Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Ive wondered this because i have these button quail living inside and they def move around in the dark. They have tiny crops and fast metabolisms so i figure they feel a mite peckish. So it comes as no surprise to me its your big ole duel purpous gal you catch in the act!

She does put it away. I guess she was just getting an early start on the day and a head start on everyone else!

 

[Shadrach]

Ive wondered this because i have these button quail living inside and they def move around in the dark. They have tiny crops and fast metabolisms so i figure they feel a mite peckish. So it comes as no surprise to me its your big ole duel purpous gal you catch in the act!

How many hours until the crop is a close to empty as you can tell by feel. It would be interesting to know.

 

[mixedUPturk]

She does put it away. I guess she was just getting an early start on the day and a head start on everyone else!

my wyandottes are the same way if they packed on the amount of meat that it seems like they would for all that feed id sure be happier about it.

How many hours until the crop is a close to empty as you can tell by feel. It would be interesting to know.

If i can find out ill tell you! Theyre about like mice, super super fast and mine aren't handled it would be difficult to tell without stressing them out pretty good. Theyve calmed down alot in the house though. I think they accept that i feed them not eat them and commotion outside their cage doesnt bother them but they still just dont want to be handled.

 

[Shadrach]

Ive wondered this because i have these button quail living inside and they def move around in the dark. They have tiny crops and fast metabolisms so i figure they feel a mite peckish. So it comes as no surprise to me its your big ole duel purpous gal you catch in the act!

I'm wondering because the chicks that hatch here often have empty crops by 3am or 4am while the adults seem to process the crop more slowly. I don't think with the chickens that it is crop volume of food that influences this. I often see chicks staggering off to roost with crops so full they look painful I'm tempted to think, because they are growing at such a rate they metabolize their food that much faster.

 

[BY Bob]

How many hours until the crop is a close to empty as you can tell by feel. It would be interesting to know.

I will check for full this weekend. I can't promise to get up for empty, but I will try. I think it would be interesting to know as well. Maybe I can start checking to camera to see when she hops down.

 

[BY Bob]

I'm wondering because the chicks that hatch here often have empty crops by 3am or 4am while the adults seem to process the crop more slowly. I don't think with the chickens that it is crop volume of food that influences this. I often see chicks staggering off to roost with crops so full they look painful I'm tempted to think, because they are growing at such a rate they metabolize their food that much faster.

My hens tend to have distended crops at night. I can usually feel the outline of certain items they may have eaten. They stuff themselves.

I do know the the day before this happened they were confined to the coop and run with no free range time for the first time in months. Because I was not home to watch them of course. It is possible she did not stuff herself before she roosted and was regretting it.

I just thought they were essentially blind at night. I feel this proved that there is no way that is so. She had to be able to see something. She got off the roast at the far end of the coop from the food and water and still found it. She had to be able to see something.

 

[Shadrach]

My hens tend to have distended crops at night. I can usually feel the outline of certain items they may have eaten. They stuff themselves.

I do know the the day before this happened they were confined to the coop and run with no free range time for the first time in months. Because I was not home to watch them of course. It is possible she did not stuff herself before she roosted and was regretting it.

I just thought they were essentially blind at night. I feel this proved that there is no way that is so. She had to be able to see something. She got off the roast at the far end of the coop from the food and water and still found it. She had to be able to see something.

I haven't read anything reputable that states chickens are blind at night. I think the correct interpretation is they have poor night vision. If they didn't have some night vision they couldn't escape a predator, or nest disturbance in the wild. I've had hens here abandon nests at night and travel some distance.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I've never heard one of those audio-books. I'm still firmly rooted in the bit of tree type.

Audible books are great Shad for if you are doing something with your hands that doesn't require a lot of concentration. Like folding washing or rolling felt.

We do ourselves a disservice when we disconnect ourselves from other species.

Heartily agree. I think divorcing ourselves from the rest of the planet contributes to the growth of cruelty and intolerance.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Thanks Bob. She's so sweet, I'm glad I got to rescue her and give her a proper home.

It will be three girls this year if I lose Chickie soon.

How is Chickie today Lozzy? I hope she recovers, you are obviously very attached to each other.

What is her story since her rescue?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I just thought they were essentially blind at night. I feel this proved that there is no way that is so. She had to be able to see something. She got off the roast at the far end of the coop from the food and water and still found it. She had to be able to see something

I not sure I agree with you Bob.

I know I can get around my room at night when it is too dark to see my hand in front of my face just by memory alone. Perhaps she just knows the coop like the back of her...er, wing.