Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

Hi everyone! Great news, the house is scheduled to be closed in at the end of September. We’ve had some ups and downs here, but I’ve gotten a cell signal booster and can get back online a bit again. I just have to rewire things a bit for 12V. Still on our big to do list, the trailer: installing the diesel heater for winter, refurbishing the toilet and bathroom for winter, and requiring our solar system and replacing our batteries.

Arduinna gave me a huge scare, a week ago she broke out of her crate while I was out putting up the chickens, and ate a Remembrance Day poppy! I just finally found the pin today, with my foot, and have never been so thankful to step on a sharp object. She should be getting a domestic Sangeen (milk breed) boyfriend in December, and hopefully another doe friend. So a temporary under the tow pin of the 5th goat barn is also in the works (I’m still stockpiling my pallets, but have a rough design now).

Also, I’ve had quite a few broodies hatching out chicks, including a second round by all my first broodies to hatch out babies. One of which manages to set under my trusses, safe from the humans, but not from the mink or raccoons. Three weeks of worry over predators and she finally hatched out 11!!! Chicks. Getting them all out from the trusses was an adventure in gymnastics and through stinging nettle, but she’s safely set up now with all here babes in a meat tractor.

Apparently I still need to get a WiFi connection to upload pics though… sorry

Pleased to read you're doing okay Kris.

 

[Shadrach]

Just got done with the vet and happy to say Chaco is very healthy. I gave her some carrots and cleaned up her stall. Heading home to do a chicken check, but gonna stop by the airport, to talk to my friend about the bill he gave me. (Personal business) hey @BY Bob , I love those little ones of yours! You better hide them! I’m im a sucker for beautiful baby chicks

My vet Gloria wasn't all that keen on carrots.

 

[Shadrach]

Elizabeth: March 2019 - September 2021. RIP.
Elizabeth died suddenly today. I am sad and will miss her.
Yesterday she was running around happily exploring the long grass.
This morning she was fine, though maybe a but a bit less perky than normal. By 5pm she was clearly not long for this world - her comb was turning cold and blue and she was only semi-conscious, and by 6pm she was gone.
You may remember she had been having trouble putting solid shells on her eggs for quite a while in spite of lots of extra calcium. It wasn't that she laid soft shelled eggs (though she did once) but more that the shells were so thin they would crack on impact. So I imagine the cause of her death was something reproductive.
Being thankful for small mercies, it was at least quick.
Hopefully you don't mind me posting some pictures here as a quick tribute to the lovely Elizabeth.

Baby Elizabeth at the top of the ramp with her bff Maggie (Diana is below)
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Inspecting roofing material for the soon-to-be-constructed Chicken Palace
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Just chilling
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The three sisters
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Looking for snacks
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Snow!
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On alert in the long grass
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Admiring herself
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Picking the best grass seed
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Alert while sunbathing
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Hanging out with her bff Maggie
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Ice cream!
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Selecting the best bug
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Looking back at these pictures I think she had a good chicken-life albeit too short.
Farewell Elizabeth, you brought me happiness and were well loved.
Rest in peace.

She had a lovely life with you RC,

 

[Shadrach]

A chicken tax picture.

 

[MaryJanet]

A chicken tax picture.
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I don't think you've shown these ones before Shad, unless they're the campground chickens. Where are they from?

 

[MaryJanet]

It was articles like this that got me worried.
https://blog.mypetchicken.com/2014/12/12/four-important-feather-foot-concerns/

The tone of that article is a little over the top.

I hope we all watch out for mites regardless of whether chickens have feathered legs.

Are dirty eggs really a problem? I get a dirty eggevery now and then, and I simply wash it before using it.

Feather plucking might arise if birds are unhappy and hungry. Not an issue for most of us.

I'll hold my tongue with respect to frostbite because it's unheard of where I live. It doesn't get cold enough. So I can't speak from experience.

 

[rural mouse]

I don't know them but I just added them to the list for Eve! Thanks.

If you haven't already tried it, The Book With No Pictures will have your entire audience (including those you don't realize are listening) in stitches.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

The tone of that article is a little over the top.

I hope we all watch out for mites regardless of whether chickens have feathered legs.

Are dirty eggs really a problem? I get a dirty eggevery now and then, and I simply wash it before using it.

Feather plucking might arise if birds are unhappy and hungry. Not an issue for most of us.

I'll hold my tongue with respect to frostbite because it's unheard of where I live. It doesn't get cold enough. So I can't speak from experience.

I read that article and was thinking really as well. I wonder if a lot of the problems mentioned in the article is due to overcrowding and never being allowed to free range? Another thing that got me was that if a pin feather on a foot got pulled or broke their would be profuse bleeding. Ok I have to laugh at that one. I'll give them that the base of the foot feathers are thick, at least for my Marans. Drummie this spring broke off one pin feather on his toe, it barely bled at all. What the big baby did do though was limp for 2 days like his leg was killing him which I'm sure it felt like he'd yanked a hang nail on a finger. And frostbitten legs, hah, when it snowed this winter my group trudged though it no problem and had a blast. What they did do though was when they were done with the snow was spend time grooming their leg feathers and snow never caked on their legs. I was more worried about frostbitten combs then feet. Another thing I notice mine do after they get on the roost at night is to preen their feathers, including legs and feet. They do not settle down for the night until every feather is in place.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I have another new layer, Creamy who is Squirrels sister and either 2 or 2 1/2 weeks younger laid her first egg yesterday. I thought she'd be next but was thinking at least another 2 weeks. Her hatch mate Raven I think will be another few weeks. Her comb has not started to grow or change color yet.

 

[MaryJanet]

Here's a fluffy butt Friday contribution

It's Mary relaxing with her friends under the shady shelter

I like how she has the leaves draped over her back.