Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Ok so after much back and forth, back and forth… I decided I would let Henny Penny try to hatch out some eggs.

After inspecting Henny and how much surface area she could cover I decided that I would give her 3 Marty, and one each of Curly, Fluffy, and of course Penelope’s egg.
View attachment 3676420

She's one contented hen!

 

[rural mouse]

After several hours of medical care and general coop stuff, we're done for the day and pooped.

Poor Eenie. Prepare for grossness.

Back of her neck View attachment 3676375View attachment 3676376
Under her "chin".View attachment 3676377

The poor thing is just literally scalped on the back of her neck. It was pretty dry and basically one big scab. It looks wet in the pic because it was after I sprayed it with saline. If you zoom in, there's a more moist, greenish area right at the top by her head. We did extra cleaning in that area, but we didn't want to dislodge the scab. We sprayed thoroughly with the vetericyn and she and Uno are now in the small coop, next to the run. They have been happily scratching away in its run. Eenie doesn't seem to be particularly distressed.View attachment 3676423

I do have some old clindamycin. Would an antibiotic be a good idea? Not that I have the slightest idea how to give it or how much...

We did away with the brooder area and platform finally, and replaced it with a shelf. The little "table" eas moved in front of the nests after I took the pic, in case someone wants a smaller hop. Hopefully, they'll keep using the nests. View attachment 3676399
Finally we did a bit of trash removal. I found the home of the mice. Had a bag of straw. My husband picked it up and at LEAST a dozen of the little ran out! It was horrifying. We have GOT to get rid of them!!! But...that's a struggle for another day.

Poor Tres. He's totally lost by himself with Manny, Meanie and Sheba. He's always has his mom and sister backing him up. View attachment 3676407
Hopefully, they won't gang up on him. He's as tall, if not a bit taller, than Manny...but still a kiddo. I'll be keeping a close eye on him.

I feel silly really. I grew up on a farm! But it's just different when you've taken baby pictures of them.

That almost looks like an animal tried to take a bite out of her. Poor girl.

 

[Marie2020]

After several hours of medical care and general coop stuff, we're done for the day and pooped.

Poor Eenie. Prepare for grossness.

Back of her neck View attachment 3676375View attachment 3676376
Under her "chin".View attachment 3676377

The poor thing is just literally scalped on the back of her neck. It was pretty dry and basically one big scab. It looks wet in the pic because it was after I sprayed it with saline. If you zoom in, there's a more moist, greenish area right at the top by her head. We did extra cleaning in that area, but we didn't want to dislodge the scab. We sprayed thoroughly with the vetericyn and she and Uno are now in the small coop, next to the run. They have been happily scratching away in its run. Eenie doesn't seem to be particularly distressed.View attachment 3676423

I do have some old clindamycin. Would an antibiotic be a good idea? Not that I have the slightest idea how to give it or how much...

Is the antibiotic in capsules? It depends on the weight of the chicken
Tina is tiny, so I split the capsule into four and gave her 3 of that measure a day. Then wrapped the remainder into clingfilm and kept it in the fridge for the morning dose. I could only get amoxicillin.

With amoxicillin being powdered, I put in into distilled water measured by the syringe, then after mixing in well put the treatment back into the syringe and put it a little at a time into the side of her beak. She managed to spit some out but thankfully it seemed to have worked

If you go the antibiotics way, I was advised too follow up with a probiotic and electrolyte water.

Hopefully Bob can advise you.
Do you have any colidial silver? I have found that to be an amazing topical treatment for cuts and burns. It's really helpful IMHO

We did away with the brooder area and platform finally, and replaced it with a shelf. The little "table" eas moved in front of the nests after I took the pic, in case someone wants a smaller hop. Hopefully, they'll keep using the nests. View attachment 3676399
Finally we did a bit of trash removal. I found the home of the mice. Had a bag of straw. My husband picked it up and at LEAST a dozen of the little ran out! It was horrifying. We have GOT to get rid of them!!! But...that's a struggle for another day.

Poor Tres. He's totally lost by himself with Manny, Meanie and Sheba. He's always has his mom and sister backing him up. View attachment 3676407
Hopefully, they won't gang up on him. He's as tall, if not a bit taller, than Manny...but still a kiddo. I'll be keeping a close eye on him.

I feel silly really. I grew up on a farm! But it's just different when you've taken baby pictures of them.

 

[Marie2020]

Long story.

Came home from work yesterday. Kid said a yellow tail went past the window (on the deck). Visiting dog. Went to close the coop last night. Head count 27. No Twirp. Looked around. Not a trace.

