karen's chicken diary

[KarenE]

Thanks Lyn. That is certainly true, sadly!

[KarenE]

My lovely sweet girl Juno died in the early hours of this morning. I heard her calling, but by the time I had got downstairs she'd gone.

Poor little mite, I guess it was all just too much for her in the end. She seemed in such good health when we first came but within the week had already slowed down. Still, at least she got to eat delicious treats (she loved mixed corn) and sunbathe (which she also loved) and eat grass and dig. And get cuddles and strokes. And most importantly, do what she wanted and go where she wanted, even if just for a few weeks.



Hubby's buried her just down from Nugget's flock.

[amber66]

So sorry to hear Juno didn't recover and sadly passed away.Sending you .
Amber.

[aishakali]

Aww so sorry Karen. She was a beautiful girl

[sandy]

Karen she truly was a beautiful girl, what a lovely floppy comb she had. So true and so lucky she became a real hennie in her final weeks

[HenPen]

Oh poor little girl to have had such a hard life and not much time in your care - I wish she had had longer but it was long enough to have experienced freedom and happiness at last . for you Karen

[KarenE]

Thanks guys

All settling down now. Casper's being a good girl and eating her pills (she absolutely loves fish! But has expensive tastes - sardines are okay but she much prefers salmon

The iodine foot baths have been less successful and she's been running hubby a merry dance while I've been away and so hasn't had a footbath for 2 days Today she had a good soak as she scoffed her laced salmon followed with a few raisins for afters. Her feet still are swollen and truthfully i can't see any improvement so it looks like a phone call to the vets on saturday (he said to phone up to see whether she should continue the course beyond 7 days) I have an awful feeling an op might be required, she is hobbling a bit

Remie and Tigger both perfectly fine. The little so and sos got into my chicken proof veg patch and have scoffed all my salad leaves. Further work obviously needed on the chicken proofing for next year! It looks like they're all getting on well, they seem to have formed a nice little flock and hardly any boks on the head lately. Long may it last!

[sandy]

So glad Casper is improving, interestingly read that bumblefoot can be caused by bad bruising of feet if they jump down from someware too high? I guess I would put pills in fish, you seem to be lucky Casper isn't Jasper wise, never known a cat yet who will eat a pill disguised in food. Hope your little girls stay friendly, it is such a relief when they get on isnt it?

[KarenE]

Hi Sandy

There's nothing that's particularly high that she could have jumped off, but she could have got it anywhere. It's possible she even came with the very early stages of it. Both feet does suggest that it might be due to jumping though doesn't it, rather than a cut from scratching.

One foot looks like it's gone down a smidge. I'm going to continue with the pills (the vet gave me extra) and see how she is in a day or so. She seems to be walking slightly better but I still don't think the pills alone are going to do it for her.

Bloomin kicking myself today though - managed to get the bath and her medicated food set up (scrambled egg today) and then managed to catch Casper and give her a nice soak while she was eating her egg (and it was literally her egg as I'm feeding them back to her, as can't use them) She took some catching too - she is so smart - so i suspect she won't be fooled for too much longer. So imagine how peed off I was when I remembered- just as she hopped out - that I hadn't put the flippin iodine in!!!

She was joined on the counter by Tiggles who immediately made a bee-line for Casper's medicated food. Panic stations! I had to get hubby to chuck her out which was a pity as it was the first time she'd ventured into the kitchen (and by herself - no sign of Remie). She is such a cheeky monkey!

Jasper is good as gold with pills sandy. I get those cat treat sticks (asda are cheaper) and I fold a chunk around a pill, and he gobbles it straight down. I used to do it with our old cat Charlie who needed a daily thyroid pill. As long as the pill is well covered I've never had a problem! I give Jasper a monthly flea pill as frontline has become quite useless.

[Linda S]

Karen im so sorry your lovely girl had only a short time with you. .

But in that time she got to experience the good things she had been denied and she passed over Rainbow Bridge in a soft comfy bed with straw under her feet and not that cruel and barbaric wire Lindaxx

[sandy]

Aha but have you tried putting cream in Jasper's eyes? (See pet section)
Tigger is certainly very well named, Betty used to try and eat Amanda-Jayne's daktarin! I dont think the high jumping is a problem as dont they ive in trees just one of the suggestions in a book I read. My girls are getting so many eggs back to them I shall have to be careful they dont start eating them in the nest, will have to scramble them too.

[KarenE]

Goodness gracious, it never ends does it?

Back to the vets with Casper last week as her bumbles are no better and her meds all finished. No mention at all of an operation on her foot - instead we've sent off a specimen to testing to find out what strain we're dealing with and then target better with dr-ugs. Meanwhile poor casper is limping around as she's now under no treatment. We're supposed to give her a daily iodine bath but I have to admit we're not - I'm hardly around these days and hubby can't catch her. I think we're going to have to grasp the nettle, and hopefully the vets will be in contact tomorrow with the results.

Tiggly, meanwhile, has caught the dreaded respiratory infection so they've all been on tylan again. She has sounded dreadful, but still seems to be dashing about and eating so fingers crossed. he sounds a bit better today so I'm hoping she's on the way up.

Remie perfectly fine in every way by the looks of it!

[KarenE]

Oh Sandy - yes I have had to put cream in Jasper's eye before! He got a little scratch and infection a few years ago so we had cream to put in but I don't remember it being particularly traumatic (perhaps I've blocked the memory!) I'm sure it was a 2 person job though - I think I held him while hubby did the deed. I managed to perfect getting cream in Juno's eye by myself though which I was quite pleased about! Don't know how I'd have managed if she hadn't been a docile little sick girl though, poor mite.

[sandy]

Oh no poor Tigger, where are you managing to get so much tylan from, obviously not my lady vet! Lets hope the results of Casper's bumblefoot are good and some decent antibiotics will sort it out this time. Re baytril I have always used the eggs after 7 days since 2008 and my family,friends and buyers are all still with us.

[KarenE]

Hi sandy

Got a great big load of it when I took Ronnie (only just over a month ago, feels ages now) - our vet always dishes out tylan in big bottles. Lucky as it is definitely doing the rounds. it may be something I have to treat as part of intros if my girls are carriers now.

Tiggly Wiggly seems perfectly fine, her chest has stopped rattling and her voice is less raspy (still very Janis Joplin though but she was before!) so hopefully she'll be fine. She still likes a cuddle and snuggle on my knee in the afternoons though if we can manage it. yes, she is a bit of a lap sitter too - Remie did give her a terrible dirty look yesterday when she found her on HER Top-Hen-Only knee! Luckily Tiggly had stuck her head in her wing and was snoozing away and didn't see the Wrath of The Rem

I've just had a major Home Invasion! All 3 of them came clattering in to look for food. Tiggly gets up onto the counters, she is fearless! All 3 beaks into Jasper's food (good job he's asleep on our bed!) and 2 poos left behind. I had to bribe them with a hunk of iceberg lettuce to get them out. They've never all come in before - even Casper who is normally quite shy but I think is coming in now because she knows she gets eggs and treats in here (when she's having her foot baths)

Still no word from the vets today about her test results. I hope they hurry up, her feet are getting bad again.