Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

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

I almost wonder if she got her head stuck somewhere.

Well guess we won’t ever know.

 

[Ponypoor]

She's one contented hen!

Yes I took her off the nest to poop and grab a bite - while she was off the nest I plopped the eggs in the nest. When she went back in and saw them she was clucking happily, and picked her way onto the nest - she’s happy now.

You do realize my mum is gonna throttle me - right?!

 

[featherhead007]

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


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

 

[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.

I don’t think you give yourself enough credit!

 

[Ponypoor]

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.

I hear you - I am the same with the horses. Once all my gals are gone I won’t have any more, it’s too hard on my back and hips.

I am glad you are not rushing to rehome your ladies, even though you have mobility problems it’s good exercise for you walking your pup and caring for your chooks.

They give you a reason to get up and meet the day

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes I took her off the nest to poop and grab a bite - while she was off the nest I plopped the eggs in the nest. When she went back in and saw them she was clucking happily, and picked her way onto the nest - she’s happy now.

You do realize my mum is gonna throttle me - right?!

I have 21 days till I need to tell her

 

[RoyalChick]

@Marie2020

I agree - you need to get 2 or 3 chicks if you can find them (sexed pullets), or if not then a couple ready to lay pullets. Your ladies can show them the ropes. And I agree with Bob you need at least 2 so that they can be introduced with your ladies and have a friend.

I too have been thinking along the same lines @Marie2020 I went through this thinking for my own flock which led me to get Babs and Eli and now the Pentagonists. I really didn’t want to end up with a lone chicken.

 

[RoyalChick]

That feather had somehow bent. I waited until she was in the coop and sleepy then i just snipped it off with a scissors. I hope that's sorted it out.

There's fireworks galore around here. I so wish that they would ban them. So many animals have died because of them .

A horse broke her leg on the 31st and many dog and cats have serious problems.
I hope my chickens are okays

I just arrived in the UK a couple of hours ago and the number of fireworks is insane. I keep jumping out of my skin - I can only imagine for the poor animals outside.

 

[RoyalChick]

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.

Oh no! How devastating.

What is the plan for the dog?

 

[Ponypoor]

I just arrived in the UK a couple of hours ago and the number of fireworks is insane. I keep jumping out of my skin - I can only imagine for the poor animals outside.

Oh is it guy fawks? I keep forgetting it’s November - I keep thinking it’s still summer (delusional aren’t I?).