Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

I check anytime I see that. What I'm looking for is an abnormally dry vent, a poop build up above the vent. Below isn't so important, but above is often on the flesh rather than the feathers and the uric acid in the poop can cause dryness and cracks just above the vent.
I'm a great believer in poop checks. If I see a hen poop, I look. It has given indications that there are problems before a chicken starts to look under the weather. I discovered Nolia had worms by poop checking. I worked out that Dink had an broken egg insider her vent from poop checking. I discovered Tan had cancer through poop checking and much more beside.

Same here. I’ve been known to trot across the yard to get a look at a poop.

 

[micstrachan]

Thank you. I wasn't planning on closing them in but maybe I can close one of the ones that puts the draft right on them when they roost. In any case I can't close them entirely because the Young Ladies are still making it to the top of the window at night.
Thank you - I love the Chicken Palace too!

The chicken palace really is amazing!

 

[micstrachan]

It's Time to Fire Up the Way-Back Machine

Let's head back 2 years, Mr. Peabody set the way-back machine for September 12-17, 2018.

September 12, 2018 was a bad day. I was feeling especially low that evening. I was out sitting at the end of the coop. I had the coop door open as I was watching them roost. I was very late getting out. Lilly got down off the roost and came to the door to check on what i was doing.
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The next thing that happened is one of those things that just endear these animals to me. She hopped down and then jumped up into my lap. She had never done that before and has never done it since.
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I instantly felt better.

During this time frame Patsy and Lilly were a flock of their own with Daisy, the greatest hen ever having passed earlier in the year.

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This was coming to an end as we were starting full integration of Jabberwocky, I was still deluding myself thinking he was a pullet, and Hattie.

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Final time roosting in the prefab coop.

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Where did our coop go?
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How do we get in this big one? There is no door here!

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Finally figured it out
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Let's go back to the beginning now, Mr. Peabody, set the way-back machine for September 12, 2013.

Here are Dolly and Trisha enjoying a Cheeto
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Checking out the magnolia tree.
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Squirrel encounters are nothing new around here. Dolly and Mr. Squirrel had an encounter that day.
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How about a gratuitous kittie photo. Here is my Dr Zoidberg cleaning himself.
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That was an eventful day for them. Time to move on. Let's check in on Elphie. Mr. Peabody set the way-back machine for September 16, 2015.

Elphie was the first hen to enter the house on her own. She was being chased by a dog and ran right between my legs when I opened the door to see what the ruckus was. She ran all the way to the living room and then stopped when she realized where she was.
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Earlier that day she was just enjoying herself in the fall sun.
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What a memorable day for her.

Let's drop in on the The Greatest Hen Ever before we wrap up our trip back in time. Set the way-back machine for September 15, 2016.

Not a lot happening this day but the flock did enjoy some leftover spaghetti sauce.
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Let's wrap with another gratuitous kittie photo. Why do large cats want to cram into small boxes?
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That is it for today's journey back. Mr. Peabody please set the way-back machine to take us back home.

It’s super fun to see the way back machine photos. Several of them are birds of yours I never really knew. I think I was interested in your thread a couple years ago, but was so obsessed with the emergency forum, I didn’t really hang out much. I definitely remember reading about Jabberwocky.

 

[micstrachan]

OK, folks. Now that I have caught up, I’m going to share an update. Lucky, the one who had a soft egg break inside, is doing very well. Her butt fluff is messy, but I think it’s more a reaction to the antibiotics. She laid an egg with a shell yesterday. The shell was a little wonky, but at least it was there. Her behavior is good. Roxy on the other hand is not looking very good. She’s the one who has been anemic. I took her to the vet a couple months ago and it seemed her intestines were bleeding, though an x-ray revealed no ingestion of hardware. Roxy has had beef liver (for iron) the last three days, but is still very pale and walking slowly. She has had more liver today and some feed, but she doesn’t have much energy. Honestly, I’m concerned she’s still bleeding somewhere. Her poops are no longer black, but I do wonder if she could have fatty liver that could be starting to bleed. Last summer one of my hens died from it, and despite the fact that I’ve been trying to slim them down, it’s possible some still have it… The excess fat, that is. I made them a nice batch of wet food with echinacea golden seal, olive leaf extract, milk thistle, and some other goodness. I had actually forgotten that I had intended on doing that about once a month. It has been several months. Roxy had a few eager bites, but you know how chickens can be… They rush for whatever I’ve got, and the sick ones will back away from the crowd.

 

[micstrachan]

I forgot to mention that Roxy is flicking her head a bit today, too. That’s exactly what Bagheera did the morning she died of a liver hemorrhage. Sadly, if that’s what’s going on with Roxy, I’m pretty sure there’s absolutely nothing I can do. I will continue to support her the best I can while she is with us.

 

[featherhead007]

Jaffar (My rooster) has a sneeze, and hoarse throat today, I just noticed! I love this little roo, and want nothing bad happening to him.

 

[micstrachan]

@RoyalChick, talk about feeling guilty. If Roxy or anyone else has fatty liver, it’s almost certainly a direct result of my poor husbandry. There can be a genetic component, but usually it’s from carrying excess fat. I’ve been really trying to turn things around, but have always been aware it was possible some of the older girls would end up with problems From the year I threw pounds and pounds of pasture seed.

 

[RoyalChick]

Same here. I’ve been known to trot across the yard to get a look at a poop.

You two need to give us all a poo tutorial. I also look but don't really know what I am looking for. I just figure if I get used to knowing what 'normal' looks like (which to me seems rather variable) then I will know if I see something abnormal.

 

[micstrachan]

Jaffar (My rooster) has a sneeze, and hoarse throat today, I just noticed! I love this little roo, and want nothing bad happening to him.

It’s awesome that you are so attentive, but I wouldn’t freak out about it just yet. This happens periodically to random members of my flock, and they’ve always gotten over it in a day or two. I think the important thing is to keep the overall health of your flock up, and if he does come down with something, address it then.

 

[RoyalChick]

The chicken palace really is amazing!

Thank you! I know I went totally over the top but I love it so much I don't regret it at all.