Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Opened the blinds this morning to see this- 4 impatiently waiting for the nesting boxes- then 1 said, to heck with this I'm going on- she'll have to share..
View attachment 3558583View attachment 3558584

LEGHORNS!!!!!!

 

[Lilion]

Could you damp it down? I don’t know if that would work on concrete but damp ground is cooler.

We could certainly mist it with water. I had been wondering about that, especially for the run. We have a misting fan we could use. I was worried about humidity, but I believe it's only going to be 35 or 40% the hot days.

 

[BY Bob]

If I'm imagining what you saw correctly (like a Grandpa's feeder) that's the style where the door opens above the birds heads? That wouldn't likely happen with this style because the feed door works vertically, not horizontally. It swings inward at most about 45 degrees, with the bottom low. When it closes maybe one could get a smack in the face then?

You can put up side blinders so that no one can sneak in pecking from the side, where they aren't approaching from the front and stepping on the treadle to hold it open but "freeloading" so to speak. This is Hazel's specialty because she was very afraid of it in the beginning and now she's sometimes lazy or just does it for whatever reason, but she always backs off when the other hen steps away. So I stopped using the blinders (just some pieces of wood to block access). The medium size fits two large fowl. The Buckeyes are often side-by-side on the treadle together.

The treadle works by the weight of the bird, so very light birds might make the door too easy for a rodent to open. I think the guy advised at least 2 lbs / ~ 1 K when the Buckeyes were growing up for them to start using it. Also very small birds might require an alteration of the step, bringing it a bit closer, or capping it with a bigger step, which makes the anti-rat feature of distance less effective. Ducks need a special wide step. I think folks use it with mixed flocks; I haven't checked the latest reviews for it on that score.

I noticed the feed lasted longer when I got it going, and I only had mice and such coming after the regular feeders, no rats. It also protects the feed from rain and windy sprinkles much better. So I'm a fan.

Where did you get yours?

 

[BY Bob]

Well done.
You might check the various videos and stuff but I say definitely no to Prid and probably no to soaking unless the wound starts to look infected.
The most critical thing now is to keep it clean and letting it heal up on its own.
So I think some no-stuck gauze and vet wrap changed daily.
Maybe triple antibiotic cream but I am not sure.

Definitely triple antibiotic cream. Great job @Pastel The Rooster

 

[BY Bob]

Your right I think she was going after you and not the chick. I am sure you are hovering near by. I would give her a hour or two and then place a small dish of food and water directly in front of her and walk away. Listen for her to start talking to those chicks. Hopefully when the food is in front of her she will call them out from under her to eat. What you want to hear is her talking to those chicks even while they are under her. If she does not start rejecting them today and keeps them overnight you can relax in the morning. She will have accepted them.

We are so blessed to have you on this thread.

 

[BY Bob]

Lovely to see that! If we don't see babies forming when we candle this weekend, a local farm supply place is having chick days on the 8th. We'll get some for Eenie.

It's hot! Only 92 but the heat index feels like 98 according to my phone app. It's a bit hotter inside the coop. View attachment 3558821

But I'm happy to see that, in the nest box, it's actually a bit cooler (the thermometer has a probe I've put down there).View attachment 3558827

At how hot should I worry?

I have battery fans and frozen jugs of water ready to make swamp coolers if necessary. Making sure the run has shade and we can open the garage door on the front of the coop/shed for more air...but 106 degree air is still 106 degree air whether it's moving or not.

I don't like it when it gets to triple digits. I do things to cool them down including bringing them indoors at night if it stays really hot at night.

 

[BY Bob]

Nerve wracking really!

I was sure I could get them under her, but was worried the suckers would run back out - but they are in there. I checked them a few times, they are still there. Now I will just leave them be. Tomorrow morning I will see if Sophia wants to come off the nest or not, if not I will leave her there, I gave her some mash which she ignored, so I gave her some scratch grain with it - that she ate. She has refused to drink for a few days now which worries me to no end.

That's really why I went and bought some for her - she just wouldn't stop being broody. I am hoping she will get off the nest with the chicks. I didn't want to get any more and wouldn't have if Sophia was still eating and drinking when I dragged her off the nest.

Did you remove the eggs?

 

[featherhead007]

LEGHORN

 

[featherhead007]

And it’s Bobo!
Those two will still hang around, even if I don’t have treats!

 

[Ponypoor]

Did you remove the eggs?

Golf ball? Yep she hatched 4 putters