Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

I'm keeping this grain of rice on my nose for later
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Hahaha too funny!

 

[ValarieF]

Of course we had breakfast then mommy treated us to some watermelon on her lap first then in the brooder.

 

[ValarieF]

I took a 2nd dose last night and I slept until a few minutes ago. Chickens gave me the angry eye for being late feeding them but I got everyone done. My head is fine and I feel rested and not sore or dizzy. I feel good this morning.
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Update I have a big bruise/sore spot on y head. Hubby is watching me closely today and I am calling dr first thing in the morning to get an appt and let them know what happened my head is sore.

 

[rural mouse]

So, @BY Bob , or anyone else who has knowledge regarding this:

Last night I read an article regarding Bumblefoot, and it said you shouldn't give chicks roosts until they are at least 4 weeks old, as it can damage their feet and predispose them to bumblefoot later.

I had always assumed (Yes, I know what 'ass-u-me-d' is sometimes restated as.) that it was good to give them things to jump up on (enrichment in general), and differing sized roosts for exercise/use of foot muscles.

Now I am not sure what to think. One would imagine that in the wild they go 'up' as soon as they are able, as it is safer for them, and that even before they can fly they are encountering sticks, logs, rock, etc. on the ground that they will step on/hop on. ??????

These are pictures of what I have in my current chicks' brooder. They have been in this brooder and had these things since they were 5 days old.

This is a roost made out of a 2X3 on it's flat side. They were using the 'steps' of the supports to hop up before they could fly. It is hard to tell, but I sanded the 'hard corners' off the top edges before making the roost with leftover scraps of wood.
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Sorry, best pic. I have of the branch. It is somewhat arched, so the majority of it is about an inch+ above the bedding. It doesn't have too rough of a bark, but it isn't perfectly smooth, either. Each of the 3 'legs' has a different size diameter...between that, the arching so raised, and the fact that it is very stable... and I thought this was perfect for chicks.
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Then, of course, once they could 'hop-fly' and were pooping on top of the brooder plate, I added the cardboard box with shavings. Of course, they promptly started roosting at times on the edge of the cardboard...as the white chick is in this photo.
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For 'enrichment/healthy environment' they also have a dust bath and get a hunk of grass or weeds with soil embedded in the roots daily for their scratching/exploring pleasure. Initially the dust bath was a rugged but short cardboard box - you can see that inteh second pic above, (which, again, they roosted on at times), now that they are bigger AND can fly, it is a decent sized round plastic planter pot that has the rolled edges, so is quite smooth. (and yes, they perch on that, too)


SO: are these perching/roosting things good, bad???? I'm not sure what to think. My adults do occasionally get bumble foot. I usually catch it early and it isn't a big deal...sometimes I don't catch it right away....but while I DO have some cases, I don't get a lot of them...roughly 2-4 cases a summer with all my adults. (they rarely get them in the winter as they aren't off exploring and getting into trouble when there is snow on the ground...they keep to the shoveled run and an area in the field around 2 shrubs that I also usually shovel) As a reference, I presently have 96 adults between chickens, ducks & geese with another 33 chicks. (Adults are counting my teens) And I have already processed 10 this year (mostly young ducks(drakes) but a few hens, too)

Considering my broody raised chicks are off the ground with Mama by the time they're 7-10 days old, I'm going with Mama knows best. If Mama says they can roost that young, then any I'm raising will be given the same opportunity. I'm also wondering how thorough the parameters of the study were: how close to wild jungle fowl they went vs how caged they were.

 

[bgmathteach]

Considering my broody raised chicks are off the ground with Mama by the time they're 7-10 days old, I'm going with Mama knows best. If Mama says they can roost that young, then any I'm raising will be given the same opportunity. I'm also wondering how thorough the parameters of the study were: how close to wild jungle fowl they went vs how caged they were.

It was just an article, but to me that statement came out of the blue...so I thought maybe there is something I am missing/unaware of. ( I am pretty much taught by lots of reading and my own observations for the short time I've had chickens...and also learned a lot from here (BYC in general & FBA) So, I very well could be missing something/uninformed/ignorant....but on the other hand, the logical part of my brain says 'that doesn't make sense given the chicken background '(ancestors). Again

 

[ValarieF]

Considering my broody raised chicks are off the ground with Mama by the time they're 7-10 days old, I'm going with Mama knows best. If Mama says they can roost that young, then any I'm raising will be given the same opportunity. I'm also wondering how thorough the parameters of the study were: how close to wild jungle fowl they went vs how caged they were.

MIne are actually flying! They have a high roost they can fly to and fly from the brooder plate to the top bar and the cage door. And If they wanna roost then so be it.

 

[BY Bob]

Permit for national forest is (or was. Dunno if it has gone up) $20 for 8 cords. It helps get the beetle kill and other wildfire fuel out. It only allows dead trees to be cut.

Very good. My dad has kept his woods healthy by harvesting the dead trees for over 40 years.

 

[BY Bob]

Now for something really exciting! This is what a negative Covid 19 test looks like taken this morning! Yay View attachment 3255047

Good news for sure.

 

[BY Bob]

Before she went broody, Chiquita chased down, caught and ate a hornet. I was amazed that little fluff could move that fast.

I have never seen that from mine. Surprising.

 

[BY Bob]

A few cute photos of the tweens and OMG that comb!!

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That comb is something. Yowza!