Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I don’t want to worry any of you, but I have been down and out lately. Much stress, has caused my (Usually high) blood pressure to spike to 198 over 99. It’s been tough on me. That is the reason for my insomnia. I’m going to the doctor today (I won’t be driving) medical transport is picking me up.
chicken tax
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Please start taking better care of yourself. There are too many wonderful chickens relying on you. Not to mention how we would all miss you.

 

[BY Bob]

I had close to that at the weekend - I had 3 of the 4 all decided at the same time they wanted to sleep on me at night. They all picked a spot (I was unable to move of course) and settled in purring away. Very lovely.

How wonderful!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

It was instant tears and noise!!

Ouch that foot looks painful. I thought it was bad enough when Dirt stepped on me and decided to just stand stock still with what felt like his entire weight on my foot. Tried shoving him off, didn't work, had to elbow the hard head in the ribs to get him to get off.

 

[BY Bob]

Twelve chickens (jealous of each other) and all wanting my attention, isn’t as relaxing as people would think.

Have you ever considered assign each group their own day. That way everyone gets their fair share of your time.

 

[BY Bob]

It’s all about SARDINES today for Ruby. She gobbled a bunch down during her private outside time, along with some live meal worms. She didn’t touch any of the other offerings, but seemed to know she needed protein. When she had her fill, she asked to be let back into the run. She was resting in the run sitting face to face with her bestie Millie when I left.

Since Lucky is also wasting away a bit, I brought her out to eat what she wanted. She ate a little and also wanted back into the run. I think they know they are vulnerable.

A heat wave is coming, so I hope I can help them through it. In addition to the two sickies, my pullet Sunshine (EE) seems especially sensitive to heat. I’m freezing those silicone mini loaf pans for ice blocks to put in their waters and charging up all the rechargeable fans and tool batteries that run the misting fans. Thinking of freezing some watermelon, too.

It's good to plan ahead. I got caught unawares by our heat wave last week. I need to get better prepared for the next one. I'm glad it is going to be beautiful this week for them, and me.

 

[BY Bob]

A touch of sad news this morning, I have lost one of my free ranging meat bird fosters, and I haven’t a clue to what. I’m thinking maybe Raccoon, Hawk, or Owl. Good news is it was the cockerel (so he was heading to the freezer anyway). Around 9pm I heard some alarms and Roostie’s Tribe was huddled 50’ from their tractor around Mr Maran’s. The three ranging meat pullets we’re hanging out in the daytime maternity ward Tractor, which I’ve been leaving open for WhiteButt and her 4 chicks to use as additional cover I escorted the girls over to the Chicken Trailer and did my head count noticing that little dude was missing. Closed everyone else in and then DH and I began a search. I will look for further predator signs today in the better light. This is not too bad considering I’m fully free ranging 50 adults, 4 (now 3) 6 week olds, and 4 babies… soon to be more. Roosting will be more heavily supervised tonight.

Free ranging like you do a certain about loss is to be expected. I feel that you are more accepting of than maybe in the past. Would you agree with that?

 

[BY Bob]

VERY helpful, Kris. I’ve had some high BP and bouts of tachycardia myself lately, one of which lasted over half an hour. I need to make an appointment, too.

Do. It took me too long to get seen when I was having issues. The earlier you intervene the better.

 

[BY Bob]

It was instant tears and noise!!

Glad to hear you are Human!

 

[Kris5902]

VERY helpful, Kris. I’ve had some high BP and bouts of tachycardia myself lately, one of which lasted over half an hour. I need to make an appointment, too.

Sooner is always better than later! I know your healthcare system is quite different from ours, and it can be difficult to capture a cardiac event on a monitor. Sometimes calling for an Ambulance during the event and getting straight to hospital and on a ECG is the best way to get the Dr’s the information they need. Every 3 years or so they send DH home with a Holter monitor for three or four days and even if he has been having regular events, I swear there must be something in the glue for the sensor pads that prevents them, it never picks one up.

There was a point before his medications were switched up that he was in an ambulance monthly while we were in the city and I could literally say “Superventricular Tachycardia with arrhythmia and Atrial Fibrillation” perfectly clearly, even after waking up at 3am and having drank far more than was healthy for me. I also annoyed a lot of 911 dispatchers as well, by refusing to stay with the patient, or try to take his pulse for them and concentrating instead on packing the hospital bag, getting him into reasonable clothing, and securing our pets for the arrival of emergency personnel. It sucks being stuck in emergency without a Book for six hours, or trying to get home with no wallet or shoes in your pajamas!

Our second Date was actually at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. We got off work at about the same time in the evening, and were heading out for dinner, Andrew started to have an event on the bus in from West Van, so we hopped off once we got over the bridge into downtown and walked the 5 blocks or so up to the hospital. I’ve never seen anyone get through Triage so quickly! Within ten minutes of our arrival they were zapping him back to normal. Just my luck, I find a great guy and he doesn’t even make it to the third date? And that more or less set the tone for future emergency situations with us. He hates hospitals.

 

[Kris5902]

Free ranging like you do a certain about loss is to be expected. I feel that you are more accepting of than maybe in the past. Would you agree with that?

It still bothers me, especially when there’s no clear evidence as to what happened. It helps he was destined for the freezer anyway, so I already had a level of detachment. Nothing, no feathers, no signs of a struggle, just gone. I am also quite close to turning the whole lot of meaties out and free ranging them in the border of the woods, so I’m having some second thoughts on that now