Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Yes! I am feeling much more confident about the whole electric fence thing. In fact I am going to do some tinkering today to make it easier to connect and disconnect different areas and to make adding a temporary fence for the chicken garden easier.
I don't want to use hot wires it to keep the chickens in, so it would be an outer wire to keep the foxes away.

They could all rotate around a central point. Rather like the blades of a fan. Would that make it easier to connect the electric fencing?

You could also plant a large shade tree or shrub at the central point.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I wonder if they float or sink?

Or just swim tranquilly in circles. Like a swan.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Ok everyone. Let's help Alex out!

@drstratton @Kris5902 and others with incubating experience. Alex could use some advise.

No experience here but lots of enabling! Go for it Alex. Just don't get too attached to the eggs. From what I've heard you need to resign yourself to losses. Be pragmatic, I have faith in you! You can do it!

This would be great - of course I have no experience to help - but I love the idea of @featherhead007 being able to hatch some chicks!

Me 2!

 

[Scrambles83]

You probably aren’t up to me having a rant about a particular animal charity, if you’re reading all the way through Bob’s thread, but saving battery hens just isn’t worth their time. I stopped eating commercial eggs because of the practice of shredding and that’s why I got chickens. Most people have no idea, or don’t want to know.

I’m not there yet and I’m steeling myself for what it will be
I love that I’m learning so much on here though. I stupidly got ISA’s as our first, easy to find to buy, great egg production and I absolutely don’t regret having my big ol girls, don’t regret a minute I’ve spent with them but if I had have known better I would have chosen differently. I find comfort that at least with me they are living a better life than a battery hen, they were lucky to never have to experience that.

 

[RoyalChick]

They could all rotate around a central point. Rather like the blades of a fan. Would that make it easier to connect the electric fencing?

You could also plant a large shade tree or shrub at the central point.

I don’t think the electric wire is hard to do. I can just run it round the perimeter.
The area is just on the edge of the shade cast by a massive - probably 70’ - Tulip tree that looks out over the meadow, so I think I will go with lower level shrubs.
I want to create some different ‘zones’ - seating for me; a jungle gym from old tree stumps (lots of those around); some multi stemmed shrubs they can push their way through; some more robust shrubs with branches to perch on; and a couple of blue berry bushes where the drain opens out and the soil is wet.
I think most of it will still be pretty ‘open’ - not dense shrubs - but enough shrubbery to give them air cover and interesting places to explore.
It was way too cold yesterday for me to go out and measure, but I think roughly I am talking 20-30’ long and maybe similar wide.
I think that will create a nice space for them even though it isn’t like free range.

 

[RoyalChick]

I’m not there yet and I’m steeling myself for what it will be
I love that I’m learning so much on here though. I stupidly got ISA’s as our first, easy to find to buy, great egg production and I absolutely don’t regret having my big ol girls, don’t regret a minute I’ve spent with them but if I had have known better I would have chosen differently. I find comfort that at least with me they are living a better life than a battery hen, they were lucky to never have to experience that.

I am the same. I didn’t actually choose my first chickens but ended up with two ISAs (Diana and Elizabeth) and two RIRs (Maggie and Scary - RIP Scary who was snatched by a fox).
They were all part of a school project and will be 2 years old in March.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

So...... New chick delivery on Feb. 4th (From a hatchery) I wonder if I have the patience, to wait that long?
.

(Probably not)

I haven't ordered them but the feed store in town gets them, and it's first come, first served..
Wish me cluck!

What sort of breeds do they have coming in? If I was really determined to get them I would probably get there before they open and lurk in the parking lot. When I think of all the days I spent lined up outside a video game store on release day...

I had visions of @featherhead007 pitching a tent in the parking lot overnight with his thermos of coffee, a torch and Jaffar perched on his shoulder.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

One side/edge of Cillins scab had lifted when I looked this morning and stuff had leaked out. He's been much more himself today. Not sure if it's because there is less pressure and pain in his foot or time is healing his ego.
Treacle did well all day and then did an epic fiial this evening and went off to roost with just Moon. Cillin and I took the rest up.
I keep Cillin in for a couple of hours in the mornings. It takes me half an hour to let everyone out and feed them and then I want my breakfast and another cup of coffee. By the time I've finished eating Mel had usually turned up, on her own and this morning Hurry turned up as well with Treacle. Hurry went into the maternity unit at first and Treacle went back to the rest of the tribe. Cillin could hear all this and made nesting calls once Treacle had gone. Hurry came into the house and settled in the nest box with Cillin keeping watch. Mel had a short nap behind the wood pile and went and laid an egg in the maternity unit.
No escort call from either of them. Mel came straight into the house and mated with Cillin and Hurry did the same after she had laid her egg. Cillin had just followed Hurry outside when Treacle showed up and chased him away. In the recent past, that's been it and Cillin doesn't return to the house until roost time. This evening he arrived for supper with the rest of the tribe, including Treacle just around the corner under a bush. When Treacle brought the hens round for supper, Cillin went up onto the roof and watched. Shortly after Treacle went to roost with Moon, Cillin came down and joined the hens. Both Fudge and Tackle crouched for Cillin without Cillin asking. This is very unusual.
Cillin waited at the coop entrance for a while after the hens had gone in. It looked as if he might have gone in if I hadn't walked by on my way back from feeding Jenny and Solomon. Treacle ate from the communal dish tonight as well. I've been giving him food in the pet carrier up to now because he wasn't eating enough.
Cillin watching over Hurry as she lays an egg.
View attachment 2500282

That's great news all around Shad.

Do you think Cillin will allow you to soak his foot for a bit now that it is draining, or is it best to keep bandaging and leave it alone?

 

[Scrambles83]

I am the same. I didn’t actually choose my first chickens but ended up with two ISAs (Diana and Elizabeth) and two RIRs (Maggie and Scary - RIP Scary who was snatched by a fox).
They were all part of a school project and will be 2 years old in March.

It’s the loss so early that is very hard. I’m very emotionally charged as it is (I always cry in both happy and sad moments of most Disney movies, even if I’ve seen them countless times, even if I just hear the songs )

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Alright, so I got a little video and one picture of Roostie’s foot today, I’m not sure if this video is the one where I say “I’m down below 10%” battery life on my phone, but there were some more detailed pictures planned with DH’s help. Needless to say he picked Roostie up for them and my phone promptly died. I would love some suggestions on what to do from here

As you can see, He’s walking about Much better than before his ten day course of amoxicillin, has been mating his girls again, and is even getting feisty and willing to have little showdowns with the other Roosters (as long as there’s a fence to keep him safe!). The swelling seems to have gone down some, but his foot is still quite swollen. There isn’t any heat to the foot now though, as I would expect in an infection.View attachment 2500674
So the question is where to go from here? I can’t really justify or afford to spend another couple hundred dollars to see that vet again. I do have the AmoxyTyl now that I could give to him, basically continuing the antibiotic treatment... and the weather is swinging into another cold snap so foot soaks are probably still out of the question for the near future. Open to advice...

I'm glad he's improving Kris but my my, that foot still looks so swollen! Would the foot doughnut thingy help keep the pressure off do you think? Maybe encouraging the infection to go down and out through the sole with drawing ointment?