Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[azygous]

Thanks everyone! The Buttercups are still kicking ass and taking names. Scotty is practicing riding around on my shoulder. She is getting quite good at it. Shorty is the opposite and doesn't enjoy being touched. Both are a force in the flock. None of the others dare bully these little shrimps.

 

[Sally PB]

Happy Birthday, @azygous! I have learned SO MUCH from our posts over the past few years. Thank you!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Happy Birthday @azygous !

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

Happy birthday, Azygous! Thank you for everything! I hope you had a wonderful day!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Happy Birthday Carol!

 

[azygous]

You all make me feel special. I'm willing to bask in it for one day. Thank you all!

 

[Perris]

belated birthday wishes! I hope you had a wonderful day

 

[dawg53]

@azygous Happy belated birthday Carol!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Happy 82 years young to you today @azygous !!!
How have the little Buttecups been?

82! I'da never guessed it. Your texts don't look a day over 50!
You'll have to forgive me. I wasn't born beautiful, never married rich, so I just have to try being funny!

Happy Birthday, @azygous! I have learned SO MUCH from our posts over the past few years. Thank you!

As have I! You're about the best teacher I've had since Sister Mary Clotilda ("Waltzing Clotilda," my English teacher, back in 8th grade). You, Wyorp Rock, Eggcessive and a handful of others are the stars of BYC, a real blessing to us and our chiggenz, and we love you!

 

[azygous]

Well, tragedy struck one of the Buttercups tonight. No, she's alive, but Shorty lost her kick-ass spurs.

It was all my fault. I'm old and my eyes are old and losing depth perception. I was in the run moving not very fast when my foot made contact with a Buttercup who ran off screaming and cussing. I assumed at the time that I didn't break anything since she was able to move so quickly.

However, as I was getting the hens settled in at roosting time, Shorty was very agitated and clucking under her breath, sort of sounding like a broody. She was restless and couldn't seem to settle onto a spot on the perch. I then noticed she had a bloody shank.

I grabbed her and took her indoors to have a look. Her spur was hanging, nearly severed at the shank. I told her I was going to have to hurt her to make it stop hurting.

I wrapped her in a towel, covering her head to quiet her. First I twisted off the uninjured spur to judge how big the nub was on the damaged spur. Then I proceeded to remove the spur sheath on the damaged spur. My intention was to remove the spur sheath in order to try to save the spur, but the nub detached as I was trying to remove the sheath.

The painful part was over. I put Vetericyn on the remaining spur and on the other shank where the injured spur had been, popped an aspirin into her beak and returned her to the coop.

Shorty was still agitated, had hopped off the roost and raced back into the run, and then back inside the coop again. I noticed she was bleeding from the detached spur. So I grabbed her and took her back inside and bandaged the shank. Either the aspirin was taking effect or the bandaging helped reduce the pain. Either way, Shorty settled onto her perch.

I've had my share of injured chickens, but this is the first time I had one that so loudly advertised that she was in pain. I expect her to heal up pretty quickly with no after effects of this unfortunate accident.