Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

Tina is a survivor. She must be better because Princess isn't letting her get away with hogging all the treats anymore. When she was ill princess let her have absolutely everything ❤

Isn’t that wonderful! Chickens are amazing!

Edited to add: I accidentally deleted the quote part. I’m not sure what happened there.

 

[micstrachan]

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, RC. This is heart breaking and makes me cry. I’m afraid to read ahead. Hugs to you.

 

[micstrachan]

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.

Awww… I’m so sorry. I agree they need free time, despite the risks.

 

[micstrachan]

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
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After with the twine across to run
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Nice work!

 

[micstrachan]

I did not know, I honestly thought they were gone. The only reason I acted quickly and tried is because they were not stiff. I found them just in time I think considering how long it took to revive them.

Amazing!

 

[micstrachan]

I really like them on toast also, I think you either like them or not. There seems to be no on between for this. One thing I don’t eat this when I am at work anywhere because not everyone likes the smell

I go stand outside when I eat sardines at work.

 

[LozzyR]

I read the forums on my phone. No signatures.

This is true; the footer doesn’t show up on the phone.

Phone tax:

 

[LozzyR]

Turn the phone horizontal. They show up.

View attachment 3298054

SHRA!

SHRA tax:

 

[Marie2020]

Found it.
Chicken People is its name. I haven’t watched it but plan to. It is only 90 minutes long.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4819510/

Obsessive? No not really

Those poor chickens

 

[LozzyR]

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.

I’m so sorry Barb.