This morning, opened coop. Whiskey has a totally naked tail nub. Something snatched his tail. Otherwise he seems fine (can't catch to treat, he's running around). Called off work: bone chill and tired after coffee. Finally took a soak. Gearing up to take Sherlock for a walk and see a dog in the drive. Head out after it. (Sherlock had an accident inside immediately after that, kid working on cleaning up). Dog owner (co-worker who's mother is a neighbor: place with all the cars) said he saw the dog chasing a white bird. We go walkabout down the outside of the pea tree hedge. Found Quartz, then Granite. Look around more not find anymore, but hear a squawk from down below. (Wondering why the 2 were out where we found them, what was going on around the coop). Owner offered to pay for the birds. Ok. No idea what they're going to do with the dog (I didn't ask). Owner leaves and I go start Head count around the coop. Come up with 22. With Twirp missing, Quartz and Granite dead, should be 25. 3 missing: Pear, Nimbus, and I'm not sure who. I saw Whiskey, Cheetah, Hector, Blanche, PITA, Cuckoo, Lark, Indigo, Primula, Belladonna, Nellie, Pippa, Maizie, Mera, Storm, Cardhu, Cumulo, Shan, Enigma.....pretty sure I saw Jessica, Havoc....leaves Tuff and Chia (possibly off laying another egg in her hiding spot). Anyway, not quite sure who is missing.

Went down to lower neighbors to see if the squawk I heard was from there. His mom (former owner of our place) and his sister and a young man (not sure who) were there. Yellow dog from yesterday is there. Now they know dog was up ON the deck. Also found Whiskey's tail feathers down there, so proof something grabbed at him. Told them about Twirp missing yesterday, the 2 dead today, hearing something down there. They had been out trimming some of the shrubs when one of the dogs flushed a chicken out of the rose patch at the end of the house near where the feathers were. We go out and poke under the juniper bush. (My hair is still wet from my soak and hanging to my waist). I can see tail feathers, looking suspiciously like Twirp's. Used some hand snips to trim out a couple of branches and I can see her. It is Twirp. As soon as I laid hands on her tail feathers, she squirms farther in (I'm belly down under a juniper shrub up to my waist). Finally fish her out and she hunkers down in my arms, obviously scared and shock. She's got similar wounds to Whiskey's, just with a couple more tail feathers. They're going to keep an eye out for any more birds and let me know if they find any. Twirp got brought back up to the house, where we started cleaning up (poopy butt in addition to the feather loss). Drink of water got her standing on her own, drinking and looking around a bit. Still more interested in sitting still. Sprayed area with vetricyn. Then had kid go out and bring in the baby tote. Tucked her in there, then set up feeder. Went out to the coop, trying to figure out who would be a calm companion (She's the independent, go off by herself twirp). Whiskey is roosting.....ooh good idea, need to treat him too. Bit of a fight getting him off the roost so he's mostly fine. Corner him and pack him in (he's pretty unhappy about it, and quite the hefty weight, at least double Twirp, who is about 4 pounds). Get his backside sprayed and add him to the tote. Quarters are TIGHT, he's a big boy......and a good boy. He promptly starts talking to Twirp and tidbitting over the food, eating as he goes. Good.

Take Sherlock for a walk (he's been looked in the laundry out of the way, and needs a bath from his accident). Warm enough to use the hose....which he fights hard enough to slip his collar. He runs off in his "I've got the zoomies" gait and I have visions of him going through the birds.....surprisingly he comes right back when I call him. Collar back on and tightened down a bit. Try more washing....he's wet...good enough. Back inside to introduce him to his new house mates (who are NOT happy: Whiskey sounds alarm and Twirp hides under him. Sherlock is naturally curious about it and wants to poke his nose in. Repeated efforts, finally move the baby gate (for keeping him off the stairs and haven't needed that way in a while) over to help "fence off the corner". Now lots more opportunities to practice "come" with distractions. Drying him off was more difficult as he likes to play with towels.

All this has been over the last 2 and a half hours. Currently sitting in living room, Sherlock napping at feet. Hearing pecking from the kitchen. Have vitamins in the water and mixed scratch and pellets into the feeder. Also have pumpkins to process, so some of those will go to birds. Still need to go back out and see if any of the others have turned up. Definitely NOT what I planned on doing on a sick day (more like nipping the sick before it gets nasty). I still have juniper in my sweater (alpaca wool, and when it came to rescuing Twirp, I didn't care) and need to brush out my hair, getting rid of any more twigs in it.

I applaud you. You have worked amazingly well.

 

[Marie2020]

Here is another Dean Farm post.

What an incredible place.

