Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

My broody girls are going through their broody molt currently. Raven is the worst of the bunch and she is comical looking. She looks like a frazzled mother who has pulled out her hair or in Raven's case tail feathers out. Here we have Raven and her innocent sweet little angels.
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Awwww so sweet! Yea her tail looks comical

Look at Mr. P. (Why so serious!)

He has a serious job protecting his harem

It’s hard to believe that my chooks can handle such cold conditions outside. Today it’s 48f
Last night it dropped down to 37f . But they all seem okay with it. (Cold for me surely, but not for them obviously)

you know it gets to - like - minus 30 here right!

Here’s my hot Flash.
(Tell her it’s gonna be okay Flash. )View attachment 3318438

that’s awesome Alex, good one!

 

[Ponypoor]

Ah, I see. So you're getting the full monty of hormone cessation then, sorry about that!

I'm sorry but my radar went up when you referred to the things on the ovaries and uterus as "tumors" due to my cancer background. Are you meaning cancer tumors possibly? If there is any chance, and I mean any serious possibility, that your doctor thinks they may encounter cancer, you need to NOT have this operation performed by a regular gynecologist but by a certified Gynecological Oncologist. Yes gynecologists are surgeons but they do not have the unique and very specialized training Gyn-Oncologists have and it is proven statistically that patients have better outcomes with Gyn-Oncs.

The next best thing is to instruct the doctor, upon getting in there and spying any cancer, to not go any further, to not try their hand at debulking, to not make a mess in there and to promptly close you up and get you to a proper surgeon for the job. Do not buy the "Oh we have one on stand by if this is the case" unless they can guarantee this person is truly ready to go when you are on the table, which nobody can actually do (true story, an acquaintance of mine was promised this, but the Gyn-Onc was busy in another operation, and the gynecologists tried to proceed and do it themselves, really made a mess of things, the Gyn -Onc could not work properly in the uncontrolled field when she finally got in, and my acquaintance's debulking was seriously compromised. She ultimately did not make it. The initial debulking's quality is a huge factor in determining outcomes for gynecological cancers.

So you then go and get an excellent cancer operation with a proper and systematic debulking by a trained Gynecological Oncologist. If you must travel a great distance to get to one this is worth it, please believe me. There are organizations that can help you if this is the case. Your life is worth it. Too many women have died unnecessarily due to gynecologists trying to be heroes.

Women and their cancers need to be taken seriously rant tax:
Popcorn eating, Hazel drinking. Hazel about to drive Popcorn off the feeder, just because.
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Agreed 100 percent!

FYI so that is a trundle feeder? Awesome! I wonder if mine would learn to use it…

 

[Ponypoor]

Whoa - Diana seems a bit cranky!
I can’t blame her as she is shedding feathers everywhere. It makes me nervous as cold weather is coming. She must have a lot of feathers because I am ankle deep in them in the Chicken Palace but I don’t see any bare patches on her.

Ya Blanche has decided to molt! It was 22C today but by Sunday it’s going to be winter! Bad time to start moulting I say!

 

[BY Bob]

Irritated

I am Irritated.

Hattie has decided to lay down on the canera for the main coop. Well guess who is roosting tonight now whether she wants to or not.

 

[featherhead007]

 

[Ponypoor]

Child and pregnancy safe and tastes fantastic. One of my sisters doesn't like eggnog.....she likes this recipe....

Found it. @ValarieF


Eggnog recipe (family friendly) parenthesis numbers make a gallon, directions are for all the above xxx stuff.

(18) 12 eggs
(2 1/4) 1 1/2c granulated sugar

Whisk together until frothy while below is heating(arm falling off: note, hand mixer saves the arm)

In sauce pan: (original recipe said put spices in a bag, not necessary, they mostly sink and continue to improve flavor)
(6) 4c milk (not skim- the more cram in it the better)
(20-25) 15-20 each whole cloves (nail spice), allspice berries
(3-4) 2-3 cinnamon sticks
Few dashes nutmeg

Heat (low-med) until very warm, NOT boiling, for at least 5 min, stir constantly (more like every min or so while frothing eggs/sugar mix) to not burn the milk.

