10 replies to this topic

[happymanoftheworld]

Hi all - you might be interested in hearing from a looney!!!! I do not kill my animals - yes I eat meat - but I know my animals personally - even though the bulls go for me (with horns!!!)

Anyway, Friday one of my rare breed chickens (hen) had a prolapse - dafty here took her to the vets. Operation £110!!!!!!!

She survived - Monday check up - free

Tuesday stitches out - more medication £14

Tuesday night DEAD!

I now have the unbalanced situation of three cockerels and four hens! I don't know if the hens have a smile on their face (beak) but there is an awful lot of clucking (yes- clucking!) going on........
please see for sale and the free cockerel!

I am very sad about "toostie" (coz she had a toostie on her head)

I am VERY sad about the bill!

But have a GREAT week all.

[che]

Hi HMOTW,
Not surprised at your vets bill son had one for £550 for his dog this year. This article may go some way to explain the situation.

http://www.mysalary....salary/Vet_3248

What other proffession has managed to increase its earning by 50% two years running. They play on the fact that people cherish their pets and will spend vast amounts to care for them. Most farmers would have used the despatcher and I can only respect you for that, shame on the vet who exploited your good nature.
Docters , dentists, vets, bankers who next will sacrifice there respectable proffessions to the persuit of greed.

Rant over have a good day.

Dave C

[Darkstar]

I actually don't have a problem with how much vets charge. If you consider that they spend 7 years studying to qualify, not to mention all of the extracurricular experience they have to clock up to get accepted in the first place and the straight A grades at A level.

If you look at the sample group to get that average wage figure it is staggeringly small and I am not surprised at the increase as it is most likely to be a sample error. My own profession (Chemical Engineering) actually shows a 68% increase in the same time frame and I can assure you that is definately down to statistical anomaly!

I think that it is great that you care enough about that individual chicken to have taken it to the vets, but personally I view them as farm animals and so would probably have dispatched her. My dogs and cat on the other hand have comprehensive insurance to cover vets bills as they are pets and I am an absolute softie over them and would pay whatever it took to keep them well.

I think it comes down to attitude. To farm profitably you may sometimes have to make a judgement and label an animal as non viable and cull it, or accept that it is a pet, treat it as such and be prepared to pay the vets bills and other costs that entails.

[che]

Hi Darkstar,
Take it you dont agree with me on that one.

Dave C

[happymanoftheworld]

Hi Darkstar,
Take it you dont agree with me on that one.

Dave C

Be VERY careful not to disagree with him Dave C - notice what Darkstar does for a living - I can see extreme contamination of your land...... and the Saturday night drinks!!!!

[shepie]

Yeh sounds to me like he needs a smallholding and fast, But i don`t agree on the basis that farmers/ smallholders do all such hours and devote their lives to constantly learning and evolving with the current medicines etc , not just 7 years ,so yes they do charge far too much .

Darkstar £124 for a prolapse chicken i have treated hundereds of prolapsed sheep and cattle with great sucess for £6.00/hr in my younger days , you have to agree they took the p**s there ?

[Darkstar]

Hi Guys,
Don't worry about the scary job title. I work mostly in the pharmaceutical industry so channel my talents to the good (mostly) .

To be honest I am not sure what is involved with a chicken prolapse and how easy it is to rectify. I was chatting to a vet friend of mine last night and she said it was a bit more complicated due to how small they are.

I think it all comes down to attitude, no one is right or wrong on this one, just differing points of view.

[che]

Hi Darkstar,
Different is good welcome to the club

Dave C

[happymanoftheworld]

Hi Darkstar,
Different is good welcome to the club

Dave C

Well you are definately different!!!

Chicken needed Xrays, then the "bits" sewn back in.

[Darkstar]

Well you are definately different!!!

Not too sure how to take that

Chicken needed Xrays, then the "bits" sewn back in.

Poor chicken . Still, xrays and anasthesia are not cheap and there is always an enhanced risk for smaller animals. I would say that the vet was out of order if they didn't give you an approximate cost before starting work.

[happymanoftheworld]

Not too sure how to take that



Poor chicken . Still, xrays and anasthesia are not cheap and there is always an enhanced risk for smaller animals. I would say that the vet was out of order if they didn't give you an approximate cost before starting work.

Yes, I have to admit I was given the cost beforehand ------ but as the last chicken (very crop bound) cost £84 for operation two years ago and is still alive I thought it worth the gamble!!!! Mind you it doesn't do a lot for my "viability" test!!! ----- I know - I am totally off my head!