Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

While trying to get video of Cheetah chasing The Idiots, I caught this one. Most of the early drama is on the other side of the fenced garden, but there is a chase at the end, and I see some hope for the Idiots too. They're responding to hen "help" calls. Doesn't look like they've quite figured out what to do when they get there, nor do they seem to have a clue when they Cause the call, but they are learning!

That would keep me entertained for hours.

 

[rural mouse]

That would keep me entertained for hours.

It's great stress/work day relief. Come home, sit out and watch all the antics...

 

[BY Bob]

A Big Day Here Yesterday

Yesterday was a big day here yesterday as for the first time everyone spent the entire day locked up together with no separation.

The good news is none of the Rascals seem to have suffered at all.

The better news is the Gucci found her way into the coop to sleep at bed time, on her own, for the first time ever.

The interesting news, said coop was not the Cluckle Hut!

I was on my way back home when I checking in on the cameras to see how everyone was doing. I saw everyone roosted and Gucci waiting for me at the door to the big run. Every night I have been leading her to the ramp so she can climb it and go to bed in the Hut. It seemed she could not find the ramp without me.

When I got home last night I went out to lead her to bed again and she was not there. I could not find her anywhere until I opened the door to the big coop and there she was. Buried in the same geographical corner she uses in the Hut.

I left her there as she had chosen that spot on her own and it wanted to let her have it.

This morning the main coop had all three Polish in it together!

I have given up on Gucci ever roosting. The night I put her on the roost with the other Rascals was eye opening. It must have been exhausting for her. She barely walked at all the next day. I would rather she slept on the ground but had the energy to walk around the next day than roosted at night. She is just as safe as long as she is in a coop.

 

[BY Bob]

Wow that is scary. Thankfully Aurora saw it in time. That is a determined Hawk there and hopefully others suggestions of a Falcon club or game warden may provide you with a solution. I know these birds are protected, but, I do not feel they are endangered anymore. I personally know of 8 red-tail hawk nests on the hills in front of my house and behind it. Crows can be a nuisance tearing up garbage but I encourage them to hang around. Legally they are my best line of defense against the hawks. I have 3 big ones that like to land on one of the trees just across the creek a few times a week. When I see them, I toss a few hot dog pieces across the creek to them. I feel I'm paying them for their "hawk harassing services". I should also point out that once I started feeding them just a little bit, my garbage stopped getting tore up by them. I just have to deal with cats tearing it up now.

There are crows around but not nearly enough of them to help me. I have tried to encourage them to stay but to no avail so far.

I do not know what the goals for total number of hawks is but it is a rare day where I don't here the red trail screech in the distance. They seem to be everywhere.

 

[BY Bob]

She fell couple yrs ago and crashed through poor Sally’s stall wall! This I why she has a double sized stall now. This has been going on for a while now…. Anyways I have no ideas what to do, and live in fear of her seriously injuring herself. She certainly didn’t look overly scared when it happened, it’s a good thing she is a light breed of horse and not some huge heavy draft

Did you hear the hens start up when she did that?!! I guess her thud startled them! And poor Reenie next door! I could see her give a jump on her video feed.

Drama from equines and poultry, I might be getting too old for all this drama!

I can only imagine how worried this makes you. It must be very stressful.

 

[BY Bob]

List of items the church gave me for my birthday.
1. Meally worms for the chooks.
2. Bread “”. “”
3. Two chicken pillows from my friend
4. Made a cake that everyone enjoyed
5. Another chicken coffee mug
The A/C wasn’t working in the church. So after service, I replaced the batteries in the thermostat, and BINGO! Now it works.

Happy Birthday sir. I hope that was not too much of a fuss.

 

[BY Bob]

Chicken drama here today! How can that be, they are only 21 days old surely they couldn’t be anything but adorable fuzz and feathers. But yet drama they are causing.

This morning I wake up and go check on the babies. THREE of my yellow Moss eggers have bloody picked at spots on them. I cleaned them off and spray the spots with some Vetericyn. Look up why this would happen. Space they are getting cramped in the pack n play already uh O.
I had not planned on this not at all. Some quick digging online and I have a unusual yet serviceable solution. Tents are shockingly cheap this time of year at Walmart so its on the way via store delivery. Hit up tractor supply wood chips and a larger waterer and some Blue Kote for the worst baby.

My peaceful Sunday turned into chaos but the chicks will will have a 7x7 brooder space now. Hopefully that will help

Space is everything. Along with boredom. Try to think of ways to enrich their day. Have you brought in some sod for them to dig through and peck at? That helps them to develop the proper normal bacteria for your yard as well.

 

[Marie2020]

Wow that is scary. Thankfully Aurora saw it in time. That is a determined Hawk there and hopefully others suggestions of a Falcon club or game warden may provide you with a solution. I know these birds are protected, but, I do not feel they are endangered anymore. I personally know of 8 red-tail hawk nests on the hills in front of my house and behind it. Crows can be a nuisance tearing up garbage but I encourage them to hang around. Legally they are my best line of defense against the hawks. I have 3 big ones that like to land on one of the trees just across the creek a few times a week. When I see them, I toss a few hot dog pieces across the creek to them. I feel I'm paying them for their "hawk harassing services". I should also point out that once I started feeding them just a little bit, my garbage stopped getting tore up by them. I just have to deal with cats tearing it up now.

It's a never ending task keeping all the critters happy

 

[BY Bob]

I can hardly put this into words, but little Lulu is in trouble.
She went into the nest boxes this morning and stayed about 4 hours. No egg. She came out on her own and wandered around but looked bad (tail down, not moving fast). I gave her some calcium pills and had a feel around but I cannot feel an egg, so if one is stuck it is stuck higher up in the system.
She went back into the nest boxes this afternon for another couple of hours.
Still no egg.
She is out now but not looking great.
I managed to get some more calcium into her but I have a horrible feeling of impending doom.

If I lose Lulu I think I really need to rethink keeping chickens. I just don't seem to be very good at keeping them alive. Or maybe I keep a much larger number and care more about the flock than the individual and accept losses as just one of those things that goes with keeping chickens.

Poor little Lulu - I knew she was too young and too small to be laying eggs (albeit very small ones).

Oh RC. No no no no no.

 

[Marie2020]

She is just shy of 5 months but very tiny.
I can try the warm bath - but I thought that was more to relax muscles if the egg was stuck near the vent - I am 100% sure that is not the case. But no harm to try anyway.
Poor baby.

Do you think a little olive oil in her food and around her vent may be of help or coconut oil