Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

SOMEONE hid and hatched chicks.View attachment 3384938View attachment 3384939

How wonderful!

 

[Ponypoor]

It was an emergency situation - during construction of the Chicken Palace Diana and Elizabeth got up between the floor joists of the servants quarters and were laying there. But the floor was already on so we needed to scoop them out from the end. The cat food can on broom stick model was perfect for the job!

Good job!

 

[featherhead007]

It’s a good night. No coop drama. Jaffar is watching the TV
And Dakota is laying down on a soft pillow sound asleep

 

[BY Bob]

Enjoy.View attachment 3384941

This does require a tax payment as it is not chicken related. Funny, but not chicken related.

 

[RoyalChick]

Tonight's roosting was quite distressing. Poor Bernie was so desperate to get up to join the others in the rafters that she tried to use the electric wire to the flat panel heater as a step along the way. That did not end well.
Nobody is injured and the heater is OK - but I am beginning to get worried she will hurt herself.
I spent a while studying where they go and how they get there to try and come up with a scheme to stop them getting up there.
I am not sure if I can pull it off - but I have some long lengths of sacking that maybe I could drape across the rafters. I am a bit worried they will get tangled up somehow and I will cause more harm than good.
Need to noodle on that a bit.
Poor lonely Bernie.

 

[lightm]

Yes I think so. What I've observed is the vent area changes shape some as they expel poop.

Drippy poop will touch feathers, and roll off if they've gotten enough oil on there. From the pictures I agree with @Ponypoor I don't see urates, and with @BY Bob it doesn't look good, imo it looks excessive for a poopy butt. Remember she won't act or appear unhealthy until she's in a bad way, so unless there's some other explanation (it's suddenly new after eating certain new food? She's molting? She's drinking a lot because it's hot?) I would be concerned too. Fecal float test is warranted imo if there's weird diarrhea, which this might be.

Others have more experience, and here's my newbie knowledge for what it's worth - I would check her skin back there too -the poop can be very irritating, that's what I've found with my hens, and that's something you can help her with. How red/raw is her skin there? Damp-clean it if possible. An Epsom salts bath might be soothing if her skin is red and not broken/infected after you've gotten most of the poop off. When she's clean and dry (air dry, or blow dry if the weather is cold) applying some coconut oil to her skin and a bit on the feathers will be soothing and help poop stay off. You can trim some feathers in the landing area too. If her skin is very irritated and/or broken I would go for vetericyn on that area instead, with coconut oil surrounding.

Thank you! This is all very helpful.

So the excessive poopy butt is likely caused by diarrhea, which is why I should try a fecal float test? I think I will try to call a vet here tomorrow to see if they do it.

When we gave her the bath, I saw the red skin was not bad. Next time I will add the coconut oil.

 

[lightm]

In Memorium

Today is a very sad anniversary here at FBA. While all of our chickens have their place in my heart a select few have really been exceedingly dear to me. Today is the anniversary of us losing one of those very special chickens. 2 years ago today a suspected weasel killed my sweet sweet Maleficent.

So here, in remembrance. are a LOT of photos of my lost friend. Rest in peace my darling. You are dearly missed.

View attachment 3385206View attachment 3385207View attachment 3385208View attachment 3385209View attachment 3385210View attachment 3385211View attachment 3385212View attachment 3385213View attachment 3385214View attachment 3385215View attachment 3385216View attachment 3385218View attachment 3385220View attachment 3385221View attachment 3385222View attachment 3385223View attachment 3385224View attachment 3385225View attachment 3385226View attachment 3385227View attachment 3385228View attachment 3385229View attachment 3385230View attachment 3385231View attachment 3385232View attachment 3385233View attachment 3385234View attachment 3385235View attachment 3385236View attachment 3385237View attachment 3385238View attachment 3385239View attachment 3385240View attachment 3385241View attachment 3385242View attachment 3385243View attachment 3385244View attachment 3385245View attachment 3385246View attachment 3385247View attachment 3385248

This is from the coop camera and is the last photo I ever took of her.

View attachment 3385249

Awwww, Maleficent and Aurora.

 

[lightm]

Tonight's roosting was quite distressing. Poor Bernie was so desperate to get up to join the others in the rafters that she tried to use the electric wire to the flat panel heater as a step along the way. That did not end well.
Nobody is injured and the heater is OK - but I am beginning to get worried she will hurt herself.
I spent a while studying where they go and how they get there to try and come up with a scheme to stop them getting up there.
I am not sure if I can pull it off - but I have some long lengths of sacking that maybe I could drape across the rafters. I am a bit worried they will get tangled up somehow and I will cause more harm than good.
Need to noodle on that a bit.
Poor lonely Bernie.

I feel bad for Bernie too

Is it possible that you put a ladder to the rafter for her... but you said she can't physically fit on the rafter?

 

[BY Bob]

Miss obsessed!

Here is some of your favorite eye candy @Ponypoor:
View attachment 3385010

View attachment 3385013



View attachment 3385020

.

Wattles!

Mini wattles

Normal wattles

 

[RoyalChick]

I feel bad for Bernie too

Is it possible that you put a ladder to the rafter for her... but you said she can't physically fit on the rafter?

I think she could fit (just) but I would be very worried about her coming down. You just know she won't use a ladder to come down and she is really too hefty to be canon-balling down from that height.
I saw signs this evening that Babs might have been willing to roost on a roost - but with Eli up in the sky calling her to come to bed, and Bernie chasing her from roost to roost, she of course flew up.
Sigh.