Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Blazinga]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

 

[RoyalChick]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

Oh no! I am so sorry. How awful. I have no words.

 

[Lady Red]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

I'm so sorry!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

I am sure you are in shock and just want to puke, I am so! sorry.
I dont know what the trapping laws are where you live,,, but.......

 

[Grandmas Coop]

That is one weird thing to say to another human.

does it border on the morbid line

 

[LozzyR]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

That’s terrible, I’m so sorry!

 

[featherhead007]

Oh, God I’m so sorry for that horrific situation. I can’t even imagine how you feel. Those were very beautiful birds and such a loss is sickening. I feel sick about it, and they weren’t even in my tribe! So sorry Blazinga

 

[micstrachan]

Hi friends,
As you know, it’s hard for me to keep up during the work week. However, I wanted to share something. Ruby has been swelling up, and I’ve been meaning to call the avian vet to see if she’ll drain her. I’ve been trying to time it where I don’t have to pay extra for urgent care, but don’t let it go so long Ruby is suffering too much.

Today the avian vet contacted me to let me know they are having an ultrasound training tomorrow, and would I like an ultrasound of Ruby’s belly free of charge? Obviously, I accepted. I asked if they could also drain her, which I’d pay for, and they can do that, too. I’m so happy!

Ruby will accompany me to work, hang out during my (zoom) meeting, go to the vet, and get picked up after my (in-person) cabinet meeting).

 

[micstrachan]

Oh my god. A fox just killed Cinnabar and Creamsicle. My poor babies. They were in the playpen. I... I promise I'll be good to the others.

Oh no!!! I’m so very sorry to hear this.

 

[micstrachan]

Trying to show my setup so far & update everyone. I took some pics yesterday.

Mugshot Monday? Not really, but at least she's sort of facing the camera. This is Butters. The mud patch near the coop, around the blueberry daffodils is where I transplanted two bunches of chives for them. Every day they eat some. I'm going to put more around as I can get to it.
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I have only 200 feet of electric netting but more is on the way. I put about 15 feet of old snow fence nearest the house to fill in until more fence arrives. So far the fence power is off and they get to be out and about only during the day when we are home. We are home most of the time. I put it on at night when they are roosting in the coop tractor, and during the day I put them in the tractor and turn it on when we go out for a walk or other exercise.

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I read about training them to respect an electric net and tried that soon after getting it up. Unfortunately it was at a point nearest the house where Peanut tested it and got a shock. She then ran toward the fence - (No!!) - toward the house deck 15 feet away, the place she knew as safe. So she got shocked again. She bounced back and again ran at the fence, but I was near the energizer watching and had turned it off. She was desperately still trying to get through the fence when I got to her and pulled her away. The netting seems good in that she wasn't getting through or hung up in it, she could barely get her shoulders in. But poor Peanut! I was horrified and sick at not having thought of this possibility. She was quite wary of the fence after that. But I don't know if I can handle the training with those kinds of results. Since then I've only had it on when they are locked in the tractor. So now they are getting used to what is a regular fence when they are around it. I don't know if this is a bad idea?

I had thought that an electric perimeter fence 24/7, with a moveable containment fence inside was the way to go. But that may be further in the future, it means lots more fencing, gotta think on it. For now the four-legged predators, coyote, raccoon, bear and fox are generally night-time threats, and not people-tolerant, so when we're away during the day everybody will be in the coop run and the fence on. The aerial predators are there daytimes, whether the fence is on or off. So that's where the risk and balance with chicken's foraging nature comes in, and shelter areas important. At least the hawks are not people-tolerant like Bob's because we're more rural.

I constructed a makeshift shelter at Peanut's run-to spot to try to improvise a place to get under if their instincts send them toward the house. They need a place over there anyway. But it's not very good, camo netting on a sawhorse and old deck furniture - I think they are afraid of it because the camo netting moves in the breeze. I will make something solid.

There's two chickens in this picture, do you see them?
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Last picture, hello from the tribe!
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Lucky, happy girls!