Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lady Red]

Fluffy bottoms...no privacy for chickens
Today's patient:

 

[Lady Red]

A leggy girl for Bob

 

[Ribh]

Naenae's vet visit

I have to admit, I had been contemplating canceling the appt after she had been doing better. Hubby stopped giving her treats, and she seemed to improve.

Then Monday night she was back in the house after laying a GIANT double yolker in the morning. She tail was droopy, and once I got outside of Pecking Garden, she immediately layed a soft shell.
She still seemed uncomfortable, so chicken infirmary it was! She shortly layed a shell less egg upon admission.

So I kept the appt.
It was today, and I was readying her carrier and glanced outside to see her right then lay a soft shell. Her sisters got to it before I could stand up straight.

I packed her up (she traveled well!) and took her in.

She weighs 2kg and was deemed healthy aside from overproduction issues. And she layed a soft shell in front of the vet.

Over the phone he had said they don't keep lupron in house, but could write a script for her after assessment. I told him I wanted that route.

Hubby was with me at the appt, and asked all the questions I had gone over with vet on the phone. He and the vet then said they thought the hCG injection would be a good thing to try first.

Not exactly what I had planned on. Sounds like it doesn't have as high of a success rate as Lupron. But I didn't feel like fighting with hubby about it (he wasn't keen on a chicken vet until a few weeks ago when he noticed I was in tears about the bird).

So here we are. An hCG injection that may or may not work, only lasts a month, I probably won't see a decrease in eggs until a week from now, and anything she does produce is not for consumption.

I guess it should be chalked up as progress.
1. I found a vet
2. Hubby agreed to let it happen
3. We are trying something for her, and
4. If it doesn't take, Lupron is next line of attempt.

I'm sorry. My man is great but he will put his 2 dibs in because he's worked on a farm & thinks he knows what he's talking about. Mostly he doesn't. I choose my battles.

 

[Lady Red]

Piscia was quite pleased we were "twinsies" today. She was chasing me to play with my black "feathers"

Meatbird tried to photo bomb us.

Obligatory Friday shot of my black beauty:

 

[Ribh]

This is Chick. She's the most junior of the four. She's also got me sorted and is quite happy to jump onto my lap on the offchance she'll get first go at the walnuts. She knows which pocket they are in.
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Chick is just lovely! I'm so glad you still have chickens in your life & they still love walnuts.

 

[Lady Red]

I'm sorry. My man is great but he will put his 2 dibs in because he's worked on a farm & thinks he knows what he's talking about. Mostly he doesn't. I choose my battles.

Mine is great too, but yeah...sometimes the battles are quietly won without the "I told you so" with a small interim step. Next go is all me and my decision and that will be that.

 

[Ribh]

Hi friends. Happy Friday! Ruby was drained by the avian vet today and I plan to support her by tubing fluids all weekend. She is definitely spunkier since the fluid came off! My hope is for her to be comfortable and strong enough to roost again. Jf she can’t grt up there herself tonight, I’ll help her, since I don’t think there is danger when she jumps down. Next is my cardiology video appointment. Busy day!

Ruby sure is a fighter! I'm so glad for both of you.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Friends, my Drummie is gone. I finally feel better and go outside armed with a big box of raisins to restart our morning routine and I'm greeted with a pile of feathers. Rooster feathers. The trail led to the creek but I've looked everywhere and there is no body. At first I was not sure if it was Basil or Drumstick that I was looking for but after calling for a minute Basil came running to me. I want to be hopeful that I will find him, but, there is a lot of feathers and my heart is shattered. Basil is also doing something this morning that I can not take as a good sign that I will find him. He's crowing. Before this morning for the last week he's only let out 1 crow before coming off the roost and has been silent the rest of the day, if there was a crow to be heard it was Drumsticks. Today, he has not shut up, every 30 minutes he's taking a crowing spell almost like he's calling for his dad. This is not the first time i've lost a chicken or chick, but today, this hurts differently. My friend is gone.

Darkness has fallen here and my boy is gone. I can only hope Basil had enough time to learn all he could from Drumstick. Daisy and Holly miss him, they did not want to get up on the roost tonight. They have always had him sleep in the middle of them. I have also kept something secret as I didn't want to bring it up with the sadness of the loss of bob's chicks. Bunny went broody again and I let her set. In the midst of my heartbreak Drumsticks last babies are hatching. She has 7 so far and 4 more eggs to go. Several times today I've went out to the building to just cry while looking in on the new little ones. All but 1 of the eggs I gave Bunny were pure marans, the other was a Butter egg. It was the first to hatch, and if chick down means anything Squirrel is going to have a look-a-like sibling. Drumstick will live on in his children and grandchildren and I am very thankful to have them, but, there will never be another like my boy.
Rest In Peace Drumstick
2/10/20-8/18/21
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I’m so, so sorry Rebecca.
He was a beautiful rooster in both looks an temperament.

It is some comfort to know that his line continues. I’m glad you have some of his chicks.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Update: Josephine found Emily under the porch, and just called me back to say that all my chooks are safe now. She even brought Arizona and Dakota into the chickens room for the night. (Want good friends? You will find them at your local church!)

You will have to name your next new hen after her.

 

[Lady Red]

Mo having a dust bath. I found red mite in their coop on the roost bar which is the only wood in the coop. My sisters husband doesn't have a blowtorch but he does have on of those chef blowtorches which should do the job.
Mo is senior to Chick but junior to Mini and Freya.
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Kitchen grade torch should work...
Then use it to make Creme Brulee