 

[featherhead007]

Alex and Kelly

It's my dearest wish but there are a lot if times I'm physically held back I push as hard as I possibly can but it's becoming more and more dangerous

I'm not getting any younger and my damaged bones and joints are sometimes really incapacitating...meaning it's difficult too move. Plus my hips are deteriorating on top of everything else

I have a geriatric dog that is starting to go blind and a cat. I keep all my animals to the very best of my capability. My old dog still needs his walks , sometimes they are only tiny ones depending on me him and the weather.

The more I look into Deans Farm, the more it seems like a great idea.

They really care about all of their animals and have an abundance of sweet people that help out.

When you turn in your chooks to Dean’s Farm, you won’t need this chicken club anymore. That is unacceptable to me!

 

[Marie2020]

When you turn in your chooks to Dean’s Farm, you won’t need this chicken club anymore. That is unacceptable to me!

Oh yes I will and this won't be until after this winter, so they can adapt when the weather is better for them

I really love coming in here. Since being a very young girl I have rescued

I have that lovely coop out there and knowing me I'll be finding birds and what ever to rescue.

As long as you all won't mind I'll still be coming in, poking my nose around as usual

 

[Lilion]

Is the antibiotic in capsules? It depends on the weight of the chicken
Tina is tiny, so I split the capsule into four and gave her 3 of that measure a day. Then wrapped the remainder into clingfilm and kept it in the fridge for the morning dose. I could only get amoxicillin.

With amoxicillin being powdered, I put in into distilled water measured by the syringe, then after mixing in well put the treatment back into the syringe and put it a little at a time into the side of her beak. She managed to spit some out but thankfully it seemed to have worked

If you go the antibiotics way, I was advised too follow up with a probiotic and electrolyte water.

Hopefully Bob can advise you.
Do you have any colidial silver? I have found that to be an amazing topical treatment for cuts and burns. It's really helpful IMHO

The clindamycin is capsules. I had a Rx for pre-med for dental work (heart murmur) but I got them from both the Dr and the Dentist, so I have some left over.

I don't have colidial silver. Where would I buy that?

That almost looks like an animal tried to take a bite out of her. Poor girl.

I know! It's terrible. I would think that, but we've had no predator problem since the snake and really, Eenie and the chicks have spent most of their time in the coop, which is pretty darn secure. It had to have been Manny, then others (Meanie, I'm looking at you ).

 

[Ponypoor]

Long story.

Came home from work yesterday. Kid said a yellow tail went past the window (on the deck). Visiting dog. Went to close the coop last night. Head count 27. No Twirp. Looked around. Not a trace.

This morning, opened coop. Whiskey has a totally naked tail nub. Something snatched his tail. Otherwise he seems fine (can't catch to treat, he's running around). Called off work: bone chill and tired after coffee. Finally took a soak. Gearing up to take Sherlock for a walk and see a dog in the drive. Head out after it. (Sherlock had an accident inside immediately after that, kid working on cleaning up). Dog owner (co-worker who's mother is a neighbor: place with all the cars) said he saw the dog chasing a white bird. We go walkabout down the outside of the pea tree hedge. Found Quartz, then Granite. Look around more not find anymore, but hear a squawk from down below. (Wondering why the 2 were out where we found them, what was going on around the coop). Owner offered to pay for the birds. Ok. No idea what they're going to do with the dog (I didn't ask). Owner leaves and I go start Head count around the coop. Come up with 22. With Twirp missing, Quartz and Granite dead, should be 25. 3 missing: Pear, Nimbus, and I'm not sure who. I saw Whiskey, Cheetah, Hector, Blanche, PITA, Cuckoo, Lark, Indigo, Primula, Belladonna, Nellie, Pippa, Maizie, Mera, Storm, Cardhu, Cumulo, Shan, Enigma.....pretty sure I saw Jessica, Havoc....leaves Tuff and Chia (possibly off laying another egg in her hiding spot). Anyway, not quite sure who is missing.

