What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

I don’t know how I missed this. I hope Ferdy is feeling better tonight! Poor little dude. Wilhelm is really favoring his one leg like it hurts too. I don’t know if he did something to it or what—he also had mites and was a bit stuffy…so he got some meds, a bath, and yummy food and has perked up a bit. He stands but only on the one leg. Poor baby :-(

Poor Wilhelm! It may just be a really bad sprain. Is his leg hot and or swollen? Can you feel any sort of abnormality? Definitely no wounds, even tiny ones? Clara got bumblefoot from the tiniest piece of rose thorn, which is why I missed it initially.
Ferdy is doing better but is still limping. He's riding round on my shoulder mostly so at least I know he's resting it. Pre-injury, he'd often jump from floor level onto my shoulder. I'm 5ft 4 ,which is pretty much midget sized, but still quite a leap for a 9 inch chicken. I think he must feel somewhat better as he tried that again this morning.

 

[kurby22]

@Shetland lover Yeah, losing Alfredo was rough. The ones that die without any warning are always tougher on me. Losing my Dad and sister in a similar fashion likely has a lot to do with it…but it never gets easier. He was such a good boy and so pretty 4 eggs are developing in the incubator that should be his babies… they all hatch!

Yeah Cochins are very determined and sassy broodies! I don’t know how anyone gets babies from them when they’re always trying to hatch babies instead of making them! My non-broody hen is not fertilized so she is either shooting blanks or she’s not interested? Haha. I had a lady hatch some of my eggs as a test and the one baby that hatched is a bobtail pullet—so I’m getting her back next week! Another girl will help with fertilizing eggs I’m hoping Isn’t she pretty?? Her mom and dad got all glammed up for the poultry show on Saturday…I love how pretty they are

 

[kurby22]

Poor Wilhelm! It may just be a really bad sprain. Is his leg hot and or swollen? Can you feel any sort of abnormality? Definitely no wounds, even tiny ones? Clara got bumblefoot from the tiniest piece of rose thorn, which is why I missed it initially.
Ferdy is doing better but is still limping. He's riding round on my shoulder mostly so at least I know he's resting it. Pre-injury, he'd often jump from floor level onto my shoulder. I'm 5ft 4 ,which is pretty much midget sized, but still quite a leap for a 9 inch chicken. I think he must feel somewhat better as he tried that again this morning.

Yeah, nothing obvious sticks out as an issue. I checked his feet for bumbles, felt the leg, no heat no obvious heat or swelling…it’s harder to feel it though under all those feathers! He is crowing and being a bit sassy from his spot in ICU, but uninterested in walking or putting weight on it. :-( Aria is very distraught I’m hoping some rest will help but I’m not expecting miracles :-(

 

[Shetland lover]

@Shetland lover Yeah, losing Alfredo was rough. The ones that die without any warning are always tougher on me. Losing my Dad and sister in a similar fashion likely has a lot to do with it…but it never gets easier. He was such a good boy and so pretty 4 eggs are developing in the incubator that should be his babies… they all hatch!

Yeah Cochins are very determined and sassy broodies! I don’t know how anyone gets babies from them when they’re always trying to hatch babies instead of making them! My non-broody hen is not fertilized so she is either shooting blanks or she’s not interested? Haha. I had a lady hatch some of my eggs as a test and the one baby that hatched is a bobtail pullet—so I’m getting her back next week! Another girl will help with fertilizing eggs I’m hoping Isn’t she pretty?? Her mom and dad got all glammed up for the poultry show on Saturday…I love how pretty they are

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No, grief never gets easier. I'm so sorry to hear you lost your Dad and sister like that. Even though we knew my Dad was at the end of his life, we thought we would have a little more time with him so it was still an awful shock to get that phone call. It definitely informs your reaction to loss, as you say.

They are beautiful!
My Clara is that rarity too - a non-broody bantam Cochin. She has never been broody in her life! She's the mother of Ferdy and Penelope but she deposited her eggs under Pru then washed her wings of them.

 

[Shetland lover]

Yeah, nothing obvious sticks out as an issue. I checked his feet for bumbles, felt the leg, no heat no obvious heat or swelling…it’s harder to feel it though under all those feathers! He is crowing and being a bit sassy from his spot in ICU, but uninterested in walking or putting weight on it. :-( Aria is very distraught I’m hoping some rest will help but I’m not expecting miracles :-(

Hmm...have you tried strapping the leg to give him a bit more support? I always did that with Peggy (the ex-batt with osteoporosis) and it seemed to help enormously with any sprains. Hopefully it's just a really bad sprain and will heal in time. Supporting the leg would also help with other soft tissue injuries like pulled tendons or ligaments.

 

[ValerieJ]

@Smokerbill I bought an acorn squash for my chickens the other day. Haven't given it to them yet. I will cook it first. They seem to really like it that way. I think the softer flesh is easier to eat. And yes, the seeds are the best part.

 

[kurby22]

This is the look of an outdoor rat cat failure…

 

[ChicksnMore]

@Shetland lover Yeah, losing Alfredo was rough. The ones that die without any warning are always tougher on me. Losing my Dad and sister in a similar fashion likely has a lot to do with it…but it never gets easier. He was such a good boy and so pretty 4 eggs are developing in the incubator that should be his babies… they all hatch!

Yeah Cochins are very determined and sassy broodies! I don’t know how anyone gets babies from them when they’re always trying to hatch babies instead of making them! My non-broody hen is not fertilized so she is either shooting blanks or she’s not interested? Haha. I had a lady hatch some of my eggs as a test and the one baby that hatched is a bobtail pullet—so I’m getting her back next week! Another girl will help with fertilizing eggs I’m hoping Isn’t she pretty?? Her mom and dad got all glammed up for the poultry show on Saturday…I love how pretty they are

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Beautiful birds! They look like they're about 50% feathers...sooo fluffy!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Yeah, nothing obvious sticks out as an issue. I checked his feet for bumbles, felt the leg, no heat no obvious heat or swelling…it’s harder to feel it though under all those feathers! He is crowing and being a bit sassy from his spot in ICU, but uninterested in walking or putting weight on it. :-( Aria is very distraught I’m hoping some rest will help but I’m not expecting miracles :-(

 

[Shetland lover]

This is the look of an outdoor rat cat failure…

Pretty certain Shadow regards himself as a winner here...