WK #3

[Sydney65]

Oh no, hon, the twins are grans, not mine! I hate to have it amputated if I can get it closed up again w/the mercy & medihoney. I'm looking into getting him some shoes, but the site is kind of confusing as to whether they are making chicken shoes yet or not. I saw an article where a woman used garden gloves, so may try that temporarily to keep them clean, dry,warm and out of sight. I doubt pinless peepers would help if they only let the bird look down.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Oh no, hon, the twins are grans, not mine! I hate to have it amputated if I can get it closed up again w/the mercy & medihoney. I'm looking into getting him some shoes, but the site is kind of confusing as to whether they are making chicken shoes yet or not. I saw an article where a woman used garden gloves, so may try that temporarily to keep them clean, dry,warm and out of sight. I doubt pinless peepers would help if they only let the bird look down.

Oh that’s funny about the twins! I was amazed that you still had time and energy to devote to your guineas when you’d just had a baby - especially twins!!!

 

[Sydney65]

This is Blu. Blu is not dead. Blu has become so accustomed to being rescued and sitting in my arms rocking before and after I dress his feet that he is quite content, cooing.
After washing w/antiseptic and applying styptic, we're just sitting here pondering our options. Frankly, I'm as content as he is, but there could be problems once I fall asleep.
So I have a dog crate that I think he's going to sleep in tonight because this is the worst pecking he's taken in one day. I know you shouldn't keep them apart for long- should I put the crate inside the run tomorrow -I can't keep him caged forever, and based on what ya'll have said abt hormones, he won't be my content snugglebug for much longer.

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 2012776
This is Blu. Blu is not dead. Blu has become so accustomed to being rescued and sitting in my arms rocking before and after I dress his feet that he is quite content, cooing.
After washing w/antiseptic and applying styptic, we're just sitting here pondering our options. Frankly, I'm as content as he is, but there could be problems once I fall asleep.
So I have a dog crate that I think he's going to sleep in tonight because this is the worst pecking he's taken in one day. I know you shouldn't keep them apart for long- should I put the crate inside the run tomorrow -I can't keep him caged forever, and based on what ya'll have said abt hormones, he won't be my content snugglebug for much longer.

Sometimes it is better to give the aggressor a time out for a couple of days rather than the one that is being picked on. I am sorry but you are coming into the time of year when the hormones are starting to flow. The aggression among them is only going to get worse in the near future before it slows down when the hens start laying.

Good luck.

 

[Sydney65]

Sometimes it is better to give the aggressor a time out for a couple of days rather than the one that is being picked on. I am sorry but you are coming into the time of year when the hormones are starting to flow. The aggression among them is only going to get worse in the near future before it slows down when the hens start laying.

Good luck.

Then that is what we'll do. Blu was remarkably calm & quiet in the cage last night, ofcourse he's used to being brought in for 1st aid, so it wasn't that big of an adjustment, and it gave his feet time to be open to air. LOL-I don't anticipate Bella being nearly as complacent. Have you used the peepers,found them useful? I picked up some pinless peepers but it's an awkward thing to do on my own. Perhaps after last night hubs will be more open to helping. In general, he wants nada to do w/them -ironic, given they were his idea in the 1st place.
So far, she's the only bully. Nugget stays away from her, but she & Blu have been sleep mates from the get go, so he keeps going back for more, & she doesn't go after the grays.
Thank You!

 

[R2elk]

Then that is what we'll do. Blu was remarkably calm & quiet in the cage last night, ofcourse he's used to being brought in for 1st aid, so it wasn't that big of an adjustment, and it gave his feet time to be open to air. LOL-I don't anticipate Bella being nearly as complacent. Have you used the peepers,found them useful? I picked up some pinless peepers but it's an awkward thing to do on my own. Perhaps after last night hubs will be more open to helping. In general, he wants nada to do w/them -ironic, given they were his idea in the 1st place.
So far, she's the only bully. Nugget stays away from her, but she & Blu have been sleep mates from the get go, so he keeps going back for more, & she doesn't go after the grays.
Thank You!

I have not and will not use the pinless peepers on any poultry. Others claim they will work.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

View attachment 2012776
This is Blu. Blu is not dead. Blu has become so accustomed to being rescued and sitting in my arms rocking before and after I dress his feet that he is quite content, cooing.
After washing w/antiseptic and applying styptic, we're just sitting here pondering our options. Frankly, I'm as content as he is, but there could be problems once I fall asleep.
So I have a dog crate that I think he's going to sleep in tonight because this is the worst pecking he's taken in one day. I know you shouldn't keep them apart for long- should I put the crate inside the run tomorrow -I can't keep him caged forever, and based on what ya'll have said abt hormones, he won't be my content snugglebug for much longer.

