I agree with all u said. I judt simply had no clue if the redness is infection or normal along with the swelling. I'll start cephalexin this eve just in case. Sorry Matilda, gonna hafta pop this pill in your beak too. (Im still giving her baby aspirin.) Re fermented feed, yes great idea. I feed fermented feed in the summer heat to help the hens take in more water; will start her a batch feed fermenting this eve too.
Tu for cephalexin dosage. I try not to ask questions if i can find the answer myself, but my brain has been stuck in neutral gear over this. I Think Matilda weighs about 7 lbs. She feels like shes regained most of her weight over the past 2 weeks. I will weigh her this eve to get exact weight. If she weighs 7 lbs, & the cephalexin tablets are 500mg, the dose would be 150mg 4x daily, is that correct? I have a pill splitter, but hmmm not sure how to split a pill into thirds. (Assuming i calculated dose correctly). I also watched the chicken chair/sling video. Matilda definitely needs a sling! I can improvise until my friend can help build her her very own sling chair. (Actually he will be doing most of the actual building; i ll just be the supervisor). Tu for the video.
I don't have an swear to your question, but always always always ask. That is what were here for, never feel like you asking to much. I once took the advise of an article off the internet, and then took the advice that a BYC member said, and didn't expand my research. That hen passed because of internal laying, when I probably could have treated her.
Gonna use your idea to make Matilda a sling in her laundry basket bed this very eve Weeg! Tu very much for your support. Im quickly realizing i should in fact have posted her situation before now. Not because her feet can be saved, but because there are, and have been, things i could do to make her more comfortable. The emotional support truly does help. Her appetite is mostly back to normal now. At first she wouldnt even eat scrambled eggs, the special "mama food" i give all the broody hens every other day or so during the 21 days they are setting. Yes i was concerned she wasnt getting proper nutrition, but decided eating junk food was temporarily better than eating almost no food at all. She is now eating moistened layer feed (which i will begin fermenting this eve), scrambled egg every other day or so, a few mealworms, & hand-picked fresh green clover which she Loves. I did add chick probiotics and electrolytes to her water during the first couple weeks, but she was eating & drinking so little im not sure if she got much into her system.Oh my gosh! I just finished reading this thread, that is heartbreaking. I'm so sorry your going through this. Just remember, Matilda know she is loved. She knows your caring for her, and she knows that even though it hurts, things will get better, even without feet. Remember that, things will get better. Keep working threw this, you are a trooper to have come so far, I think a lot of people would have culled.
I would emediatly take that laundry basket, and clip a towel to either side, cut holes for two legs, and a poo hole and get her off the ground. How is her appetite now? Put Probiotics and Electrolytes in her water, and do the fermented feed like suggested above. If she is only eating treats, she really needs to eat some real food as well. Try making a mash out of her chicken feed to make it easier to eat.
You are doing an amazing job with her, you really are. Keep up the good work, you got this. This thread will be very helpful for others in the future, I think it should be a sticky thread in the emergencies section of this forum. Great job documenting, you are doing an amazing job, just remember that. You got this!
I agree. I have an older hen who I am assuming is 8. We had a full team renter put her chickens in with ours, and when sh moved out she left her chickens here. So we adopted her, not sure on age.
That sounds perfect! Excellent job! Keep up the good work and see her comfortable, you got this.
Please use it daily if the feet fall off rub the stumps wit it to heal but follow the meds the eggcessive talks of
Keep up the good work!
Ok i will use it on her future stump(s). Tu.
