Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

I have only just started researching salpingitis: this morning Becky laid a lash egg.

I didn’t take a photo of the material, but could if anyone is curious; looks just like the stuff found on google. So much for hoping it was an easy fungal infection. This new diagnosis explains the soft eggs, reduced laying, and lethargy.

If I can gather the fortitude to do it, I would rather euthanize her before her body fails and she feels completely debilitated/pained. I’m reading online that with this disease, this will likely happen in the next few months.

Tina lived around a year after laying a lash egg, and she was a battery hen. Sadly Agatha didn't cope so well.

Princess laid two last year and she's still going. It meant no more egg laying for all three
I only wish I had more knowledge of these lash eggs at the time because it may well have prolonged thier lives.

Princess has never been a great layer maybe this is why she's still with us.

Throwback to baby Becky during her ugly phase. View attachment 3786344

I’m disappointed but not sad, so no need for condolences. Just the way the cookie crumbles

 

[micstrachan]

Officially 60° (14) but my thermometer is reading almost 80 and its not even in full sun!
View attachment 3787765
Had a glide by from a bald eagle this morning, you have to zoom way in to see it.
View attachment 3787771View attachment 3787772
The ladies are hiding in deep shade
View attachment 3787773

Smart ladies!

 

[micstrachan]

The blind man himself, still tidbitting his ladies! View attachment 3790863

Oh goodness, Alex. How did sweet Jaffar go blind?

 

[micstrachan]

Hello everyone, I hope you all had wonderful Easter celebrations. It has been tough here, and will be for some time. That being said, through all the tears there have been many instances to stop and smile. There had been several nice spring days this past month, they went by unnoticed. Saturday morning after Grandma left us me and mom went outside on the porch to sit and wait for the hospice nurse to come out for the final time. Tears were flowing and the grief was still very raw but after a few minutes we both noticed pretty much at the same time. This was not just a nice spring morning. This was a glorious spring morning. The sky was a cloud free bright blue, it was already almost 70 degrees with no humidity. Just a perfect morning. Spring was always Grandma's favorite season. Actually the last 3 days have been wonderful, and I have been outside to enjoy them for her. Grandma's faith was strong, she knew she where she was going, and yesterday I know she had the best Easter with family that she has missed. We were not going to do anything to celebrate, Mom changed her mind when she woke up yesterday morning. Family dinners were important to grandma, she would have had a fit if we did not have a ham on Easter. I wish I could have been with her just for a moment today. Grandma had 10 siblings. My aunt Marie was the one she was closest to. Growing up we spent half of our time at her house. My Aunt passed away 10 years ago this past December. Today is her birthday. Since she has been gone April 1st has been one of the hardest days for grandma. April 29th was the other tough day as that is when we lost her mother. I tell you right now, there has been a joyous birthday celebration going on in heaven today. Rosie is doing well with this. I was worried about her but I am thankful to say she has a strong core group of friends who understand. They have stepped up and been there for support. I guess it is part of being a teenager, but, instead of needing me at first, she went to Maddie next door for comfort. Not going to lie, as a mom that hurt, but I let it go. Maddie also loved grandma and they both needed to lean on each other.
Now for some chicken news, and call me crazy but it feels like something Grandma would put a hen up to if she could.
Momma Hen is officially broody the she devil. I thought she was laying on the hill again and was expecting her to disappear. Now I have 3 hens that have been laying outside of Russ's stall in the corner. There has been a white egg in it, but, I was thinking it was one of the leghorns. About 7 this evening I am doing the final egg collection and there is Momma hen in that spot. I get a warning growl so I left her alone thinking maybe she is just laying a egg and would get them when she comes off. I waited until dark and came back out to gather the eggs in that spot. I should have turned on the barn light. I also should have looked in the tree to see if she was in it. I did not do either. Instead I go out and lean in to gather the eggs. That crazy hen came out of nowhere and tried to rip my ear off. Once again I invent new curse words to call her as she is back on the eggs letting out demonic noises. She had 5 eggs under her, I took a beating and got 4. I left her 1. If she is still there tomorrow, and it is Momma Hen, why wouldn't she be I will set her. I will give her 3 eggs, 3 Owly eggs I think. No point in trying to break her, she will hit the hill to spite me.

Aww, Rebecca. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your grandmother.

