Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lady Red]

No photos of chickens from me today. I have one broody chicken, and 2 very grumpy ones. One is extremely angry that it is raining for the first time in 2 weeks, and both are upset at Alinta for being broody. Anyone else's chickens pick on their broody companions? They go after her with a vengeance, chase her away from food and just generally run her off whenever she comes out. The did the same when Rosie was broody 2 years ago.

Wow! I'm gathering so much information from reading about everyone's chickens. I would have thought a broody hen would be left alone by the others.
Ladies, please! Be nice to Alinta!

 

[Lady Red]

It's rained all day so no outside grass time. But today Butter has shown she still has a will to live. She's trying to stand on her own, but can't raise herself more then 2 inches off the ground. Every time she's tried to do this I've supported her in a standing position but let her keep the weight on her leg. The minute I feel her leg start to give out I let her sit back down. She's also back to drinking and eating. I've gotten a whole can of tuna down her today. It is supposed to be pretty and warm again tomorrow so I'll take her back outside for some grass time and company. The diarrhea is also gone. She's only pooped once, but it was huge like a broody and solid so I'll take that. Right now she's resting on her blanket in the living room floor supervising geometry lessons and looking quite content. She's always took every opportunity to come inside if a door is left open, I'm afraid when she's better and healed she is going to protest living back outside. I'm crossing everything possible that the worst is over and she's making a turn around. Mom has bargained and promised her if she gets better she never has to lay another egg, and can be a fat lazy free loader for the next 10 years with daily house privilege's.

Oh Butters! Sounds like the bargaining is going your way...strike a deal any they may give you your own couch cushion for television viewing too!

(I'm so glad she's eating. Thanks for the updates)

 

[Lady Red]

View attachment 2634170 Here's Mapleton Mountain. On my way home. .

Beautiful!
I do miss the mountain views from my time in Colorado, but hadn't quite realized it until this pic popped up.

 

[Lady Red]

Hubby’s on a roll with the chicken shirts!
View attachment 2634193

cute!

 

[Lady Red]

Yesterday's adventure was
We have a hammock in the chicken yard. They love sitting with us on it. Two evenings ago I was sitting in it and eldest son thought he would join me.
Normally this isn't a problem. The stand and sling are rated for like 1,000lbs. However, the material of the hammock itself has endured weathering.
So yeah...it broke with us in it.
We both landed on our bums, and thankfully none of the babies we under us nor in the hammock yet.

Hubby already replaced it with a new one.

I was enjoying the new, SAFE hammock yesterday when I see little Miss Meatbird making a beeline toward something.

It was a blue string from the old hammock.

I jumped from my recline to try to snatch it away, which only made her gobble it down faster.
It was stuck in her throat! She shook her head and stretched her beak open wide reapeatedly to try to swallow it down. Meanwhile I'm trying to catch her to attempt to help her.
FInally I catch her! She had a tail piece of it hanging out of her beak. If that tail end had been any shorter, there wouldn't be enough for me to pull on.
I pull and pull and pull.

There is about 18 inches of sting!

I set her down and she went about her normal chicken business.

These girls! *sigh*

 

[RoyalChick]

It's rained all day so no outside grass time. But today Butter has shown she still has a will to live. She's trying to stand on her own, but can't raise herself more then 2 inches off the ground. Every time she's tried to do this I've supported her in a standing position but let her keep the weight on her leg. The minute I feel her leg start to give out I let her sit back down. She's also back to drinking and eating. I've gotten a whole can of tuna down her today. It is supposed to be pretty and warm again tomorrow so I'll take her back outside for some grass time and company. The diarrhea is also gone. She's only pooped once, but it was huge like a broody and solid so I'll take that. Right now she's resting on her blanket in the living room floor supervising geometry lessons and looking quite content. She's always took every opportunity to come inside if a door is left open, I'm afraid when she's better and healed she is going to protest living back outside. I'm crossing everything possible that the worst is over and she's making a turn around. Mom has bargained and promised her if she gets better she never has to lay another egg, and can be a fat lazy free loader for the next 10 years with daily house privilege's.

That sounds really good news. As long as she is happy, give her time to heal.

 

[BY Bob]

Broody?

Nope. She is up and out this morning. I thought maybe that as well and checked right away this morning. She is out causing trouble as usual.

 

[Shadrach]

I honestly do not know what to think of Butter right now, i'm so conflicted. Stopped her pain medication yesterday to see if that was what was making her not willingly eat or drink. She perked up some, and when she heard Drumstick on the porch she started calling to him. So I brought him inside. He laid down in front of her and tidbitted to her and got her to eat, and drink. Let him stay in with her for about 30 minutes and she even preened some took care of feathers that she could reach. I have nutridrench and save-a-chick electrolytes on hand and have been giving that to her in her water. The only thing coming from her vent is poop. Until yesterday it was normal solid poop with visible urates so her kidneys were functioning. She pooped twice yesterday, both times diarrhea. The first one had white urates in it, the last one, was foul smelling and did not. Since it was warm again I took her outside and sat her down in her favorite dust bathing spot to see if she wanted to attempt to bath, she tried a little. I then took her and sat with her in several spots in the yard while she gorged herself on grass. She attempted to stand several times so i supported her and she would stay that way for about 3 minutes before she wanted to lay back down. When you palpate her she does not react like she is in pain anywhere, and she can grip your finger with that foot, firmly. Her comb color is still great, and the only heat you feel on her is in the joint of her leg. That leg also has developed discoloration and there is a bruise. With her diminished apatite i've been throwing any and all food in her direction, besides the grass yesterday i got down some raisins and and wet cat food. Everything else she's turning her beak up on. She seems to be trying and fighting so now mom doesn't want to give up, BUT, the diarrhea is new and worries me. With the mixed signals and signs we are getting from her its going to be hard to make that call on when enough is enough or to keep going.

Part of the answer you've already written; let the rooster encourage her to eat.
All chickens are social eaters.

 

[Shadrach]

Dorothy isn’t even two yet, and this has been going on for about a year. I think it’s either poor genetics, an infection or both. She’s in the nest box right now. I anticipate an egg with a brittle shell. Will update.

Ruby is sitting with a low tail and heavy breathing, but was up and about with tail up a bit ago.

Dorothy and Lucky are both in and out of the nest talking about eggs.

Sunny has to lay and is hovering nearby waiting her turn.
View attachment 2633227

Flash gave up on a nest box and is doing this:
https://youtube.com/shorts/keZ6GhG2yQA?feature=share

At least you know where she is.

 

[BY Bob]

No photos of chickens from me today. I have one broody chicken, and 2 very grumpy ones. One is extremely angry that it is raining for the first time in 2 weeks, and both are upset at Alinta for being broody. Anyone else's chickens pick on their broody companions? They go after her with a vengeance, chase her away from food and just generally run her off whenever she comes out. The did the same when Rosie was broody 2 years ago.

Sydney went through the same thing last year. Everyone went after her. Even Phyllis. I did interfere at times to protect her.