Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

No, and I've speculated on egg binding or a reproductive infection, but she just feels skinny and she's not been standing penguin like. The weird thing is no one else is laying either. They are three years old in July.
They stopped laying when it got pretty warm, started up again (maybe at most an egg every other day among the four of them) for a couple weeks when we had a cooler spell, and now again no one has laid since 6/13, though it's safer to say it's been at least a week. I'm worried about her but I'm stumped on the rest of them in that regard.

These are difficult times when they seem unwell but there is no definitive course of action to take. As to the heat stopping laying overall, I've not seen that but I've never had Buckeyes. But they are getting older and you will start to see laying gaps from time to time.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy Tuesday everyone.

I still cannot beat this
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Best 2fer ever!

 

[BY Bob]

Two fer Tuesday

The little Silkie chicklets

Frosty and Cappy
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Lap chickens - enjoying some mealworms
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Cappy and Foggy
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Dorothy and her egg mum Penelope
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Two Swallow chicks - flying now
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Great photos!

 

[fuentemoon]

View attachment 3555686Step 1: light the candle.
Step 2: trace the lid where you want the hole.
Step 3: put nail in vise grips, head against the pincers.
Step 4: heat the nail. This takes a while.
Step 5: push the nail throughthe plastic.
Step 6: repeat steps 4 & 5 until hole is perforated (like stamps used to be), as nail heats, can punch more holes before reheating.
Step 7: use heated nail to angle back and forth connecting holes. (If working on square shape, can do this around the corners, then use hack saw blade (handle won't fit) to cut between holes).
Step 8: use heated nail to smooth the edges.
Step 9: repeat for all access hatches and windows and holes for attaching hardware cloth with zip ties.
Step 10: cut hardware cloth a bit bigger than window and bigger than lower hatch (if babies can get out upper (also used for cord to heat), then they're ready to have lower one opened).
Step 11: bend all points of hardware cloth around frame and crimp securely with vise grips.
Step 12: secure cloth to tote with zipties (start with them loose and tighten down each side starting in middle and working way to corners)

Note: this is the LOW tech method. Feel free to use a propane torch or other power tools to achieve similar ends. Knowing plastic totes can SHATTER, I opted for slower methods of hole creation so I didn't have to start over with a fresh tote, patch any cracks or otherwise attempt to fix the structural integrity of the tote.

Note 2: set up whole project outside where the feathered adults can wander by and crane their necks at you.

They only used the tote for about 10 days. They're still sort of using the heating pad. Once they're done with the pad too, I'll pack up the whole kit and stash it in the garage for the next time. This has been the most seemless integration of ANY birds, except those raised by broodies. I will 100% use this in future! I'm also going to repeat the place it in coop a week before occupants join it.

I bought a cheap unit from harbor freight that looks like a cross between a soldering iron and a dremel. I think it is made for wood burning. Same thought about cutting slow into bins. I was making my iguana a dig box.

 

[bgmathteach]

These are difficult times when they seem unwell but there is definitive course of action to take. As to the heat stopping laying overall, I've not seen that but I've never had Buckeyes. But they are getting older and you will start to see laying gaps from time to time.

In my older & heavier breed birds, when it gets really hot, they do stop laying - but I am talking heat wave kind of hot - and not for just a day or two. The Buckeyes look to be a true dual purpose breed - so that may be part of it
(I find my heavy breeds - like Brahmas, lay well through the winter and are more sensitive to the heat in the summer and 'take heat stress breaks' from laying. Whereas my lighter breeds stop in the deep cold spells of the winter and are less likely to stop laying in the heat.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I still cannot top last weeks twofer, but these are pretty good. Good boy Bubba. At least someone is trying to curtail the egg hiding. Then again, he may have caught on that if you go broody on the porch lately you are allowed to sit and hatch. The sore on his comb is because one of the hens pecked him on the roost.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I've decided to remove BBQ's bumblefoot tomorrow. The scab is already popping up, but one day won't hurt.
I'm really hoping that she recovers.

 

[GregnLety]

These are difficult times when they seem unwell but there is definitive course of action to take. As to the heat stopping laying overall, I've not seen that but I've never had Buckeyes. But they are getting older and you will start to see laying gaps from time to time.

The heat is having an effect on laying here. Early in the spring we were getting about 2 dozen a day and now we are getting less than 15 a day. We don't mind getting less eggs, mainly concerned with the comfort of our birds. I believe we have done all we can do as far as ventilation goes and we keep water in the pens and various shady spots in the yard. So far we haven't lost any birds to the heat.

 

[notabitail]

Two-Fer Tuesday
A Mug for Monday and a Butt for Friday.

 

[Ponypoor]

Greetings! All is well today.

Sheba still looks "off", but she also seems to feel fine. View attachment 3557623
She's more horizontal, but still looks squatty. She laid today.

I can't believe I didn't realize Meanie is head hen. Duh. She struts around like a showgirl. The difference between her and the other girls is striking.

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Finally, Eenie, laying or not, still is settled in on those eggs. But she can be snapped out of her brood coma with those tomatoes. I got some mealworms in her today and she hopped out for a bite.View attachment 3557634

I got one of those mouse traps that was suggested and there are two in it now, waiting to be disposed of. That's the husband's job. Strangely, the Bucket of Doom hasn't caught a thing!

Glad Sheba seems to be doing ok, sometimes all we can do is wait and watch to see what happens.

I am glad Eanie is sticking to those eggs - do you know what the hatch day is?