Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Peanut update - & commiserating with @Lady Red and @RoyalChick and who else here?

After tapering down on the yogurt/calcium d3/crumble balls, there were at least three soft eggs in the last two weeks. One I found, two I found just yolk in the bedding. The soft eggs break I think, and get eaten. Eggs in general don't get poked and eaten. They could get tested, but I have never found any firm-shelled eggs broken into, and if they are, it's not a regular occurrence.

Peanut had laid soft and very long odd-shaped eggs before, where the pointed end of the egg doesn't get well shelled though the rest is less soft. So she was probably responsible for one if not all of the recent soft eggs. Recently she was walking around with tail down and looking uncomfortable, then laid a long soft egg that broke. So I went back to supplementing calcium and after four days now I've confirmed that yesterday Peanut laid a pretty firm shelled egg, I saw her go in and come out. It was shaped better, rounder, but slightly odd shaped still.

Hmmm will continue the calcium citrate+ D3, & calcium carbonate supplementing. Just got another bag of nutrena feather fixer while I was in TSC, so if I switch again it would be after that. But not sure if switching to a layer feed would be enough for Peanut (and whoever else, if anybody) anyway. While in the store I looked at the calcium percentages again, it's not much more than they're getting as @BY Bob had noted. It may be the metabolic availability with the type of calcium, like citrate versus carbonate. More calcium carbonate, typical in feed, might not make a big difference?

This is very helpful to me Chicory - thank you. It encourages me to keep on the calcium program. Are you saying feather fixer and layer are roughly similar in calcium? I have not tried feather fixer but rather am doing yoghurt with ground up Calcium Citrate and D3 in it also scrambled egg with ground up calcium and D3 and now and then I pop a pill directly down one of them. I am better at giving pills to chickens than I am to cats it seems!

 

[featherhead007]

He is very handsome!

Aww, you are just saying that, (because it’s true)

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Note I started this post early Monday, but my internet connection is bad at the moment so:

Well, I have found a downside to the Chicken Trailer. Northern Fowl Mites… I candled some eggs under my broody bully girl on Sunday, and she, and I’m assuming the whole free range flock, have them. Going to make a “late night run” into the Barn as soon as Haying is done and just dose everyone with Ivomec. The eggs, from Little Red and my late “favorite” Girl of Roostie were all infertile. I have replaced them with eggs from my Friends flock, “BarnAucanas” from his not quite up to breed standards Barnvelder Rooster who looks amazing for 6+ years old, and some Ameraucana girls get took in from the person who has the farm I brooded at, where I’ve been gardening, and where we get our water from.

Saturday we had a great market day, our first real market since summer 2019. We netted $200 in about 4 hours, our friend cross marketed their amazing Sauerkraut and grossed $136.

And unfortunately I have some more really sad news. Today we lost Roostie. Early afternoon while we were moving the meat birds in preparation for tomorrow’s road trip to freezer camp, he squared off with Cass. No apparent physical damage was done, their hackles were raised and there were a few brief bits of sparring before I ran around the fence and broke them up. Not a drop of blood was spilled but Roostie was clearly strained he was droopy and listless. I worry about his heart as he’s well over 13lbs again (as a two and a bit year old Meat bird Rooster that’s not as overweight as it seems) I moved him and his ladies back to the proper side of the fence, fed him some egg yolk by hand and made sure he drank water. They were doing fine when I left for dinner at 6. Everything seemed back to normal. When we got home at 9:40 (some chickens were still even outside, as it was mostly light out!) he was gone. Very purple comb and wattles, so I am thinking this heat wave and the stress combined just pushed him past his limits. He had put all his ladies up for the night, so I tucked them in… and now I just don’t know what to do. Roostie my “free” Rooster with his adorable waddle, gentle Nature, and ability to parent the younglings is irreplaceable. I am quite heartbroken, he has two babies. One cockerel and one o

I am sad to read this news. I imagine it must have been his heart. RIP Roostie
I will miss reading about his antics.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Here's the photo of Buttercup that won the Best Hen category!
View attachment 2748408

That is adorable! I can see why she won!!!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Sharing

Since they were locked into the complex for a few days, Phyllis has abandoned her nest in the planter and is using the nest box again. I caught her on nest cam sharing a nest box with someone. Imagine my surprise when I saw who it was!

Lilly Delivers
While we are the topic of egglaying. Lilly laid an egg yesterday!

View attachment 2747846

Sharing

Since they were locked into the complex for a few days, Phyllis has abandoned her nest in the planter and is using the nest box again. I caught her on nest cam sharing a nest box with someone. Imagine my surprise when I saw who it was!

Lilly Delivers
While we are the topic of egglaying. Lilly laid an egg yesterday!

View attachment 2747846

Oh wow! Imagine that!

 

[micstrachan]

Good morning. I thought this might give you guys a good chuckle. Two in one box with an empty one right beside it.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I know that I am a big worry-wart and I try to stifle that aspect of my personality, but here I go. This morning Blanche layed a soft egg. She hasn’t done that before. It was white, and the usual size (she lays a large egg), but soft.
And, she layed it on the floor in the middle of the coop. She doesn’t do that either, she always uses her favorite nest box. (Maybe she thought she was just pooping?)
I picked it up and it stayed together even though it was soft.
She is her perky usual self.
I am a basket case.

 

[BY Bob]

I am sure she has really. I believe I have, but now and then the system seems to skip a page for me and I only realize I have missed a post because of replies. Then I have to go back!

That happens to me sometimes...........but I always try to go back and catch it.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

…“It may be the metabolic availability with the type of calcium, like citrate versus carbonate. More calcium carbonate, typical in feed, might not make a big difference?”

I have been wondering about this myself. I recently switched to a layer feed, and I have always kept a bowl of oyster shells out, and they do eat them, but since I began letting them free-range all day, their egg shells have changed somewhat. They are a lighter color, and they also seem slightly thinner to me.

 

[BY Bob]

Peanut update - & commiserating with @Lady Red and @RoyalChick and who else here?

After tapering down on the yogurt/calcium d3/crumble balls, there were at least three soft eggs in the last two weeks. One I found, two I found just yolk in the bedding. The soft eggs break I think, and get eaten. Eggs in general don't get poked and eaten. They could get tested, but I have never found any firm-shelled eggs broken into, and if they are, it's not a regular occurrence.

Peanut had laid soft and very long odd-shaped eggs before, where the pointed end of the egg doesn't get well shelled though the rest is less soft. So she was probably responsible for one if not all of the recent soft eggs. Recently she was walking around with tail down and looking uncomfortable, then laid a long soft egg that broke. So I went back to supplementing calcium and after four days now I've confirmed that yesterday Peanut laid a pretty firm shelled egg, I saw her go in and come out. It was shaped better, rounder, but slightly odd shaped still.

Hmmm will continue the calcium citrate+ D3, & calcium carbonate supplementing. Just got another bag of nutrena feather fixer while I was in TSC, so if I switch again it would be after that. But not sure if switching to a layer feed would be enough for Peanut (and whoever else, if anybody) anyway. While in the store I looked at the calcium percentages again, it's not much more than they're getting as @BY Bob had noted. It may be the metabolic availability with the type of calcium, like citrate versus carbonate. More calcium carbonate, typical in feed, might not make a big difference?

I really wish I had more answers and things to try. Has anyone looked for a softshelled egg article that might help us with this? So many chickens are suffering through this right now and I really don't have time to go searching for more ideas.