Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

[sandy]

Brilliant news re Bill just hope the virtual flock don't look at your diary or there will be a lot of amongst the girls

[kitla]

Here he is looking so proud of having his own girls at last!

I think Bill is quite a young thing, his spurs are just little buds, I cant remember
when Smidge's spurs grew but I'm sure he had proper ones by 1 year old, so I'd
guess Bill is under that. Any ideas anyone?

Poor Pointy is nestled in a towel nest in the sunshine in my conservatory, she is very
poorly & probably wont last the day. She had terribly problems with her eggs last year
& was brought back from the brink several times, I've given her metacam & baytril
though I know its too late to help her. I want her to go peacefully at home. She's
my last ex bat & has had a lovely couple of years here, the most curious chook that
enjoyed every day to the full, I'm so pleased I was able to give her that bit of life.

[HenPen]

He does look like he is bursting with pride! What a handsome boy

Poor Pointy, I am sorry she is so poorly. You are right , she has been very blessed to have a happy life of freedom with you

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , I am glad boys are getting there due attention .
My 4 boys are charactors of their own .
They maybe bantums but the hearts of a full size cockeral.
Must get picture on here.
Bob
Lovelly photos .

[KarenE]

Bill is a studmuffin!

But I'm so sorry to hear about Pointy. How is she today?

[kitla]

Yesterday afternoon Pointy began to recover! The noxious yellow & green stuff
she was squirting out changed to white & green (good sign) and she began
to eat again. I've kept up with the baytril & by this evening she was at the door
demanding extra food! Back from the brink again, I'm so glad I didn't take her
to the vet to be pts!
Bill is now a real part of the flock, he's calmed down a bit, stopped sparking off
the flock alarm call every time a plane goes over or a bird sings too loudly! I've
got used to his crowing now, it somehow doesn't seem so loud now I know it isn't
bothering the neighbours atall.
Giblet & Tiny are still broody together in the same nest. Tiny is a terribly good
tempered broody, more so than Giblet who sometimes tries to peck me but never
manages to as she cant see where I am! I took a couple of piccies at bedtime.
Giblet & Tiny nesting

Treacle at her favourite spot by the pophole

Bill all snuggled up with his girls

[sandy]

So glad to hear Pointy is better LOvely photos as always but that one with Bill snuggling upto his girls brought tears of joy, such a beautiful photo

[kitla]

Pointy hasn't carried on recovering, I think all I've done is delay the inevitable,
she's going downhill again. Bonny also became ill this afternoon, she had some
ab's just incase but I'm hoping she may drop a lash in the coop tonight, she often
does those, she regularly sits in the nestbox but I don't think she's actually laid
an egg since she had her operation 2 years ago.

[kitla]

This was under Bonny's perch this morning
eurgh!
I hope she will feel better now. I don't know why she does this, I think its something
to do with having an op (was to remove her eye). The late, great Rolypoly who also
had surgery and was "spayed" at the same time, used to sit on the nest regularly
like Bonny did & she also produced a few lashes.
Poor Pointy is wandering around hunched up pretending to eat. I think she has
peritonitis and I cant save her, she looks so ill I may take her to be pts this morning.

[KarenE]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear Pointy isn't doing well again. You will know what to do for the best for her

Lashes are funny aren't they? I hope Bonny feels better now that it's out. My Sage used to lay lashes a lot, even the hardy Nugget did one. It's quite natural apparently but scared the life out of me when Sage did it the first time and I googled what they were...

Good luck for Bonny and sweet dreams for Pointy

[sandy]

I am so sorry to hear about Pointy, if she isn't enjoying her life you will make the best decision for her, lets hope it isn't the dreaded eyp, all fingers crossed here

[kitla]

I could only manage to take one of them to the vet today, I chose Bonny as she had
more chance of being helped. Pointy still wants to be with the others & wont take
any meds I give her however I try, even if I put it in her beak she shakes it out.
She's pottered shakily about today, & she's cuddled up with the others in the coop,
it would be nicer if she can drift away here rather than be stressed at the vets, I'll
see how things are tomorrow with her. I took Bonny and her lash to a vet that wasn't
very chicken savvy but recognised that she has salpingitis, which is an infection
(either bacterial or viral) of the ovaries he gave her an AB jab - it was a huge needle & really hurt her poor girl - he suggested I get a more experienced vet to use a laparoscope to see if she has any more lashes inside, if she's ok then I could get her
one of those hormone implants to stop her ovulating. He suggested the wind eggs -
which are the only things Bonny had laid in the past 2 yrs, are connected to these
lashes. I've been researching Salpingitis & I'm quite surprised that lashes aren't always as harmless as I'd thought. They're full of pus & can be the result of a respiratory
infection or an ecoli infection that can even spread among the flock.
So beware, lash+poorly hen=vet!

[sandy]

I have never heard about that problem with Bonny something else I shall be copying in my med book, thanks and lets hope Bonny will respond well to the abs I expect I am teaching you to suck eggs but if you can get some meds in Pointy could you hold her head upright and close her beak so she has to swallow? Had to do this with one of mine when they she was on tablets to stop her choking. Still have fingers crossed she will pull through, if not them lets hope she goes in her sleep bless her

[kitla]

And then there was 8.
Pointy developed a big fluidy crop, I thought enough was enough & put her in the box ready for the vets, she vomited up lots of brown liquid & by the time we got there
she was fading fast. I took her to the 7 day walk in vets recommended by Karen, the
vet was so lovely. Now she's resting next to Hobnob & Smidge. I spoke to the vet
about Bonny & asked if these infections can be spread to the others, she said they
could & I should keep an eye on the others. Bonny seems a lot better today anyway.
This morning Giblet enjoyed a cuddle, snuggling into my hair for a snooze we made
up a new song called "little Gibby in the raindrops" I think she liked it!

[KarenE]

Kitty I'm so sorry to hear about Pointy Did the vet say what the problem was? Odd that she should get such a bad case of sour crop to top it all off. The poor girl - at least she is resting now with Hobnob and Smidge in the garden she loved (and never would have seen if it weren't for you)

Gibby is a very lucky girl having songs made up for her! If the henpals knew there was a musical chicken they would be doing a recruitment drive for sure!

Like Sandy I have never heard of Bonny's condition so am about to do some googling. I still don't know what my Sage died of, maybe it was this as she definitely had reproductive issues. Another chicken illness to add to the list!

to you, you are having quite a tough time lately. Bonny is on the mend soon