Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[azygous]

Hey, nothing wrong with extending my birthday in any direction! I'm the last to complain!

Thank you all for making my birthday so special!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Yes, yesterday was your birthday eve.

 

[Sally PB]

Happy Birthday to someone who has helped and taught me more than she'll ever know.

Thank you, @azygous!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Happy Birthday to someone who has helped and taught me more than she'll ever know.

Thank you, @azygous!

Ditto!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Celebrate All Week!

 

[azygous]

Yes! Let's!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You know it's been like almost 2 months since you posted photos of the Rascals...

Just sayin'

 

[azygous]

All right. I'll get on it.

 

[azygous]

I've hired the Buttercups as assistant care givers to April, who is losing her battle with ALV. April doesn't have much of an appetite, and she's lost so much weight, she has no reserves. So some mornings, April is too weak to eat.

April needs an incentive. That's where the Buttercups come into the picture. Not only are they at the rock bottom of the social order in my flock, giving April a boost of self worth, they are also little pigs with outsized appetites.

The Buttercups, Scotty and Shorty, know the drill. I walk into the run with April's hot breakfast of rice with raw egg stirred in and holler for April to meet me in the jail. By the time I get to the jail enclosure, all three are inside waiting for me. The Buttercups pounce on the rice and April's competitive instinct kicks in and she dives in, giving each Buttercup a stern peck as they come at the food from each side.

By the time the Buttercups have finished off the rice and egg, April has managed to eat enough to revive her for the day ahead, and she manages to eat enough feed to survive another day.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I'm really sorry that April continues to decline, but glad that Scotty and Shorty have agreed to be assistant caregivers for the salary of rice and egg! By the beautiful appearance of both Buttercups, it looks like you were able to get the feather picking under control?