Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ManueB]

Have you carefully 'combed through' all her feathers to be sure she doesn't have a puncture wound? if she did get one, they are sometimes quite hard to clean out and she might have an infection. She also might have gotten her cornea scratched - it might not show, but it would hurt some ( @micstrachan might be able to comment on that and the healing process...unfortunately she has personal experience with that.)

I'm pretty sure she has no puncture wound. An invisible scratch to her cornea is quite possible.

@ManueB do you have any antibiotics on hand? It might be worth trying a course of antibiotics in case there is a wound you can't see.

No, we don't have antibiotics. We would need a prescription to get them for chickens.

Yes, a scratched cornea is tender and there is risk of infection. I have read you can use neosporin without pain killer, but I would prefer an optic ointment, if available. If nothing else, maybe rinse a few times with sterile eyewash?.

We don't have the equivalent of Neosporin here, antibiotic in ointment form are not common use and I would need a prescription. What type of optic ointment are you thinking of ? If you know the active ingredient I can look to see if we have an OTC equivalent. I could probably order eye veterycin but it would take at least a week to arrive, do you think it would be worth it ?

I have sterile eye wash for humans but I always hesitate to use it after all the discussion about using or not saline for chickens. I also have an eye wash for my cats that I never actually dared use because it's full of funky ingredients. Should I try any of those, or maybe just rinsing her eye with boiled water ?

The deed is done and no necks were broken in the process. Momma hen is safely in one of the porch boxes with 4 chicks and 4 eggs. When Austin was trying to get into position to gently grab her she came off the nest like a bat out of you know where. He deflected her and almost lost his footing in the process. Oh the names that hen was called. At that point there was no getting her and stuffing her in the cat carrier so he caught the chicks and eggs and put them in and brought them down too me. Not before busting up her nest and blocking the entrance with a rock. It took about 10 minutes but she did come off the hill to the chicks. I managed to grab her and then moved her to the porch. I first stuffed her in the nest and while holding her tucked one egg under her. That was all it took for her to settle down and accept the rest of the eggs and her chicks.

This is so wonderful! I can't express how amazed I am at her, and you, and your adoptive brother, that you did all this !

That's interesting. The instructions say to specifically put the screws in the valley on either side of the ridge. I do have the screws with the rubber washers.

My partner works a lot with metal sheets. He always puts the screws on the ridges. And he says a grinder will get a cleaner cut.

 

[rural mouse]

At first i thought you had arrived at the solution. Then I remembered that Sydney could not roost up there. She needs the door roost as well to get up.

How high is the high roost? The cluckle hut porch they all jump up on....

 

[rural mouse]

Fortunately I will be able to reach them to tighten them at any point without too much difficulty. Did you drill pilot holes before entering any screws?

Metal Roof Tax
View attachment 3369866

I've not worked with it. My dad has, and my boys have helped...some...I'll ask after daylight.

 

[Marie2020]

Crap... lol I knew that. I ment Toronto. My brother likes Hockey, and so Ihear about both teams too much I'm not stupid... I know my geography... I think..
To both...

Edit: I mean Crabapples..
Crap is not a nice word

Neither is poop, my father hated that word he used to say he'd prefer the word sh_t and he didn't like swearing. That's why I never swear or fart
I'm such a lady

 

[ManueB]

That is something. She must have been a very good mum.

She was. Chipie is a crazy uncontrollable little thing, but it was a wonder to see her raise those chicks and I would trust her anytime with another hatch.

 

[ValarieF]

Is the heating fixed now?

Yea

 

[Marie2020]

Yea

Thank goodness

 

[ChicoryBlue]

We put a steel roof on the house years ago - super slid for snow haha!

Of course the barn roof is steel been there for over 30 years and still looks great.

It's the best way to go for any roof I would say, sure it's initially expensive, but over time it saves money and maintenance.

I want to put it some over the Chicken Run, but will need to see if I can afford it. Might be cheaper to put that acrylic stuff for the run...

We used polycarbonate for the winter run. Not cheap but supposed to last longer than acrylic. Metal would be cheaper but I wanted the clear stuff (for when there's no snow on it, like right now). They make self-drilling screws with the right washers, but they are seriously expensive and only come in a big box, way more than we needed for this small roof.

I am thinking metal, or opaque polycarbonate, for the future summer run shelter which will be under some trees in the shade.

 

[rural mouse]

Fortunately I will be able to reach them to tighten them at any point without too much difficulty. Did you drill pilot holes before entering any screws?

Metal Roof Tax
View attachment 3369866

Just found this

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-install-metal-roofing/

The pics are EXCELLENT

 

[Ponypoor]

The chicks or the adults?

Both - did you get chicks to raise up?