Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Someone crowed.
Pooh is now braying like a donkey but it wasn’t that sound. Piglet has got the goose honking thing going on. But it wasn’t that either.
It wasn’t a full on adult rooster crow. More like practicing.
I can’t figure out who it could be and whether it is actually a little cockerel or just poor voice control.
It could have been Bernie who certainly has other roostwr-like behaviors. Or even Babs who may honestly be the noisiest chicken I have ever encountered.
Or Tassels.
But @RebeccaBoyd thought I would see gold or red by now if Tassels was a boy. Tassels is big, but no red or gold.
The Pentagonists are 12 weeks old.

Here is Tassels looking alert and on the left. Pooh is in the foreground and Calypso head-down on the right.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I guess that is exactly what he was warning me about with his buckets of water advice.
Sigh.

Well we had maybe two issues: the line from the well froze just where it comes up from the part of the house that has a foundation and goes over into the part that's on poles. We weren't sure though and in the meantime had some guys come and pull the pump. The pump was old (28?) and the electric line to it might have been damaged but they tested both, said the line was good and the pump worked, but they said it was failing, citing some electrical passthrough-type test they did on it. So, we doubtfully replaced the pump because they wanted to replace it, and meanwhile DH got at the pipe with a hair dryer and I went under the pole part of the house and nabbed (borrowed) some heat tape wrapped on a septic pipe and DH put it around where the suspected freeze block was.
So an expensive frozen pipe probably, but the pump has worked for fifteen years since.

DH says to check your fuse box first thing and if it's flipped flip it back and it should flip again if there's a problem....

Someone crowed.
Pooh is now braying like a donkey but it wasn’t that sound. Piglet has got the goose honking thing going on. But it wasn’t that either.
It wasn’t a full on adult rooster crow. More like practicing.
I can’t figure out who it could be and whether it is actually a little cockerel or just poor voice control.
It could have been Bernie who certainly has other roostwr-like behaviors. Or even Babs who may honestly be the noisiest chicken I have ever encountered.
Or Tassels.
But @RebeccaBoyd thought I would see gold or red by now if Tassels was a boy. Tassels is big, but no red or gold.
The Pentagonists are 12 weeks old.

Here is Tassels looking alert and on the left. Pooh is in the foreground and Calypso head-down on the right.
View attachment 3570704

I've heard sort-of crows here. Is Tassels' stance like a roo there?

 

[RoyalChick]

Well we had maybe two issues: the line from the well froze just where it comes up from the part of the house that has a foundation and goes over into the part that's on poles. We weren't sure though and in the meantime had some guys come and pull the pump. The pump was old (28?) and the electric line to it might have been damaged but they tested both, said the line was good and the pump worked, but they said it was failing, citing some electrical passthrough-type test they did on it. So, we doubtfully replaced the pump because they wanted to replace it, and meanwhile DH got at the pipe with a hair dryer and I went under the pole part of the house and nabbed (borrowed) some heat tape wrapped on a septic pipe and DH put it around where the suspected freeze block was.
So an expensive frozen pipe probably, but the pump has worked for fifteen years since.
View attachment 3570712
DH says to check your fuse box first thing and if it's flipped flip it back and it should flip again if there's a problem....

I've heard sort-of crows here. Is Tassels' stance like a roo there?

First thing I did was check the electric breakers and they weren’t flipped. That is when I called the pump guy. He seems like a good guy and said I can call him at weekends if I get in trouble.
A friend of mine in a nearby town had two water mains breaks so I guess I am not doing so badly.
I dunno about Tassels - I am hoping others weigh in. She looks like a pullet to me, but then, what do I know?!
She is big though!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Wonderful memories for you to keep, her enjoying the day.

I went out and did the crate setup for Eenie. We are going to cover the top better, but my husband isn't feeling well. Eenie was out doing chicken things in the coop while I did and I was a bit worried she wouldn't go in the nest, but with it pushed aside, she went right in, then I put it in place. I'm not sure if this is going to do the trick. It's temporary though. I have a better set up planned after they hatch
View attachment 3570695
View attachment 3570696

I don't know if you can tell, but there are two doors and the one facing the nest is open, so if she steps out of the nest she can go into the crate. The plastic "chicken wire" is 1inch squares, because I figure little chicks could get thru the crate, at least at the bottom.

I'm not sure how well it'll work.

I also doubt that the others will use the nest boxes...God knows where I'll find eggs.

This is where I found one today. View attachment 3570697 I suspect it happened while I had them locked out working in the coop. But they hate change and they have never used the top nesting boxes. Guess I'll see.

That looks pretty nice actually!

How lovely that she enjoyed some chickeny things today.
Take each day as it comes.

Trying to do so. As @rural mouse said, maybe the painkillers ramping up are helping. I also think possibly of recovering from damage to body functions prior to draining? DH was happy she had a good day, they all came and visited and inspected his work in the garage/barn. I'm going back and forth on this, but will try another draining and see, maybe learn it myself, at least for the future. It is a hopeless endeavor ultimately, yet gives her some good days for now.

 

[Ponypoor]

Many thanks to all of you, helping me think through things. It’s so hard, and your views are really worthwhile to hear. Thank you.

