even refusing grapes!
Glad to hear your babies are on the mend and so sorry for your losses.

Good morning all, and Happy Aloha Friday!!!
I almost feel things have settled.... or I have caught up some and found my rhythm (touch wood) or not getting blasted with health emergencies at the moment. I despise this heat.

I never wrote that, 2 days after loosing B all 5 of my 4 month olds were deathly sick. None of my hens. I thought B was reproductive related... but??? I could not figure out what the littles got a hold of. It def seemed food related. Did they get ahold of an old lizard??? Did B have remnant maggots??!!! A few days later I saw my bigs pecking at cat litter that I spilt while filling boxes... could that have been it..?!! It is not the clumping type Anywho, I lost 2 littles pretty quick after discovering they were sick. That is why I was thinking botulism. Now, I'm thinking clay or bad food??
The three have made terrific progress. 2 are a good 85% and the one in iso was just barely standing and head up last eve, that being an improvement. All felt very underweight, and I also treated all for eyeworms as it seemed 2 suddenly had a terrible case of eyeworms. One had sores on her face, another had sticktight fleas. Now... I know I have been busy and have not given my babies the hands-on that they deserve lately... but I am certain those are secondary conditions that came on strong, or opportunistic, preying on a dieing chicken. Anywho, such a mystery. Just glad I was able to save 3 (I think )

I've found my chickens are pretty obsessed with cat litter. I use the silica crystals and try my best to monitor chicken activity near the litter box as ALL of them will try to snack on it. I think they just think it's big grit. I once chased Leo all round the property as he had a piece stuck to the tip of his tongue. He used to actually get in the tray and settle down in it! Stan is very keen on it too and will snatch a piece or two if he thinks no-one is watching. Fortunately, a sharp 'Stan! NO!' is usually enough to stop him eating something he shouldn't.

It depends on what type of clay it is but I wouldn't think clay-based litter would cause major illness unless it's got other chemicals in it e.g. contaminated with heavy metals etc. Clay litter over here tends to be fullers earth or bentonite, which can be beneficial in small amounts. Obviously, I don't know what yours is made of.

What were their symptoms? That might give us some clues to the source of the illness.

I think you're absolutely right in regard to the worms and fleas being opportunist, secondary issues. There's something about a chicken's 'constitution' seems to invite secondary infection. That's why it was recommended on our course that you should still give antibiotics in cases of viral infection.

Good job on being able to save three, though!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Poo patrol, and raking up all the gazillion rocks that have been excavated by some strong feet. In the run, as I was raking, didn't even see one of Velma's gray green eggs until it broke, and immediately it was gobbled up. She had laid it in the run among the rocks at the edge, perfectly camouflaged. Made me sad again. Filled some deeper holes in the yard, only to have them immediately re-excavated. I suspect that I'll be raking rocks again in the near future.

A little Velma hello and thank you. Hurts just the same. So sorry

 

[TropicalBabies]

Penelope is doing better, thanks. She's no longer coughing and isn't showing any respiratory distress now. She's still sneezing but she's running around with everyone else and being super bossy as usual. Not totally happy with her progress as she's not eating much. Penelope is an absolute glutton normally so this is worrisome. She's even refusing grapes!
Glad to hear your babies are on the mend and so sorry for your losses.



I've found my chickens are pretty obsessed with cat litter. I use the silica crystals and try my best to monitor chicken activity near the litter box as ALL of them will try to snack on it. I think they just think it's big grit. I once chased Leo all round the property as he had a piece stuck to the tip of his tongue. He used to actually get in the tray and settle down in it! Stan is very keen on it too and will snatch a piece or two if he thinks no-one is watching. Fortunately, a sharp 'Stan! NO!' is usually enough to stop him eating something he shouldn't.

It depends on what type of clay it is but I wouldn't think clay-based litter would cause major illness unless it's got other chemicals in it e.g. contaminated with heavy metals etc. Clay litter over here tends to be fullers earth or bentonite, which can be beneficial in small amounts. Obviously, I don't know what yours is made of.

