Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ChicoryBlue]

Am home today, so checking every hour or so. The delightful, horrible, and everything in between all in a day about having chickens

Exactly the dilemma of caring for them, sometimes I wonder if I can handle it or not! Going between worry and joy, with times of peace in between. How do you do it?

 

[Sylvester017]

My Gizmo, is learning to crow too.
Sadly, he sounds like an 18 wheeler with bad brakes! I’m glad that he’s not actively practicing.
I already told Giz, that he’s just not ready for Carnage Hall just yet.

Maybe not Carnegie Hall but maybe he fits into a rock festival where you can't hear over all the racket anyway

 

[ChicoryBlue]

More Pony Sunday

The Grackle’s babies have survived last weeks heat wave amazingly.

View attachment 4161281

The nest is hidden in the foliage just beneath my wireless bridge there.

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Not surprising those chicks wouldn’t mind the heat, it’s the parents that might pose a danger by themselves expiring. The Buckeye chicks here LOVED the heat!

 

[rural mouse]

Exactly the dilemma of caring for them, sometimes I wonder if I can handle it or not! Going between worry and joy, with times of peace in between. How do you do it?

One MOMENT at a time while attempting to plan long term and being ready to PUNT on the fly!

Just like raising toddlers...

 

[TOMTE]

Someone (Esme, I think) has been laying soft-shelled eggs... Again? Was it her last time too? I can't remember. I should have picked up some calcium when I went to the pharmacy earlier, but I didn't think about it. I was too sick, just wanted to get back home.

I ended up going to urgent care yesterday because I wasn't getting any better. The doctor I saw thinks I probably have gastroenteritis, or possibly salmonella or giardia. They have to run some tests to find out. For now he prescribed me zofran for the nausea, which is a total life saver! I feel so much better!

Anyway, I think we have tums so I'll give her one tonight or tomorrow morning... Would it be safe to give everybody a tums, just in case it isn't Esme laying the wonky eggs?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Appreciate the offer but if I could get them to go anywhere close I have snap traps, electric traps, live traps.
They are somewhere I cannot deploy traps because I can’t get to it.
Very frustrating.
But they do seem to like the contraceptive bait which hopefully will prevent it getting worse!
For tonight I have soaked the killing bait in bacon grease in the hope that makes it more appealing.
I will remove the chicken feeders too - but of course there is lots of chicken food on the floor.
Adding to my stress are a couple of bald eagles sitting in a tree overlooking the Chicken Palace. Trying to explain to them that rat dinner is way nicer than chicken dinner!

Take a look at the rat-proof feeders, the ones with enough distance between the treadle and the feed to discourage reaching it (unless the rats learn a sort of cirque du soleil move and coordinate a mass body bridge). I have these l https://ratproofchickenfeeder.com/
@bgmathteach may have deployed hers by now? She got a couple to try. I don’t know what she thinks of them yet.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

She's doing great cuz of good care, good feed, open range to get exercise & flap wings, dust baths, insects, foraging, flockmates all add up to a healthier hen's life... not locked up in a 1-ft-square cage w/3 to 4 other hens eating crap for feed!

Not a happy hen
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Happy Farm production hens

Draining is a big deal, glad it went well and she’s benefiting from it! You’re very brave. A vet told me some hens can go months between needing it again.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Someone (Esme, I think) has been laying soft-shelled eggs... Again? Was it her last time too? I can't remember. I should have picked up some calcium when I went to the pharmacy earlier, but I didn't think about it. I was too sick, just wanted to get back home.

I ended up going to urgent care yesterday because I wasn't getting any better. The doctor I saw thinks I probably have gastroenteritis, or possibly salmonella or giardia. They have to run some tests to find out. For now he prescribed me zofran for the nausea, which is a total life saver! I feel so much better!

Anyway, I think we have tums so I'll give her one tonight or tomorrow morning... Would it be safe to give everybody a tums, just in case it isn't Esme laying the wonky eggs?

Yes, it won’t hurt for everybody to get some Tums occasionally. You could try a short run of about a week and see if there’s improvement. If there is then it might point to the solution.

Are they all already eating a layer feed with high calcium? Or you have roosters and are feeding All Flock with calcium on the side?

 

[TOMTE]

I feel so bad I haven't been able to spend as much time with the girls this past week. Every time I manage to make it outside they run up to me like they haven't seen me in ages. It makes me happy that they love me and miss me, but I also feel guilty. I'm sorry, babies! I'll be feeling better soon, I hope!

I mostly hate that I can't do more for them about this heat... But there's so much shade for them to stay in and I give them fresh cold water every day, at least. And wet down their run. I've been dunking their feet and bellies in cold water if I notice heavy panting and a pale comb. They're doing great taking care of themselves out there though!

 

[RoyalChick]

Take a look at the rat-proof feeders, the ones with enough distance between the treadle and the feed to discourage reaching it (unless the rats learn a sort of cirque du soleil move and coordinate a mass body bridge). I have these l https://ratproofchickenfeeder.com/
@bgmathteach may have deployed hers by now? She got a couple to try. I don’t know what she thinks of them yet.

That is exactly the one I am looking at.
Are you happy with them?