There’s been a surprising turn of events and I cancelled the emergency appointment, for today. I was assured that another can be arranged with little notice. I am now wondering if another draining would help her, as she doesn’t seem to be in the discomfort she was, or out of it and very sleepy like she was. Peanut wanted to join the tribe today and do chickeny things. So different from the last two days. This morning was nice and cool. She decided to get up and out of the nestbox, perhaps prompted by me feeling her belly which is more full, of course.

In the nest box she peeped to me softly, but it was in her flutey way, not the faint grunty bok from before, and was quite alert, snapped at a fly, looked at the others I had let out to forage, seeing them through the open back of the coop, got up and went across the roost bars and out to the veranda, looking down the ladder. But then she sat down on the edge. I went around to her and gave her the meloxicam in a blueberry and she ate some eggs. She seemed very interested in the world and took in the view from there for a little bit. Then she stood up, took one or two steps down the ladder and flew the rest of the way, landing well. She immediately began foraging and went around and out of the aviary to join the others. Her tail was up. She was lower to the ground than she should be, but not a penguin. I didn’t see her scratch, but she was beaking around, turning over leaves and pulling dirt.

Everyone took drinks of the rain drops on the new welded wire shady run which isn’t arranged yet but the door is open so they go in and out. It looked like Hazel and Peanut had a little face off. Hazel was scratching in damp dirt and Peanut wanted to move in and lie on it. Hazel held still, standing, looking down a bit, and Peanut was below her, resting, looking determined. Then it ended.

DH and I left to exercise after they all decided to rest under the lilac. When we came back, all four were in the winter main run, and Peanut was sitting tail up. Her tail is much more down or horizontal now but she’s talking with soft but normal peeps, and still wanting to be active. She foraged on the north side of the barn, went all around the barn, then rested on that north side again. Then she foraged again, and ate some meal worms. Maybe this is her last hurrah? I’d like to give her that.

I think taking all four will work as far as space when the time comes. Not tons of room, but the roosting platform fits in the dog cage, and all four fit that pretty well. It could fit six comfortably for roosting.

Peanut in foreground out this morning, Popcorn rushing to see if I have some goodies, think that's Butters in the back. Hazel was out of the shot scrounging under a Juneberry tree for fallen berries.
View attachment 3570634

Preening with Hazel, Peanut's in the pool, tail very down
View attachment 3570635

Sunbathing with Butters, Peanut's against the wall
View attachment 3570636
View attachment 3570638

Walking and eating grass with Hazel, Peanut's in back
View attachment 3570684

Foraging with Popcorn on the north side of the barn
View attachment 3570686

Late afternoon preening, tail down, again with Hazel, Butters' fluffy butt peeking in, on the left.
View attachment 3570687

Sounds like she is stabilized. If she is interested in doing things that’s a good thing.

 

[Ponypoor]

Wonderful memories for you to keep, her enjoying the day.

I went out and did the crate setup for Eenie. We are going to cover the top better, but my husband isn't feeling well. Eenie was out doing chicken things in the coop while I did and I was a bit worried she wouldn't go in the nest, but with it pushed aside, she went right in, then I put it in place. I'm not sure if this is going to do the trick. It's temporary though. I have a better set up planned after they hatch
View attachment 3570695
View attachment 3570696

I don't know if you can tell, but there are two doors and the one facing the nest is open, so if she steps out of the nest she can go into the crate. The plastic "chicken wire" is 1inch squares, because I figure little chicks could get thru the crate, at least at the bottom.

I'm not sure how well it'll work.

I also doubt that the others will use the nest boxes...God knows where I'll find eggs.

This is where I found one today. View attachment 3570697 I suspect it happened while I had them locked out working in the coop. But they hate change and they have never used the top nesting boxes. Guess I'll see.

Hopefully they will adapt. Chickens are very smart I am sure they will figure it out.

 

[featherhead007]

Hopefully they will adapt. Chickens are very smart I am sure they will figure it out.

They are smarter than I wished they were, for sure!
BoPeeps is a total idiot,dumber than a stone but she’s a beauty and I love her.
The rest of my mob are scary intelligent!!

 

[Lilion]

Hopefully they will adapt. Chickens are very smart I am sure they will figure it out.

I keep getting "wow" reactions and I don't know why. lol. The egg on the ramp?

The weird thing is they didn't eat that egg! I wiped it off the ramp and into a bowl I use for treats and it's just laying there still, over an hour later. Guess I should be glad they don't have a taste for eggs.

You see Sheba's still standing weird...but seems perfectly healthy. My chickens are a puzzle to me.

 

[BY Bob]

Caturday pic

View attachment 3570187Since when do rocks make great pillows?!

Mine use socks.

 

[featherhead007]

Life situation change: my renters that live in the front house have decided to move out. After careful consideration I decided to tell them that they cannot get a dog that they wanted, because it’s in the contract of no animals without approval from the owner. ( i have chickens, what were they thinking?) I did write a nice letter explaining what great tenants they are, and my personal recommendation.
Note. House for rent. 2 bedroom apartment style house with Air Conditioning, jacuzzi tub, separated shower and full private kitchen, 2 bathroom sinks. Utilities are paid by renter. No pets, and must love feathered animals! $375 U.S. dollar per month