Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

How funny! I have a Ruby that looks a little similar to your Ruby! She started visiting my yard a few months ago and have stuck around since.

View attachment 2677401

Hi, Ruby!

 

[cfonts]

I kind of want to die. Queenie was killed today, we think by a hawk. Butters may have been the first target but she escaped with a couple of big tufts of hackle feathers out of her neck. A hawk, we think THE hawk, came back and flew down towards the body, while I was gone digging a grave for Queenie, DH saw it and chased it away.

Spoiler: What likely happened and why I can't deal

We were home, out and about, and they were out in their yard. There was no sound that we heard, and it happened around the corner of the house just out of sight while we were moving the big wire run over to their yard to set it up there. We suddenly noticed we didn't see any chickens around, I went looking, only finding Queenie's body and seeing no others. Whatever it was had eaten some of her. But she was warm still, and limp except for her legs. Eventually one Buckeye came out of the coop box. The four had run into the coop tractor and up into the roosting enclosure, Butters far into the nest box. I need to check her body again but I found no blood, and she let me handle all of her except her neck area was very tender.

I am so sorry. I feel I got Queenie killed. And she is particularly dear to me. I have tried to let them be chickeny and also have been putting into place safety measures to try to minimize risk, which I knew there was - I accept that to some degree but I feel particularly guilty about putting the electric fencing not up to the back house deck. Peanut had tried to run under there before and encountered the fence. I had thought about doing that, but it would be in the way of gas deliveries and DH didn't want them hanging out on the deck and pooping on it. I think Queenie, who had also run to the house when there was a previous attack in this same area - another reason to not have widened the fence area to include this spot! - and she had run that way when this hawk came I think, and of course couldn't get past the net. There were fluff feathers there. She fought back though and made it halfway back towards the coop where she either died because of her injuries sustained already, or was overtaken again. I think Butters was attacked first and then Queenie, which makes her inability to escape due to what I did with the fencing, denying her the house which she probably had time to run to, really hard.

There aren't enough emojiis in the world

I am so very sorry for your loss I know that when we lose our feathered friends, we have a tendency to blame ourselves, but please know that you are not at fault for what happened to Queenie. From what I've read, it seemed as thought Queenie had a wonderful life and loved greatly... I hope that you'll find some comfort in that.

 

[cfonts]

I swear there is something in the water around here. I cleaned and stored my incubator and my last broody Clover hatched 7 chicks on mother's day. She was the 4th hen this spring that went broody and I let hatch. Ok, that is it, no more babies, even after rehoming 30 so far I still have chicks coming out my ears and about 75% have turned out to be boys. So when it is time to put everyone up last night and do my head count I have a hen missing. Holly had vanished, it took me a hour to find her. And what do I find, a shrieking pancake sitting on nothing. She had given me no signs or warnings of her intentions. I think i'm going to break her, I do not need any more chicks, and I'm sure the rooster fairy needs to visit someone else. Bunny's chicks are now old enough to determine gender, she has 4 out of her 6 remaining and of those, 3 boys. To top that off I still have the 6 now almost 13 week old boys, 1 of momma hen's 2 was a boy. And the 14 almost 5 week olds left from my final incubator hatch, sitting out there with them yesterday, I counted at least 6 boys. I'm pleading with Clover that her babies are girls, but 3 of the little rascals are already walking around upright and tall.

I feel like I can relate all too well with your post. My backyard hens have been hatching chicks left and right this year.... and so far the majority of the chicks have turned out to be cockerels

 

[Scrambles83]

We watched this in music class the other week, the kids loved it and I keep forgetting to share it!

 

[featherhead007]

0:230 pst. Next door roosters started crowing ( I have ultra sensitive hearing) my roo Jaffar doesn’t wake up until 0:500. It’s all my fault, because my back porch light can be seen from space. (Is understandably a concern due to bad neighbor near me) but I awoke and turned it off. Sadly, now my super special amazing wonderful rooster is now crowing (and probably waking up all the ladies in the barn/coop. Hey, at least I got 6 undisturbed hours of sleep! Maybe an afternoon nap might be in order. But I still have to patrol again today (I love my Cessna) more over, she loves me, and doesn’t have breakdowns. That would be a little dangerous at 10,000 ft don’t you think? Flight plan set for 10:00 hrs today. Chicken tax

 

[featherhead007]

I fixed the situation. Went out to the barn/coop grabbed Jaffar, and he’s here in with me for a while. Ps. I love this rooster!!!

 

[featherhead007]

Rooster tax

 

[LozzyR]

Hi, Everyone.
I think this is the end for Ruby. She had a good day yesterday, but not today. She’s not drinking or eating. Pretty sure she’s given up. Someone on this forum told me she’d tell me when it’s time. Pretty sure we are there. We just had a nice, long lap cuddle. Now she’s in the box next to (broody) Millie, who is her bestie.

Coincidence that Millie went broody when Ruby is probably dying? I think not. I suspect they’ll spend the night beside each other.

While I feel terrible for putting Ruby through the ultrasound ordeal, I’m glad she had a day of adventuring, climbing the hill, etc. I have grown to love this bird very much.
View attachment 2673255

I’m so sorry Michelle. I remember Chickie seemed to improve for a couple of days, then she seemed really off and I didn’t think she was going to get better. Big hugs.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I have before and after pics but I won’t share on the internet

I'm always interested in how the body copes with injuries and heals if you are willing to share Alex. You could put photos in a spoiler so people can skip it if they like.

I think I was away when you injured yourself. What happened? (if you don't mind me asking)

Glad to hear that it is healing nicely though.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

You could try some Gypsom; it breaks down clay. I'm just not sure if it's ok to use around chooks. Maybe someone else will know. @Aussie-Chookmum is our best gardener.

No idea about gypsum and chooks I'm afraid. I'd have to ask Google.

(but I am heartened by your faith in me. )