Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

So, I had a rough night last night. I was putting the littles away, and one of my roosters gave a horrendous, terrified ?squawk? at the top of his lungs & continued with it....I ran as fast as I could, but it wasn't quick enough. A fox got one of my hens....and it took me a full 20 min. to get the rooster to calm down...he was missing a few more saddle feathers (he is in the middle of a hard molt and doesn't have any tail feathers at the moment.) A good boy sounding the alarm....but I still lost a sweet Astralorp

I suppose I have been beating the odds for too long this year...my neighbor has lost multiple to both foxes and raccoons. But, I just can't see sequestering them to the run 24/7...when I get home from work they run to the gate and are begging for out time.

Oh no I am so sorry to hear this

I am too much the other way- no one is allowed out unless I am there to 100percent supervise I worked on some hawk deterrent today..

 

[Ponypoor]

I honestly have no idea how she is still alive, but she is.
She stayed holed up in her nest box again today. She has eaten maybe 4 kernels of corn and a similar amount of shrimp and had a few sips of water.
She really only eats when I offer it to her by hand - it is like she does it just to please me.
I tried to encourage her to have more but she scolded me and moved to the box next door to stop me bothering her.
There is no question in my mind that she is dying. I check with her every hour or so and each time I expect I will find her dead, instead she lifts her head and says hi, and then goes back to sleep.
I don't know whether to hasten the inevitable. I don't want her to suffer, but I am fearful of needing to put her down. I don't see a lot of signs of distress or pain. She just seems very, very tired. I am hoping she goes in her sleep. Of course I am really hoping she suddenly turns a corner, but I know we are well past that stage.
I am a bit of a wreck. She has been a real companion, more so than any of the others, though I have loved them all. In a way I am already mourning because she hasn't been in my face for several days now and I miss her.
I am also constantly stressed by the thoughts around whether I need to put her down, and dealing with her body.
I am also worrying about my depleted flock of two, and will Diana survive through the winter.
I think Bernie and Diana know Maggie is dying. Up until today they were sitting with her. Diana once even got into the nest box and sat with her beak-to-beak for a couple of hours. But today they are not paying any attention to her at all. It is like they already said their good byes.
Sorry, probably too much information.

Oh how sad for you, it doesn’t sound like she is suffering, so I would just let her be quietly.

Let’s cross the other bridge with Diana if it comes to that. For now she and Bernie seem very good.

 

[Marie2020]

I honestly have no idea how she is still alive, but she is.
She stayed holed up in her nest box again today. She has eaten maybe 4 kernels of corn and a similar amount of shrimp and had a few sips of water.
She really only eats when I offer it to her by hand - it is like she does it just to please me.
I tried to encourage her to have more but she scolded me and moved to the box next door to stop me bothering her.
There is no question in my mind that she is dying. I check with her every hour or so and each time I expect I will find her dead, instead she lifts her head and says hi, and then goes back to sleep.
I don't know whether to hasten the inevitable. I don't want her to suffer, but I am fearful of needing to put her down. I don't see a lot of signs of distress or pain. She just seems very, very tired. I am hoping she goes in her sleep. Of course I am really hoping she suddenly turns a corner, but I know we are well past that stage.
I am a bit of a wreck. She has been a real companion, more so than any of the others, though I have loved them all. In a way I am already mourning because she hasn't been in my face for several days now and I miss her.
I am also constantly stressed by the thoughts around whether I need to put her down, and dealing with her body.
I am also worrying about my depleted flock of two, and will Diana survive through the winter.
I think Bernie and Diana know Maggie is dying. Up until today they were sitting with her. Diana once even got into the nest box and sat with her beak-to-beak for a couple of hours. But today they are not paying any attention to her at all. It is like they already said their good byes.
Sorry, probably too much information.

What can one possibly say to comfort you. I'm lost for words this is really heart breaking. How i wish so very much I could help you.

She's a fighter bless her she's doing all she can to survive.
With Tina and princess as I said I hand fed them wet foods which actually worked the sardines eggs and apple helped but it's hard and I didn't want to stress them so only did a little at a time.

 

[Ponypoor]

Operation Hawk Stop

So my plan is to use up all that old baling twine that is of no real use, I started by stringing it across the Rooster Run every couple of feet.

Tomorrow I will run it lengthwise down the run every foot or so making a grid work lattice which will deter any hawks from getting in.

What do you all think?

Before

After with the twine across to run

 

[Marie2020]

Operation Hawk Stop

So my plan is to use up all that old baling twine that is of no real use, I started by stringing it across the Rooster Run every couple of feet.

Tomorrow I will run it lengthwise down the run every foot or so making a grid work lattice which will deter any hawks from getting in.

What do you all think?

Before
View attachment 3299592
View attachment 3299593
View attachment 3299594

After with the twine across to run
View attachment 3299596
View attachment 3299597
View attachment 3299601
View attachment 3299602

Great idea .

Bob made a suggestion of flags at some point I wonder if that would help to

 

[Ponypoor]

Great idea .

Bob made a suggestion of flags at some point I wonder if that would help to

Yea I remember something about that.

 

[knoturavggrl]

Pumpkin carving finale: I took it out today before any mold or rot could set in.

Ginger loving the sunshine

Oreo, Powder, and Snicker enjoying each others company in the big outside.

As requested @Ponypoor a picture of Oreo that includes his feathered dino toes.

 

[RoyalChick]

Operation Hawk Stop

So my plan is to use up all that old baling twine that is of no real use, I started by stringing it across the Rooster Run every couple of feet.

Tomorrow I will run it lengthwise down the run every foot or so making a grid work lattice which will deter any hawks from getting in.

What do you all think?

Before
View attachment 3299592
View attachment 3299593
View attachment 3299594

After with the twine across to run
View attachment 3299596
View attachment 3299597
View attachment 3299601
View attachment 3299602

I like it! If I were you I would hang stuff from the grid. CDs or mylar ribbon. The kind of things that make confusing reflection patterns.

 

[RoyalChick]

Pumpkin carving finale: I took it out today before any mold or rot could set in.
View attachment 3299598
Ginger loving the sunshine
View attachment 3299599

Oreo, Powder, and Snicker enjoying each others company in the big outside.
View attachment 3299600
View attachment 3299604
As requested @Ponypoor a picture of Oreo that includes his feathered dino toes.

Your chickens are in the Salvador Dali school of pumpkin art. I like it!

 

[knoturavggrl]

Your chickens are in the Salvador Dali school of pumpkin art. I like it!

It is right up his alley I agree 100% and it is very creepy looking fits right in with the spooky Halloween theme. I left it outside the coop door so they have their own holiday decor. Fun thing to do I will definitely do it next year too as I think a new family tradition has been established.