I'm studying up on moving this blog to word press, as blogger is doing some annoying things. If I do it correctly, this one will remain with a pointer to the new location.
Hi All, If I'm seeing this am I in Word Press? Steve and Patsy, I have a sick hen. She has been in the same spot under the roosters since yesterday morning. Last time we had a sice hen she was able to hop to the feeder and waterer. This one doesn't seem to have the strength to get up. We're wondering if it would be best to leave her be or put her out of her misery. Too bad you can't tell if they are in pain! Also, a cat wouldn't bring in a disease would it? With the severe weather, it has moved into the hen house that is much warmer than the barn. Can you see any reason to evict it? With the cold weather, I'm working on indoor projects and crafty stuff. I have to renovate my cookbook, as the one I put together is falling apart. If anyone has a fabulous favorite recipe they'd like to share for it - send along our way!
Marian- I have not moved from blogger yet. I imagine it will look a bit different, but not sure what sign in or security changes there might be, still need to investigate.
Sick hens- Not sure we can help much. I can tell you our protocol though. We have lost a few, but not in waves, only isolated cases, so don't think we've had anything that was very communicable. If the hen is "conscious", or relatively alert, then we wait it out. If she is alive but not "conscious", then it's time to put her out of her misery. We don't do medical intervention, and of course, if one is sick, and you dispatch it, you're not going to want to eat it, not knowing what is going on.
Sometimes, we've seen a hen act sick for a few days like you describe, but still mobile, just not very perky. Then one morning, when we go tend them, she is dead. In my view, there is not much you can do without studying vet medicine, and even then, it would probably take money and medicine to intervene effectively, and frankly, they are not worth it. If we had an epidemic, that is different, but have not had that yet.
I doubt a cat gave her anything. If anything, it was picked up from wild birds. If you google backyard poultry websites, you will find all sorts of biosecurity stuff that seems overkill to me. We don't do any of that stuff, and again, only had isolated deaths of unknown cause, and no epidemics. We don't wash our eggs a la Europe, and have had no problems with us either.
Well, she died by Sunday late afternoon so we'll just keep an eye on the others. I read Usery's book on these matters and I'm not going to try to trap all the neighborhood birds - we don't have time for that! I suppose even if we were retired we wouldn't bother. Anyway, thanks for the reply and stay warm! We are supposed to get frigid temps and a lot of snow this coming weekend. The hens do NOT like the snow and won't go outside. Ally turns 8 on the 20th and we are having a Wii bowling tournament in her honor at her party. Ally is doing very well in school and loves crafty projects. Give her some leaves and rocks and she'll make you something. Gotta get going for now...Mare
Minus 2 degrees in Dunrieth, IN. We're watching the cardinals at the feeder and enjoying the look of the trees that seem to have diamonds on top. We got more rain than snow here, and the wind roared like a train. The chicken coop door keeps freezing shut but we pry it open and care for the hens and the cat. We only got 8 eggs yesterday...but it has been terribly cold, so we're not surprised. The moon last night was amazing and didn't set this morning until nearly 9:00 am. I woke up at 12:30 am and tried to see the eclipse, but the moon was straight over-head and it clouded up during most of the event. I'm wondering about the weather in Wisconsin and how you're faring over there. Hope to hear from others soon....it would be nice to have the whole family sharing here so I can get off FB like Steve! It is just ridiculous...everybody has an agenda.
It got down to -9 here in Viola yesterday, but we weren't here for that. We were up in the U.P. visiting Bri and family. It was pretty cold and windy there, to the point that James skiing class got cancelled. We stayed in mostly, eating pizza, reading books, and building lego and duplo towns.
5-8 inches of snow forecast for tomorrow, and the next cold snap is this coming this Thurs. and Fri., with expected lows of -15. !!!
Chicken water froze while we were gone, and the neighbor girls had trouble keeping the chickens happy, but I'm setting up some heating, and all is well for now.
We knew all about the eclipse, but clean forgot to go out and look. It had been pretty cloudy in Marquette, so we probably would not have seen anything anyway.
Kinda miss seeing pics of grand nieces, nephews, etc., but overall, glad I left facebook.
Well? Any updates on that?
