Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I have removed all the feed. Honestly it looked fine. And the feeder inside the Chicken Palace coop (vs the two out in the runs) had very little of the powder.
The powder was pink on top but underneath was the normal color of the pellets.
What is weird is there was just so much of the powder. Way more than normal.
I realize I was looking at the wrong code for the mill date so I need to go back out and look again. But it was definitely 2022.
Anyway, everyone will be cross in the morning ‘cos no breakfast. I took the opportunity to wash out the feeders so they need to dry over night.
The feeders are in better shape than I expected so they gave me no excuse to go shopping (just as well really)!

Meanwhile, my nemesis!
I have to admit he (I really hope he is a he) is quite cute. But he has to go!
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How did he get in! I thought you had them all locked out. Clever bugger for sure.

 

[BY Bob]

Yikes. I am outside trying to take pictures of the last super moon of 2022 and very near right behind me is a large animal grunting.
I don’t know whether to stay very still or high tail it back to the house.
There is a tree between me and whatever it is.
My best moon pictures - I really have not mastered how to photograph the moon, but they are quite atmospheric nonetheless
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Wonderful photos!

 

[lightm]

Sorry all, I can’t keep up here right now… but I’m hoping everyone is doing well. Making progress on the house and hoping to have the trusses/structure all done by the end of the month here. Fingers crossed for an actual roof before winter. All the chickens here are doing well, my bully girl and an ISA are sitting, but I might just throw on the incubator because my bully girl is losing an egg every few days to crushing? Eating? I don’t know she’s a little nuts… but she’s sitting on pretty unlikely looking eggs right now so… mom has power, just watch this box for a few weeks, promise, there won’t be anymore chicks after the first two days… honest! maybe…

Sammy broke up a pretty rough hen fight today, having good roosters is such a blessing. I was on the phone with my mom and was about to run out (saw them start to get into it through the screen door) but before I got my flip flops on my good guy was splitting them up (he got extra scraps/treats tonight!). Speaking of scraps the winery that used to be part of the farm here has got their bistro up and running and guess who is getting their scraps/compost three times a week? Yep, my chickens, and even the goats are snagging some; Arduinna likes Cantaloupe… I would never have known!

My internet is a little patchy, and I just wanted to take this brief, albeit a little late, moment to say hi… I don’t even have a fresh chicken tax photo. Maybe tomorrow night if I can get two bars of service again.

Great update! Sounds all good.

We have some arrangement with a local grocery store to pick up huge bags of unwanted green leafy veggies about twice a month. We then chop them up and give the girls greens every morning and afternoon. The girls LOVE them, and it gives me huge satisfaction to reduce waste.

 

[BY Bob]

Despite my (and Arduinna’s) love of spaghetti… I do have a general disdain for the generic pasta rockets… but you’ve found my one exception. She’s a beauty Bob! An absolute Beauty. Classy and not pretentious like a Lamborghini or Maserati… the Alfa’s have class I’m going to owe chicken taxes on this, aren’t I?

I am giving you a pass on this one. No tax due.

 

[lightm]

Normally, Chickens do not eat beans. It is one thing they do not like.

I heard that raw beans not so good, but cooked beans are great for chickens. Yesterday I cooked lots of green beans for my chooks. I chopped them up and they went crazy for them.

 

[BY Bob]

The bike I pointed to with the upscale equipment is 12 000 euros. It's already semi-pro, for a good amateur bike from Look, which is an expensive brand, you would pay about 6000.
Yes, the wheels are very expensive, but they really make a difference in regards to performance , confort and safety. When I began biking on a cheap racebike, I was told to upgrade my wheels before my bike, and I paid as much for the wheels than for the frame I later bought.

I feel the same. I hated the noises in the city. Now I'm so happy to hear my rooster competing with the one from the farm below at 5 am .

At the risk of creating more confusion saline isn't a consensus : https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-25078781
I used it on two of my hens that were hurt in the eyes before reading this, and both healed well, though I can't say whether the saline helped or not.
Did you isolate the chick ?

Yes. I do not use saline, I use plain water for eye injuries. Not that I have had to treat a lot. If I get time I will try and find a study or reference on saline vs water for eye injuries. Maybe @RoyalChick could help with the research.

I know that I learned it someplace that was definitive for me. I just can't remember where.

 

[lightm]

I can imagine how terrible you must be feeling. Remember, if this is indeed the same virus, she does have a chance to fight it. Not all of the chickens would catch it, and some would survive.

It's so hard feeling like there's nothing you can do to help. It doesn't mean you're responsible for all that's happening. I'm honestly in awe of all you've done for Bernadette and Bella and for Minnie before. It's just not fair sometimes.

Well said.

 

[Ponypoor]

Yikes. I am outside trying to take pictures of the last super moon of 2022 and very near right behind me is a large animal grunting.
I don’t know whether to stay very still or high tail it back to the house.
There is a tree between me and whatever it is.
My best moon pictures - I really have not mastered how to photograph the moon, but they are quite atmospheric nonetheless
View attachment 3220041View attachment 3220042

Rule of thumb with wildlife is make LOTS of noise, they will 99.9 percent of time leave. Grizzly bears might not

Those are awesome! I wanted to take some pics last night when I put the critters to bed but I forgot my phone at the house - duh silly me!

But I did get Marty and two grey gals settled in the hen house, and Marty didn’t have any poop on her that I could see from buttercup sitting over her

 

[Ponypoor]

Predictably there was a lot of fury in the Chicken Palace this morning when they realized there was no breakfast. But I refilled the two feeders I had washed with yummy grower crumble so I may have been forgiven.
No good news on Minnie. She has taken herself off to isolate in a nesting box. She is breathing very heavily and I suspect the same virus Bella had. I always suspected Minnie was the carrier. I will send a swab off of her throat, but there is nothing to be done if that is the issue apart from keeping her comfortable.
I am feeling particularly gloomy at my ability to keep anybody alive and I keep looking around to figure out 'who is next' to die.

Hugs hugs hugs

As @ManueB stated not all of them will get it the same. You now have experience with this and can tweak your treatment if it is indeed that.

I will check in later

 

[Ponypoor]

I heard that raw beans not so good, but cooked beans are great for chickens. Yesterday I cooked lots of green beans for my chooks. I chopped them up and they went crazy for them.

I know they like baked beans