Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[GregnLety]

I am thinking it is coccidiosis.

Positive thoughts for your hen.

 

[RoyalChick]

Before you start panicking, if Bernie goes broody and is a no touch hen you really may not have to interfere with her at all. Yes, we need to make sure our broody girls get off daily to eat and drink it is true, but those first 2 or 3 days and the final 2 or 3 days I do not enforce that rule. I am as hands off as possible the first day or so as to no aggravate the future momma and to reinforce that desire to sit. I will check to make sure no additional eggs have been added, but I will not force her to get up if she chooses not to those first 48 hours. Now, if we are nearing the end of day 3 and she has not gotten off yet then I will intervene and pluck her from the nest and walk a good distance away so as she will at least potty and then hopefully eat and drink before returning. After those first 3 days you should notice that she will get off on her own daily. Depending on the hen they can stay off just a few minutes only to relieve themselves and stuff as much food and water into them as they can. Some will stay off a little longer to throw a dust bath in the mix and for good measure whip a hen or rooster who looks at them the wrong way. If you are allowing her to incubate eggs, those final 2ish days or 3 she will not budge. Do not make her move either, those chicks have internally pipped and she knows it and she will stick like glue. Think of this time as lock down if you are using a incubator. They all seem to know this as well. That final day they come off the eggs, they can and some will spend a hour or longer off the eggs. They are eating more, drinking more and mine will usually take a good long dust bath. I watch for this, it is my sign chicks are on their way. All this being said, Bernie may not be thinking of going broody at all. One sure fire way to check, get your hands on her and see if she is plucking out her chest and belly feathers. If she has, yup, she has it in her head she is going broody.

Very helpful. Thank you.
And remember no rooster here.
The only plucked feathers around are Eli's and she definitely plucks to make her nest nice and soft, and when she has laid she gathers up feathers and moves them to where she laid the egg.
But I don't really see any sign of her going broody.
Frankly, if it put a pause in her laying of dinosaur sized eggs it would be a relief!

 

[RoyalChick]

She is right now in a cage in the barn separate from everyone and she has ACV water and a feeder of fermented feed and some plain old feed.

Make sure she has plain water too - the ACV may or may not do anything for her (not is my personal bias) but if she doesn't like the taste you don't want her to dehydrate - so make sure she always has access to plain water.

 

[RoyalChick]

Finally caught up again, it has taken forever.


Poor thing. Thankfully she has “some” things she isn’t allergic to. When I was young they tested me for 130 items. I was allergic to all of them, including just about everything that grows, cats, dogs, horses, mold, and house dust. Took allergy shots twice a week for about five years. Now I “try” to manage with OTC meds. It can be a struggle, but she will find a way to manage.

For the vulture lovers, here are some assorted pics of Black Vulture adults/babies. We have a breeding pair that has laid for the past four years in an old culvert on our property.

Mom or Dad (they take turns sitting on the eggs and caring for the young)
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Eggs (two, look like speckled rocks)
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One hatched, one egg just behind it
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Babies
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Babies that recently fledged and are still staying close to nest
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And Thirsty Thursday as tax
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Wow those are amazing pictures of the vultures!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Very helpful. Thank you.
And remember no rooster here.
The only plucked feathers around are Eli's and she definitely plucks to make her nest nice and soft, and when she has laid she gathers up feathers and moves them to where she laid the egg.
But I don't really see any sign of her going broody.
Frankly, if it put a pause in her laying of dinosaur sized eggs it would be a relief!

No roosters does not mean you are not toying with the idea of obtaining fertile eggs though.

 

[LhickenChicken]

Make sure she has plain water too - the ACV may or may not do anything for her (not is my personal bias) but if she doesn't like the taste you don't want her to dehydrate - so make sure she always has access to plain water.

No she is used to drinking acv water. I gave it to them ever since I got them. But I will look for another container I can use for plain water. She now has four feeders and one waterer!

 

[LhickenChicken]

No she is used to drinking acv water. I gave it to them ever since I got them. But I will look for another container I can use for plain water. She now has four feeders and one waterer!

soon to be two waterers

 

[BY Bob]

Before you start panicking, if Bernie goes broody and is a no touch hen you really may not have to interfere with her at all. Yes, we need to make sure our broody girls get off daily to eat and drink it is true, but those first 2 or 3 days and the final 2 or 3 days I do not enforce that rule. I am as hands off as possible the first day or so as to no aggravate the future momma and to reinforce that desire to sit. I will check to make sure no additional eggs have been added, but I will not force her to get up if she chooses not to those first 48 hours. Now, if we are nearing the end of day 3 and she has not gotten off yet then I will intervene and pluck her from the nest and walk a good distance away so as she will at least potty and then hopefully eat and drink before returning. After those first 3 days you should notice that she will get off on her own daily. Depending on the hen they can stay off just a few minutes only to relieve themselves and stuff as much food and water into them as they can. Some will stay off a little longer to throw a dust bath in the mix and for good measure whip a hen or rooster who looks at them the wrong way. If you are allowing her to incubate eggs, those final 2ish days or 3 she will not budge. Do not make her move either, those chicks have internally pipped and she knows it and she will stick like glue. Think of this time as lock down if you are using a incubator. They all seem to know this as well. That final day they come off the eggs, they can and some will spend a hour or longer off the eggs. They are eating more, drinking more and mine will usually take a good long dust bath. I watch for this, it is my sign chicks are on their way. All this being said, Bernie may not be thinking of going broody at all. One sure fire way to check, get your hands on her and see if she is plucking out her chest and belly feathers. If she has, yup, she has it in her head she is going broody.

Excellent response. Perhaps a paragraph would help make it a little more readable.

 

[ValarieF]

Hubby fed chooks this morning. Hens are playing egg song they are so loud. I just caught up on the forums I was throwing up all night and in severe pain. Next time Im calling an ambulance it was horrible. Checks on babies this morning they are so cute.

 

[RoyalChick]

No roosters does not mean you are not toying with the idea of obtaining fertile eggs though.

Or that others aren’t toying with the idea for me!