ReplyDeletenope, been using my computer time to study python and read up on my raspberry pi.
ReplyDeleteHi All, If I'm seeing this am I in Word Press? Steve and Patsy, I have a sick hen. She has been in the same spot under the roosters since yesterday morning. Last time we had a sice hen she was able to hop to the feeder and waterer. This one doesn't seem to have the strength to get up. We're wondering if it would be best to leave her be or put her out of her misery. Too bad you can't tell if they are in pain! Also, a cat wouldn't bring in a disease would it? With the severe weather, it has moved into the hen house that is much warmer than the barn. Can you see any reason to evict it?
ReplyDeleteWith the cold weather, I'm working on indoor projects and crafty stuff. I have to renovate my cookbook, as the one I put together is falling apart. If anyone has a fabulous favorite recipe they'd like to share for it - send along our way!
Marian- I have not moved from blogger yet. I imagine it will look a bit different, but not sure what sign in or security changes there might be, still need to investigate.
ReplyDeleteSick hens- Not sure we can help much. I can tell you our protocol though. We have lost a few, but not in waves, only isolated cases, so don't think we've had anything that was very communicable. If the hen is "conscious", or relatively alert, then we wait it out. If she is alive but not "conscious", then it's time to put her out of her misery. We don't do medical intervention, and of course, if one is sick, and you dispatch it, you're not going to want to eat it, not knowing what is going on.
Sometimes, we've seen a hen act sick for a few days like you describe, but still mobile, just not very perky. Then one morning, when we go tend them, she is dead. In my view, there is not much you can do without studying vet medicine, and even then, it would probably take money and medicine to intervene effectively, and frankly, they are not worth it. If we had an epidemic, that is different, but have not had that yet.
I doubt a cat gave her anything. If anything, it was picked up from wild birds. If you google backyard poultry websites, you will find all sorts of biosecurity stuff that seems overkill to me. We don't do any of that stuff, and again, only had isolated deaths of unknown cause, and no epidemics. We don't wash our eggs a la Europe, and have had no problems with us either.
Well, she died by Sunday late afternoon so we'll just keep an eye on the others. I read Usery's book on these matters and I'm not going to try to trap all the neighborhood birds - we don't have time for that! I suppose even if we were retired we wouldn't bother. Anyway, thanks for the reply and stay warm! We are supposed to get frigid temps and a lot of snow this coming weekend. The hens do NOT like the snow and won't go outside.
ReplyDeleteAlly turns 8 on the 20th and we are having a Wii bowling tournament in her honor at her party. Ally is doing very well in school and loves crafty projects. Give her some leaves and rocks and she'll make you something.
Gotta get going for now...Mare
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMinus 2 degrees in Dunrieth, IN. We're watching the cardinals at the feeder and enjoying the look of the trees that seem to have diamonds on top. We got more rain than snow here, and the wind roared like a train. The chicken coop door keeps freezing shut but we pry it open and care for the hens and the cat. We only got 8 eggs yesterday...but it has been terribly cold, so we're not surprised.
ReplyDeleteThe moon last night was amazing and didn't set this morning until nearly 9:00 am. I woke up at 12:30 am and tried to see the eclipse, but the moon was straight over-head and it clouded up during most of the event.
I'm wondering about the weather in Wisconsin and how you're faring over there. Hope to hear from others soon....it would be nice to have the whole family sharing here so I can get off FB like Steve! It is just ridiculous...everybody has an agenda.
It got down to -9 here in Viola yesterday, but we weren't here for that. We were up in the U.P. visiting Bri and family. It was pretty cold and windy there, to the point that James skiing class got cancelled. We stayed in mostly, eating pizza, reading books, and building lego and duplo towns.
Delete5-8 inches of snow forecast for tomorrow, and the next cold snap is this coming this Thurs. and Fri., with expected lows of -15. !!!
Chicken water froze while we were gone, and the neighbor girls had trouble keeping the chickens happy, but I'm setting up some heating, and all is well for now.
We knew all about the eclipse, but clean forgot to go out and look. It had been pretty cloudy in Marquette, so we probably would not have seen anything anyway.
Kinda miss seeing pics of grand nieces, nephews, etc., but overall, glad I left facebook.