What were their symptoms? That might give us some clues to the source of the illness.

I think you're absolutely right in regard to the worms and fleas being opportunist, secondary issues. There's something about a chicken's 'constitution' seems to invite secondary infection. That's why it was recommended on our course that you should still give antibiotics in cases of viral infection.

Good job on being able to save three, though!

It is just the natural clay litter, and just spillage.

Ya know, I don't recall any real symptoms. My son and I were teasing B the day b4 because she is super cute and silly and does what she wants hopping fences. I got the emergency call for dh the next afternoon and found her under the house with a slight prolapse and an egg with a soft shell the morning after. I was in a little shock from dh and not processing her loss either. I did note it had been pretty hot and kind of assumed she was stressing an egg and surcomed to the heat. All of my flock looked a little heat stressed, but nothing extreme, I kept the run open and put out extra waters and sprinklers while I was home. Came home from a hospital visit or chores, don't remember as I was running around with a lot of lose ends and extra chores. Think, 2 eves after B's death, I found the 5 young chickens sprawled out and mostly unresponsive, all big chickens were fine.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Penelope is doing better, thanks. She's no longer coughing and isn't showing any respiratory distress now. She's still sneezing but she's running around with everyone else and being super bossy as usual. Not totally happy with her progress as she's not eating much. Penelope is an absolute glutton normally so this is worrisome. She's even refusing grapes!
Glad to hear your babies are on the mend and so sorry for your losses.



I've found my chickens are pretty obsessed with cat litter. I use the silica crystals and try my best to monitor chicken activity near the litter box as ALL of them will try to snack on it. I think they just think it's big grit. I once chased Leo all round the property as he had a piece stuck to the tip of his tongue. He used to actually get in the tray and settle down in it! Stan is very keen on it too and will snatch a piece or two if he thinks no-one is watching. Fortunately, a sharp 'Stan! NO!' is usually enough to stop him eating something he shouldn't.

It depends on what type of clay it is but I wouldn't think clay-based litter would cause major illness unless it's got other chemicals in it e.g. contaminated with heavy metals etc. Clay litter over here tends to be fullers earth or bentonite, which can be beneficial in small amounts. Obviously, I don't know what yours is made of.

What were their symptoms? That might give us some clues to the source of the illness.

I think you're absolutely right in regard to the worms and fleas being opportunist, secondary issues. There's something about a chicken's 'constitution' seems to invite secondary infection. That's why it was recommended on our course that you should still give antibiotics in cases of viral infection.

Good job on being able to save three, though!

I definitely missed some posts! Penelope coming down sick must have been stressful. So so glad to hear she's on the mend!

 

[ChicksnMore]

We hit triple digits yesterday, but today we're back down into the 90's and windy windy windy. I can't wait for it to cool just a little more.
Going to take advantage of the cooler temp and winds (free outdoor fan!) to get some much needed yard work done and today the hamburgs get to come out to play.

 

[Maddcatter]

Wow! Sorry, guys took a few days to fix somethings and apparently missed a bunch of losses! So sorry to all of you! I know it's hard to lose our friends!

We got another hail storm (nothing near as damaging as the storm prior)... But the ducks came out to play... And eat the hail.

Flock is doing pretty well, in general. I keep having to deal with bumble foot. (I have a lot of chickens, and they free range on a farm that is mostly clay and hard-pan. )

Started introducing the chicks to the rest of the flock.

I'm off to go and play with the fowl some more.

I hope the pictures made y'all smile, and that everyone's emergencies settle down a bit!
Have a good one!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Couple of the hamburgs jumped over the fence and can't figure out how to get back

 

[fuzzi]

I did an updated "roll call" video of the flock:

 

[Smokerbill]

I did an updated "roll call" video of the flock:

Nice video!