 

[micstrachan]

Yesterday

Forgive the long post and general grumpiness. It was a bit of a miserable day yesterday and I need to let off steam.
For context, I had agreed to do some project work - come out of retirement for a few days over the next few weeks - and yesterday was one of those days.
It was a good choice of day because the weather here is atrocious - someone forgot to turn off the faucet in the sky. I have running water in the Chicken Palace run again and everywhere is just mud.
I spent the day glued to my computer - either doing stuff for the project or on video calls with the people involved.
I barely got a break, and certainly not one long enough to go out and visit the Princesses. In good news, it reminded me why I retired!
I glanced at the cameras a couple of times - but only enough that I knew a bear hadn't wandered by and destroyed the whole structure.
It was not until I was in my PJs after a long day, that I looked at everyone roosted and realized I was missing a Princess.
And as you saw from my post last night - she (Tassels) was to be found looking very broody in one of the nest boxes. I pulled 4 eggs out from under her (one was hers) and went back in.
Once back in the dry, I looked through the video footage for the day and what was revealed was a high level of drama going on with the Princesses.
The whole event seems to have started at about 6:30am with this encounter. All you experts - that looks quite odd to me - does it look like broody behavior to you? She left the coop with Babs, but returned later and went into the nest box where I eventually found her when I went out at night.

The drama was the other Princesses. It was like a crowd gathering at the scene of a crime. Everyone wanted to look in to the box she was in. Some even squeezed in with her for short periods. As they gathered outside they all were shouting excitedly about the event going on inside.
Piglet and Sylvie were particularly interested and must have visited the nest box at least 30 times while the cameras were on!
They were certainly not giving Tassels any peace and quiet to contemplate the meaning of life.
View attachment 3790221View attachment 3790222View attachment 3790223

OMG, the clucking beach ball!

 

[micstrachan]

I know! I thought of you the minute I figured it out.
And look at how magnificent she is!
View attachment 3791277View attachment 3791278View attachment 3791279

She really is magnificent!

 

[micstrachan]

And then there were 9.

Yesterday Betsy darted out of the coop at closing time. Waaayyyy out. Couldn't find her. Left it open for a while longer. 2 of the ladies went back out and loitered some more. Went back out an hour later. Saw her, she split again. This time I was able to follow...sort of. She went to ground, I found her, she split again. I couldn't find her. Went back for a wrap and flashlight as it was getting dark dark. Still couldn't find her. Finally closed the coop and sat out in the dark a while longer listening. Nothing. Slim chance of her showing up this morning (with the fox around and the 30F overnight temps, doubtful). Still nothing.

5-6 weeks, taken today.View attachment 3787986Back row: Jane, Daisy, Kate, Blurr
Front row: Focus, Hetty, Rose, Violet, Hyacinth.

Aww… so sorry.

 

[micstrachan]

Ok so here is what Sharpie plopped out this morning. I had been keeping an eye on her to see what she did as she had been in the nest boxes.

Now not much turns my stomach but this made me retch, it has an odour and just looks awful.

I am assuming it is actually the remnants of the egg that broke in her the other day; I was going to go fishing around in her today, but guess her body did the hard work.

There is a ‘lash’ and there is the remnants of the shell - both have a bad odour, I am SOOO glad I popped a 500mg bolus of amox in her yesterday.

Right now she is still in the nest box but I will need to haul her off soon so I can medicate her with the amoxicillin and aspirin.

I am sooo glad she expelled this on her own, I do not like mucking around inside, it increases risks of infection and damage.

Spoiler: Lash and soft egg remnants

Spoiler: Double spoiler as its nasty

Both items she expelled
View attachment 3787240

The ‘Lash’
View attachment 3787241

The soft shell which also has infected material and gelatinous material in it.
View attachment 3787242

Oh, wow. Really gross. Poor baby.

 

[featherhead007]

Oh goodness, Alex. How did sweet Jaffar go blind?

Yes he is now blind, but I have two good eyes to help him!

 

[Sally PB]

I think that Sir Jaffar loves it when I sing songs In Spanish to him:
A one ton tomato, I ate a one ton tomato, a one ton tomato la la la la la!

When hubby first made his really hot salsa, I sang,
One habanero, he put in one habanero... One habaneeeeeero, one habanero...