Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I have a feeling this day will still feel special and sad in ten years. She was very special to you.

There is no doubt of that. She wasn't even 1 year old. We had such a short time together. It's harsh but at the time I was angry and scared. A weasel could have killed them all. Also because Aurora was her opposite. I will never be able to touch Aurora with her permission. I lost the one chicken who really liked me. It still feels unfair. Not that I am wishing that death on Aurora by any means.

I feel guilty because I was sick in bed and did not go out to put them to bed like I should have. So sick I wound up needing an IV but I still should have gone out and got her into the coop. She would still be with us if I had.

So no. I will never forget 1/24.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I'm hoping I find my ceramics when I clean out the coop this spring. Mine tossed them out of the nest boxes and hid them all.

I just ordered more. They will eat a broken egg, and two have been eaten, a third one broke and fell between the roost bars, and that shell was definitely a shell but thin. I think Peanut is laying as she has been squatting. When I clean the roost and nest box she jumps up to say hello and loudly announce she’s going to lay an egg in there, or that she did already, and they ate it and it was delicious, and if I find a semi-frozen hemp and wood chips patty she wants to know because there could be yummy yolk bits still, so she definitely needs to supervise me.

I’m thinking it won’t hurt to “flood the zone” in case they have the idea now it’s food regardless if it’s thin and breaks.

I think that Peanut’s shells are not strong enough, and I’m back to supplementing calcium now, powder in yogurt. I may try just giving Peanut a mini calcium pill if I can determine it is only she who has this problem, but I suspected Butters last year too. But that would be a stress for either of them and I really hesitate.

I go back and forth between supplementing calcium in their diet to supplementing protein, because I read Buckeyes should have at least a 20% protein feed. They’ve been on Nutrena All Flock 20% for the winter. On the other hand Feather Fixer, very close to layer in calcium and pretty good protein, wasn’t enough calcium for Peanut last year, and possibly Butters too.

They have Scratch n Peck oyster shell flakes, and ground up real eggshell as free choice.

 

[RoyalChick]

There is no doubt of that. She wasn't even 1 year old. We had such a short time together. It's harsh but at the time I was angry and scared. A weasel could have killed them all. Also because Aurora was her opposite. I will never be able to touch Aurora with her permission. I lost the one chicken who really liked me. It still feels unfair. Not that I am wishing that death on Aurora by any means.

I feel guilty because I was sick in bed and did not go out to put them to bed like I should have. So sick I wound up needing an IV but I still should have gone out and got her into the coop. She would still be with us if I had.

So no. I will never forget 1/24.

 

[bgmathteach]

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.

You know, I was thinking - Bernie is probably chasing them from roost to roost because she doesn't want to roost alone, but the Math Majors are wary of roosting with her. Is there a way you could 'force them' to roost together for a night or two to overcome this? Like, maybe lock them in the brooder quarters? (I'm not sure if it is big enough for them to get in and perch on something or not...but if so, it would force them to sleep 'close'.) Just a thought....it might get them over the 'hump', and then the math majors might be willing to roost on a real roost and not 'hide' on the rafters. ??? WDYT???

 

[RoyalChick]

You know, I was thinking - Bernie is probably chasing them from roost to roost because she doesn't want to roost alone, but the Math Majors are wary of roosting with her. Is there a way you could 'force them' to roost together for a night or two to overcome this? Like, maybe lock them in the brooder quarters? (I'm not sure if it is big enough for them to get in and perch on something or not...but if so, it would force them to sleep 'close'.) Just a thought....it might get them over the 'hump', and then the math majors might be willing to roost on a real roost and not 'hide' on the rafters. ??? WDYT???

That is exactly what I think is going on. Bernie wants a friend, but she has been so mean to them they just flee upwards.
My original plan was to lock them in the run until after dark so they would roost on the outdoor roost and then I would take them off and put them next to Bernie at night.
But now I know they can go from ground to rafters (even though they prefer to go from roost to rafters) all that will do is get them back in the rafters in the run.
The brooder box is an interesting idea - if I could put the Math Majors in there until after dark I could then pop them on a roost. But how to get them in the brooder box?
They are definitely more into me than they were originally and will crowd around me and take snacks or just study me, but there is no way they will let me grab them in daylight.
I wonder if I could tempt them to fly into the brooder box with some treats and then close the doors on them.
Hmmm. I think it will frighten them, but maybe not too badly.

 

[ManueB]

There is no doubt of that. She wasn't even 1 year old. We had such a short time together. It's harsh but at the time I was angry and scared. A weasel could have killed them all. Also because Aurora was her opposite. I will never be able to touch Aurora with her permission. I lost the one chicken who really liked me. It still feels unfair. Not that I am wishing that death on Aurora by any means.

I feel guilty because I was sick in bed and did not go out to put them to bed like I should have. So sick I wound up needing an IV but I still should have gone out and got her into the coop. She would still be with us if I had.

So no. I will never forget 1/24.

I am seeing keeping chickens as a permanent life lesson, and some chapters are hard and painful and unfair. I'm sure that terrible memory is the only one among many beautiful moments as your pictures of Mal show. It led you to improve security for all the chickens that were and are in your life now.

The rule that the favorite chicken always die may not be approved by science but chicken has their own science as chicken maths show on the bright side.

 

[bgmathteach]

@Grandmas Coop : I'm sorry to hear about your hen, but believe you did the right thing by her so she didn't suffer.

@lightm : How is your Dad doing? Is he at home now, terrorizing your mom by not behaving, or is he still in the hospital?

@BY Bob Mal was a wonderful chicken in so many ways!

@RoyalChick I feel very much for poor Bernie! But I agree, she should not be on the rafters. If she 'just' fits, she won't be able to spread her wings properly right away when she goes to fly down....and heavier chickens... their wings just slow their trajectory, they don't really 'fly down' in my experience....so they need their wings out right away.

 

[rural mouse]

Oh how I wish this was true. Unfortunately I have not had surgery yet, haven’t even had an appointment with the surgeon yet. There was a massive server issue that affected the systems of many. many providers Monday. So the surgeons office did it even get the referral. I found this out today and for that taken care of, but was told it is “common” for it to be 7-10 business days after a fracture for the surgery. So I sit here in pain (or constantly falling asleep from the pain meds).

Thanks for thinking about me.


She truly was a treasure, Maleficent the Magnificent. Enjoy the memories, she knew she was loved and she loved you back.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

How is your chickens wattle/cheek?

the hen is no more,,,
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sitn-on-the-porch.1297783/page-301

 

[Grandmas Coop]

@Grandmas Coop : How is your chicken with the swollen wattle doing? Is it getting better?

@lightm : How is your Dad doing? Is he at home now, terrorizing your mom by not behaving, or is he still in the hospital?

@BY Bob Mal was a wonderful chicken in so many ways!

@RoyalChick I feel very much for poor Bernie! But I agree, she should not be on the rafters. If she 'just' fits, she won't be able to spread her wings properly right away when she goes to fly down....and heavier chickens... their wings just slow their trajectory, they don't really 'fly down' in my experience....so they need their wings out right away.

she didnt make it

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sitn-on-the-porch.1297783/page-301,