Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Good luck figuring it out.
How does the body conditioning scale work? I should probably check my gluttons!
I know Babs weighs 5lbs.

It's the feel of the keel and in relation to the muscles there, and what shape the muscle itself takes: concave, flat, slightly round, pretty round. I think the vet rated Butters a 2 when she saw her. Popcorn was a 4. For dogs and cats they go by a 1-5 or a 1-9 for more subtle variations.
https://poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/chicken-body-condition-score-chart

 

[rural mouse]

How many EE’s do you have?

Umm...Storm is half Olive Egger. Pippa and Maizie are green laying EE x Buff Orp. Whiskey shares their father. Tuff is Pippa/Maizie son crossed with Horus: hamburg x brown leghorn. Havoc is likely at least half sib to Pippa, Maizie, and Whiskey, but don't know what color she lays yet.

So....3 hens, 2 roosters, with access to several more via the in-laws.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It's the feel of the keel and in relation to the muscles there, and what shape the muscle itself takes: concave, flat, slightly round, pretty round. I think the vet rated Butters a 2 when she saw her. Popcorn was a 4. For dogs and cats they go by a 1-5 or a 1-9 for more subtle variations.
https://poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/chicken-body-condition-score-chart
View attachment 3619476

Buckeye females are supposed to be 6-8, 5-7 lbs, so Popcorn is not out of the range at 6+. She is also built very wide, she's a little tank with broad shoulders so to speak. My concern is she's right in there when I'm giving anything extra to Butters (or even Hazel, who is on the skinny side), yet feeding Butters separately is not great for her, she really responds to the "hey, others find this good, everyone around me is eating, let's give it another try" socialization.

 

[RoyalChick]

It's the feel of the keel and in relation to the muscles there, and what shape the muscle itself takes: concave, flat, slightly round, pretty round. I think the vet rated Butters a 2 when she saw her. Popcorn was a 4. For dogs and cats they go by a 1-5 or a 1-9 for more subtle variations.
https://poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/chicken-body-condition-score-chart
View attachment 3619476

Hmmm - I think mine have always had very prominent keel bones. I hope I am not starving them!
I didn't ask the vet about that so I don't know what she thought from examining Babs.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hmmm - I think mine have always had very prominent keel bones. I hope I am not starving them!
I didn't ask the vet about that so I don't know what she thought from examining Babs.

It's not just a prominent keel bone - you need to feel the muscle across it too - is it concave up to the keel, like matching the keel shape exactly, or flat across like a sheet strung on it over that concave keel shape, or does it have a little roundness to it, or a lot of bulge to it and the bone edge would also be kind of covered by muscle, etc.

You could ask your vet for their exam summary? The ones I've found here emailed me the post-visit notes and the test results.

 

[Ponypoor]

That is hilarious - but SHRA Tax requires more than one chicken. Does she have a friend?

Drats that’s right!

Well truly is a big chicken you know

Here are two naughty boys

 

[RoyalChick]

Drats that’s right!

Well truly is a big chicken you know

Here are two naughty boys
View attachment 3619530

What a lovely picture!

 

[RoyalChick]

It's not just a prominent keel bone - you need to feel the muscle across it too - is it concave up to the keel, like matching the keel shape exactly, or flat across like a sheet strung on it over that concave keel shape, or does it have a little roundness to it, or a lot of bulge to it and the bone edge would also be kind of covered by muscle, etc.

You could ask your vet for their exam summary? The ones I've found here emailed me the post-visit notes and the test results.

Thank you - that is a good idea - I will give Babs a good keel and muscle exam and then see what the vet thought.
I don't believe they are starving - they have free access pellets and spend all day most days roaming over a big area of 'jungle' full of goodness knows what! But I am always struck when I lift anyone up that the keel bone is quite 'sharp'. I guess they do get a lot of exercise running around.

 

[BY Bob]

I feel we need to see Phyllis in that vehicle.

There's a thought.

 

[BY Bob]

You can’t buy such humor from a stand up comedian catalog! My chickens are hilarious

Almost as funny as you.