Temper milk into eggs (with spices is fine) SLOWLY (small amounts at a time or will have scrambled eggs for your waffles instead). As the eggs warm, add more, frothing whole time (hand mixer works well).

Pour back into sauce pan (6qt stock pot works well for larger quantity). Warm over med heat. Stir constantly (and yes, this part is no joke) 5-6 min or until thickened (more like 10-15 min). Don't over cook or it lumps (still tastes great though).

Strain for spice removal (I leave the spices in to continue to infuse flavor).

Cool 2+ hours in fridge.

(6) 4c heavy whipping cream (half n half works well too)
(3) 2 tsp vanilla extract (or add vanilla pod to spices at beginning)

Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and nutmeg just before serving. Spiced rum optional.

Improves 24-48 hours.


Pre snow eggnog taxView attachment 3318376

Beautiful photos love it, a real egg-nog moment

 

[Ponypoor]

Irritated

I am Irritated.

View attachment 3318766

Hattie has decided to lay down on the canera for the main coop. Well guess week is roosting tonight now whether she wants to or not.

That must have been who was laying beside it last night when I checked is there a reason she won’t roost?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Perky Peanut

Peanut has been acting fine today. At first I thought they were hanging out under the lilac a lot because she was there feeling poorly (she’s lead hen) but she appeared to not be heaving at all when I closely observed her, she wasn’t hunched over, her tail was up, she’s preening, alert, and the whole group periodically sallied forth to do some foraging. Later today she acted quite feisty in fact, energetic and dominating, running at Butters, even keeping Hazel in check too. Eating, drinking, bright-eyed. It’s like night and day between how she was before and today. I am confounded.

So what does this mean? What does it mean for what was / is or might be ailing her, and how to treat or not treat? Could it be a temporary reprieve, a false improvement? Is she possibly hiding something still there, and an antibiotic course might still be a good idea? There’s no egg laid by anyone so far. Butters might have diarrhea now, she pooped nearly me and it sounded pretty wet.

The hens are supposed to get a second mites permethrin solution spray treatment and bedding clean out (first treatment was on Saturday) and I had thought of lightly spraying everyone except her, but now I’m feeling she could withstand it. Tomorrow morning while it’s still warm before the storm moves in seems like the best day to do it. I weighed everyone this afternoon in anticipation of possibly an antibiotic treatment of Peanut, and also checked three of them for mites. Didn’t see any mites hatched yet.

I forgot to give Peanut another deep belly feel for texture and looseness so will do that tomorrow.

I wanted to try to make a decision tree but I find it hard to weigh this information in any meaningful way.

1. Peanut has spent time in the nest box recently, acting like she’s going to lay an egg, but doesn’t ultimately lay anything.
2. She had diarrhea for some days prior to the mites treatment on Saturday
3. Peanut looked and acted poorly early this week, standing around hunched, appeared to be egg bound with straining, diarrhea
4. This visible ill behavior lasted about three days, each one slightly less poorly looking
5. She did still eat
6. She’s perked up incredibly today
7. Did not see her poop today, can’t speak to that.

@BY Bob

 

[Ponypoor]

Thirsty Thursday

Lots of good weather so was able to get some nice picks

Mr P would rather drink from a bowl, some ladies joining him
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Ducks and water just go together
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More thirsty moments

Seems my niece’s gals also like wild water!

And of course those crazy ducks splashing around in their water

Splash splash I was taking a bath…

Daisy preferred the small tub today

 

[Marie2020]

Ya Blanche has decided to molt! It was 22C today but by Sunday it’s going to be winter! Bad time to start moulting I say!

How long has blanche been molting?
Princess kept going for months but her feathers are beautiful now.

She's a temperamental madam she wouldn't eat her wet food today or the sardines I was really getting worried, then I filled up the trough with that crumble you suggested and she was almost in the trough and wouldn't let Tina anywhere near. Tina was in seventh heaven getting all the yummy food so she wasn't bothered