Poor Blu - and what a sweet pic!!! I would not be able to get a pic like that of mine unless they were indeed dying... Are Blu’s feet doing any better? With his health problems, I wonder if he will really come into season and undergo as much in the way of mating issues as most of them do...

I haven’t tried pinless peepers, but I’ve participated in chicken threads on BYCs where people have tried them... After hearing about their issues, plus reading Amazon reviews on them, I would be reluctant to try them. On one thread, the poster was able to keep her new juvenile chickens with her two older hens only by keeping the peepers on her grouchiest hen. Several people on that thread recommended culling that hen. So, if it came down to culling a bird for aggression versus trying the peepers, then I think I would give them a try...

 

[Sydney65]

I can't recommend the medihoney enough. It's used in hospitals for MRSA, so I fig. I'd give it a shot. It's pasteurized manuka honey, wasn't going to hurt. I apply it, dress it, leave it x4 days w/great results. I'd definitely use it for bumblefoot.
I can't find it locally, I get it from Amazon. But I was super excited when hospitals started using it. It's not cheap, but I put a bit on a plate and apply w/a qtip, & that tube lasted us over a year.
The problem is, it he seems to know it's healed, peels off the bandage, Bella sees feet and boom. Last night was the worst, and my order of medihoney isn't coming until today, so I put stypic paste on it to stop the bleeding, but this time it was 4 toes, an ankle and his leg.
I took him out this a.m. to eat after Bella and turned her loose in the yard on her own. She didn't like it, but it gave him a chance to be w/ the others. Realized this cage is too big for that coop, so if I'm going to isolate Bella, I may just go get a cat carrier for her - for at night, and keep them separate during the day.
As for affecting his mating behavior tendencies - you'd think he'd turn on her when she hurts him, but he doesn't, nor does he fuss at me when I mess with his feet. But,as calm as he is inside, the second I take him out & he hears them calling, he gets ancy to get to them. So -
I can tell you this - based on his feet, I certainly wouldn't want one to come at me! Lucy used me as a launch pad one day while I was bent over. She didn't hurt me, but there was a moment of

 

[Sydney65]

Finally did the math & decided that w/the amt of wrap I've been using, "bird booties" weren't such an outrageous expense after all, so ordered some. This is our first night w/them.
They fit fine, not tight, covers the toes,has a thumb hole. I can't imagine putting them on over a dressing like they suggest-mb a bandaid. I trimmed the toes a bit to let the nails out. They aren't a breeze to get on, but if you've experienced putting shoes on a toddler, it's similar. I had read someone taped over the velcro until their bird adjusted to them, so I did as well.
They're made of neoprene, and since I didn't put any other dressing on, it should allow air in while keeping the pecker out. Have read that they use their feet to regulate temperature, so not something you'd want in the summertime.
As for his wounds, we've got all but the most recent scabbed over. The most recent was pretty deep and will take awhile, but it is clean and free of infection.

 

[Sydney65]

Bringing the egg convo over here to keep together https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/so-th-girls-are-laying-eggs.1365495/

Took a trip down memory lane reading all of this. Boy was I confused. Lol.
Nugget-still an outcast,free ranges either alone or w/a lady friend
"Bella" is the RP I thought was a she but isn't, or atleast, by sound, isn't. Still a brat,still chases everyone,still goes nuts if apart from Blu, always has to know where I am. Will forage w/the others but constantly runs back & forth to make sure I'm where he left me.
Blu is still my sweetheart. He's more active & vocal since removing the toe. The last time,it seemed cruel to even try saving it. It healed well & quickly, & since then, toes are no longer a thing.
PJ is the jumbo male. His markings are striking.
And incase anyone ever stumbles across this after hearing all of the "howto tell tale from female by looks", this is one of my girls with her big ol' floppy cupped wattles. The size of those, their helmets, the length of their legs, how striking they are or aren't, or the way they walk- makes absolutely no difference in trying to sex them.

I've learned what a "hiss" is, though it's more like heavy breathing than what I'd consider a hiss. No one has attacked me or pays me much attention when I'm in the coop. They still sit with me in and walk over me but no one is a lap sitter anymore except when I bring Blu in.
In addition to being bug eaters, they've gained fame for eating chickweed and maple tree helicopters. I give them all of those they want!
I don't think I mentioned the food we settled on as adults.
I think it met R2elk's (someday, I'm just going to say "Bob") nutritional requirements, & seemed logical if I wanted them to eat bugs, I'd feed them bugs. TSC started ordering for me, after a confused look over feed made of bugs. Lol.
I smart over the winter & installed dropping boards. That made keeping the coop clean much easier!