Went down to lower neighbors to see if the squawk I heard was from there. His mom (former owner of our place) and his sister and a young man (not sure who) were there. Yellow dog from yesterday is there. Now they know dog was up ON the deck. Also found Whiskey's tail feathers down there, so proof something grabbed at him. Told them about Twirp missing yesterday, the 2 dead today, hearing something down there. They had been out trimming some of the shrubs when one of the dogs flushed a chicken out of the rose patch at the end of the house near where the feathers were. We go out and poke under the juniper bush. (My hair is still wet from my soak and hanging to my waist). I can see tail feathers, looking suspiciously like Twirp's. Used some hand snips to trim out a couple of branches and I can see her. It is Twirp. As soon as I laid hands on her tail feathers, she squirms farther in (I'm belly down under a juniper shrub up to my waist). Finally fish her out and she hunkers down in my arms, obviously scared and shock. She's got similar wounds to Whiskey's, just with a couple more tail feathers. They're going to keep an eye out for any more birds and let me know if they find any. Twirp got brought back up to the house, where we started cleaning up (poopy butt in addition to the feather loss). Drink of water got her standing on her own, drinking and looking around a bit. Still more interested in sitting still. Sprayed area with vetricyn. Then had kid go out and bring in the baby tote. Tucked her in there, then set up feeder. Went out to the coop, trying to figure out who would be a calm companion (She's the independent, go off by herself twirp). Whiskey is roosting.....ooh good idea, need to treat him too. Bit of a fight getting him off the roost so he's mostly fine. Corner him and pack him in (he's pretty unhappy about it, and quite the hefty weight, at least double Twirp, who is about 4 pounds). Get his backside sprayed and add him to the tote. Quarters are TIGHT, he's a big boy......and a good boy. He promptly starts talking to Twirp and tidbitting over the food, eating as he goes. Good.

Take Sherlock for a walk (he's been looked in the laundry out of the way, and needs a bath from his accident). Warm enough to use the hose....which he fights hard enough to slip his collar. He runs off in his "I've got the zoomies" gait and I have visions of him going through the birds.....surprisingly he comes right back when I call him. Collar back on and tightened down a bit. Try more washing....he's wet...good enough. Back inside to introduce him to his new house mates (who are NOT happy: Whiskey sounds alarm and Twirp hides under him. Sherlock is naturally curious about it and wants to poke his nose in. Repeated efforts, finally move the baby gate (for keeping him off the stairs and haven't needed that way in a while) over to help "fence off the corner". Now lots more opportunities to practice "come" with distractions. Drying him off was more difficult as he likes to play with towels.

All this has been over the last 2 and a half hours. Currently sitting in living room, Sherlock napping at feet. Hearing pecking from the kitchen. Have vitamins in the water and mixed scratch and pellets into the feeder. Also have pumpkins to process, so some of those will go to birds. Still need to go back out and see if any of the others have turned up. Definitely NOT what I planned on doing on a sick day (more like nipping the sick before it gets nasty). I still have juniper in my sweater (alpaca wool, and when it came to rescuing Twirp, I didn't care) and need to brush out my hair, getting rid of any more twigs in it.

OMG how tragic.

First I hope you’re not too sick. Ok now I hope you had some strong words with the neighbours.

Might be time for some electric poultry netting or maybe put up a run if you can? Darn dogs, they are far worse than fox or hawks.

Gosh… I am just gobsmacked

Whiskey is purring to Twirp. He's going to need to rejoin the rest, probably tomorrow. Dunno if Twirp will be ready or need another day or 2. If she needs the time, I'm going to have to figure out who to bring in with her. Probably someone moulting in misery so they leave her be too. Sardines and pumpkins will be happening tomorrow.

Most of the rest (Tuff included)View attachment 3676421Storm is in with Cumulo and Cardhu (who seem lost). Makes me suspect Nimbus was with Quartz and Granite and I simply couldn't find her.

I'm guessing Chia is off laying another egg, with Pear doing guard duty as I still can't find them either. It was like that when Chia had her night out last week. Wherever she has that nest, it's WELL hidden.

Oh gosh I hope they are off on a nest somewhere. I am not a dog person - oh I have had my share of them and loved them, but I have had nothing but trouble from the neighborhood dogs.

These days dogs come on my property they get clobbered and if they survive sent to the SPCA I have spent 1000s of dollars on good horse fencing and if people can’t keep their dogs properly then they shouldn’t have one. It’s too expensive to treat my horses. And now with my chooks I have zero tolerance for them.

I am just so saddened for you

 

[Ponypoor]

The clindamycin is capsules. I had a Rx for pre-med for dental work (heart murmur) but I got them from both the Dr and the Dentist, so I have some left over.

I don't have colidial silver. Where would I buy that?

I know! It's terrible. I would think that, but we've had no predator problem since the snake and really, Eenie and the chicks have spent most of their time in the coop, which is pretty darn secure. It had to have been Manny, then others (Meanie, I'm looking at you ).

As long as the wound is dry and not running I wouldn’t give antibiotics. If it starts to drain I would just keep it clean. It looks pretty dry and I don’t see any swelling, it might look nasty but it’s scabbed over so I would leave it. Just be prepared for it to take a long time to heal and slough off.

If she looks uncomfortable you can try a half low dose aspirin twice a day. But she looks pretty good.