Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I am sorry for your chick losses. And the Vorwerks! It's a lot to handle.
I should read ahead, and maybe I mentioned it, but the only things that came to my newbie mind were some crop or digestive problem if they didn't have access to chick-sized grit along with their chick starter (unless you're sure they are getting it outdoors), and possible heat/cold stresses, but that depends on your temperatures. 4-week-olds need access to warmth, they aren't fully feathered, so need somewhere they can go to get warmed up. Roughly a spot around 75-80F? Figuring 95F in Week One, minus 5F for each subsequent week is a common rule of thumb I've read. But how critical it is depends on the surrounding climate and their housing & run situation.

There is the catch-all "failure to thrive". So @Shadrach has a good point about the breeder - maybe this breeder has a lot of early losses (that you wouldn't know about) in the breeding line, or due to their chicken keeping. So the customers who usually buy POL - those are the survivors who've made it. In that scenario the higher price that POL commands covers those losses and there's no reason to change practices or improve the stock.

Really well said.

 

[BY Bob]

Sorry, but with all this dog stuff going on, I forgot to pay my chicken tax:
View attachment 2564119

Excellent tax payment.

 

[BY Bob]

I have a scenario I would like your opinions on.
From what I can tell the pecking order here is Bok then Belle and Snow is last. Snow is the biggest but also least assertive.
The last few days I have noticed Belle squaring up and giving Snow 1 or 2 pecks on the head. Snow doesn’t fight back, lowers her head and cops it and then removes herself from the area.
Is it possible that Belle can sense Snow’s maturing to lay and feels she has to assert herself more to keep her position or that she is just being the enforcer (bitch) so Bokky doesn’t have to, she’s just being a good number 2?
Thoughts?

That goes on here all day every day. Reminders of your place in the order. I watched Aurora do it to Sydney before bed time. That is #3 reminding #5 in my 6 hen order. Its probably just the usual reinforcement. You might just now being seeing it.

 

[BY Bob]

And some guidance / watching over by someone is needed, isn't it? Some chicks get all frightened and stressed when suddenly outside and need to be shown where to go to warm up, where the food and water is, etc. Like replicating what they know from their brooder time, but in the new environment. They have the flocking together instinct but I think a lot is taught...some chicks might just pile up together and die otherwise. Availability of time to supervise & fill that broody hen role is important, imo

I agree. I'm glad you brought this up. When they first go out I am there with them.

 

[BY Bob]

Good points. Temperature I think was a factor. Her birds were off heat but our temps suddenly decided to do extreme swings & on top of the stress of moving plus anything else that might have been going on I think the smallest didn't cope. Lesson learned. Won't ever be getting them that small again.

Depending on rarity of breed I expect to pay quite a bit more for POL. That is the usual practice round here. Chicks are cheap & there are lots of loses. POLs have proven their hardiness. One thing I look for is cleanliness. Despite the numbers of birds there is absolutely no smell @ all. Someone that careful about their keeping practices is probably careful in other matters too.

I'm not discounting the breeder could be @ fault but if I'm honest I think the fault is most likely mine. I'm sorry the birds paid the price for my ignorance but I will know better another time.

 

[BY Bob]

My bigger birds are all smart, they stay under the porch, where it’s warm on days like today. I brought Jaffar in for some time alone with him.

Is he still gurgling?

 

[BY Bob]

I picked "Love" for your post but it's really a Hugs to you for your (and our) worry.

Thanks!

 

[BY Bob]

Recall the meaning of the phrase, as it applies here? Lilly was "safely delivered" of the egg.

I sincerely hope it is the last one but I doubt it,.

 

[BY Bob]

Congratulations!

Thank you!

 

[RoyalChick]

That goes on here all day every day. Reminders of your place in the order. I watched Aurora do it to Sydney before bed time. That is #3 reminding #5 in my 6 hen order. Its probably just the usual reinforcement. You might just now being seeing it.

I remember you explaining that to me when Diana took on Maggie. And now of course Maggie takes on the road runners. I think the road runners haven't figured out between themselves yet.