Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

She looks like she’s on the road to recovery to me! May I ask about the injury? Just a quick recap and you can PM me too... I know I’ve missed too much on here lately but spring has sprung like a tornado here.

Dirt was being a idiot playing with his jolly ball Monday evening and kicked her. The only visible signs she had was 3 leg scales ripped off of her I guess its called hock joint. She was totally paralyzed though on that side and was not able to even stand while being supported. The next morning there was bruising and discoloration on that entire leg. She was on pain meds but stopped them because it seemed to be making her depressed and Wednesday night into Thursday she was refusing water and food. She's had so far 4 soaks in a Epsom salt bath and that seems to be helping her tremendously. By late Friday night she started trying to hold herself up if you supported her under her chest and yesterday night she stood for the first time unassisted. Just now was the first time she's offered to eat in a standing position and attempted to start taking her first step today. There is still some discoloration on her leg but it looks 10 times better then it did Tuesday. She still has a long road to recovery but then Thursday me and mom were talking about euthanizing her as she seemed to have given up and the last thing we wanted was for her to suffer.

 

[micstrachan]

Butter had another encouraging day today. I don't want to jinx it but I do feel she's made the turnaround and on the mend. She stood, unassisted for 10 minutes this morning. When she was outside she tried to dust bath, then on her own got herself half way into a standing position and took one step. That step is huge, it is the first time since the injury that she has tried to take a step. She got her belly full of grass and bugs I found for her. Offered her tuna again today, nope, not having it, its poison. Instead she's gorged herself on chick starter. Miss picky is driving me crazy on getting her to eat. She loves something one day, and the next will not touch it.

Haha! Ok, disregard my last post suggesting an animal protein treat. Unless you have access to live crickets or mealworms?

 

[micstrachan]

Bunny is very grumpy but proud of herself. She had a 100% hatch and is a momma to 6 new babies. Let them out in the yard for the first time this evening and grabbed a few pics.
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Proud mama! Best thing EVER!

 

[featherhead007]

Last call update: I can hear the littlest two in the next room, softly peeping and shrilling, as if they are singing me a lullaby. No other sounds around, and it’s so relaxing. (Sadly in a few months, those two will be extremely loud)

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

YAAAAY, Butters!!!!

I wonder if she’d enjoy a little animal protein to help her heal and recover from the bruising? Cooked beef liver, canned fish, whatever?

I got her to eat a entire can of tuna yesterday. Offered her some more today, wont touch it, it's on her "that is poison" list. Currently on that list are some of her favorites including raisins, cranberries, whole and cracked corn, bread and her chicken feed. The littles chick starter though she's loving. Now tomorrow will be a whole different story and who knows what she will or wont touch.

 

[micstrachan]

I got her to eat a entire can of tuna yesterday. Offered her some more today, wont touch it, it's on her "that is poison" list. Currently on that list are some of her favorites including raisins, cranberries, whole and cracked corn, bread and her chicken feed. The littles chick starter though she's loving. Now tomorrow will be a whole different story and who knows what she will or wont touch.

At least she’s getting variety. You’re doing a great job with her amd she’s lucky to have you. I think and hope she will end up ok in the end!

 

[micstrachan]

Ok, this is not chicken related, but would you believe we’re expected to get down into the 30’s the next two nights? It’s usually a little cooler here than the forecast at night, so maybe close to freezing. So bizarre! This is California in late April. Chickens like the cooler weather (except for the cold mornings), but my tomato plants will not. I was running around looking for anything to cover them with. My tomato cages are too tall to put large trash bags over. My garden looks like a garbage dump at the moment with all the little tomato plant forts. LOL.

Tax:

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Ok, this is not chicken related, but would you believe we’re expected to get down into the 30’s the next two nights? It’s usually a little cooler here than the forecast at night, so maybe close to freezing. So bizarre! This is California in late April. Chickens like the cooler weather (except for the cold mornings), but my tomato plants will not. I was running around looking for anything to cover them with. My tomato cages are too tall to put large trash bags over. My garden looks like a garbage dump at the moment with all the little tomato plant forts. LOL.

Tax:
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I've been in that position before. Many times I've helped my grandmother cover her tomatoes and cabbages from frost. If they were still small enough one of her go to tricks was to cut the top off a plastic water jug and put over them. Yes the garden look like a garbage dump...but a organized one. You got to do what you have to do to protect your plants from late spring cold snaps.

 

[Scrambles83]

Dirt was being a idiot playing with his jolly ball Monday evening and kicked her. The only visible signs she had was 3 leg scales ripped off of her I guess its called hock joint. She was totally paralyzed though on that side and was not able to even stand while being supported. The next morning there was bruising and discoloration on that entire leg. She was on pain meds but stopped them because it seemed to be making her depressed and Wednesday night into Thursday she was refusing water and food. She's had so far 4 soaks in a Epsom salt bath and that seems to be helping her tremendously. By late Friday night she started trying to hold herself up if you supported her under her chest and yesterday night she stood for the first time unassisted. Just now was the first time she's offered to eat in a standing position and attempted to start taking her first step today. There is still some discoloration on her leg but it looks 10 times better then it did Tuesday. She still has a long road to recovery but then Thursday me and mom were talking about euthanizing her as she seemed to have given up and the last thing we wanted was for her to suffer.

Some really big steps from Thursday! I hope it continues, she’s a tough one, that Butter
Great job, chicken mumma!

 

[Scrambles83]

You can totally do this... you’ve done it before for the sake of your baby, you can do it again, for her, yourself, and your family. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!

I finally quit (completely) in 2017, with maybe three “slips” in 2018/19. Once while slightly drunk, once in a complete panic attack, and once when I almost broke my ankle. I was always harassing my mom to quit when I was younger and swore I would never start, somehow that changed in the early 2000’s under pressure at work and as a social crutch. I had several failed attempts at quitting between 2007-2017 but what I felt really made the difference when I did succeed was I looked at why I wanted to quit (Health, Cost, and wanting to start a family) and chose to make that my priority. Really dive deep into the “Why’s”. Understanding why you started, why you started up again, and why it’s important to you to quit. The physical cravings and withdrawals were the easy part for me, it was the psychological aspects of the addiction I really needed to break...

Thanks, the why is definitely the most important ingredient for success.
I’ve had one daily since I decided, down from 15+ daily so on the right track.

Thank you all for your supportive words, it helps