Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

Maybe Bunny and Fat Bird are Beakbook besties?

Well, both Fat Bird and Bunny are both Marans so anything is possible.

 

[RoyalChick]

A mini Minnie update
It is still dark and I am just back in from my morning coconut oil and massage routine. There really wasn't anything to massage because her crop was completely empty. A situation she is currently remedying by picking the cabbage off her breakfast buffet in the hospital ward.

She was also more feisty than other mornings including being more vocal and getting down off the roost and wandering off before I could grab her (another myth busted that chickens don't see in the dark!).
Her poo overnight however is still mainly liquid. The optimist in me noticed two things: there are definitely urates and they are nice and white, and there is some 'stuff' in the splatter - it is no longer just fully clear water like a few days ago.
How she can have had a big breakfast 3 days in a row - and eaten other things when she forages during the day - and not produce meaningful solids in her poop is a real mystery to me.

The vet called me yesterday and if nothing else good comes from this whole episode I am really happy that I have found a vet who is a chicken lady. She totally got the whole morning coconut oil and massage thing and why it was a delightful way to start the day. She called it 'mutually therapeutic' which is about right!
She also seemed really interested in things like Minnie's mood and is clearly a believer in minimizing her stress by letting her be with her friends and getting exercise. She was very happy that Minnie spent most of the afternoons outdoors with everyone else scratching around.
The poo sample was clear - no parasites, no abnormal bacterial load. The vet is as puzzled as I am about why the poo is not returning to normal and suggested increasing the amount of chicken food mash in my beef, egg, yoghurt, cabbage mix as maybe those will help give her poo more form (assuming she eats it of course).
Thinking ahead to next week when I am away I am thinking of doing a trial without coconut oil and massage over the next 24 hours to see how she does on her own.
It will hopefully reduce my anxiety about leaving her while I am away. Wish her luck!

 

[RoyalChick]

And today’s FBF contribution comes from the lovely Minnie who spent yesterday afternoon ‘digging around’.
She is sporting her single remaining tail feather having left all the others at the vet. In spite of a week of liquid diarrhea she has pristine clean fluff. I now see the benefit of the skill she had as a chick of projectile pooping (the days when she aims it at my face are thankfully over!)

 

[Lady Red]

A mini Minnie update
It is still dark and I am just back in from my morning coconut oil and massage routine. There really wasn't anything to massage because her crop was completely empty. A situation she is currently remedying by picking the cabbage off her breakfast buffet in the hospital ward.

She was also more feisty than other mornings including being more vocal and getting down off the roost and wandering off before I could grab her (another myth busted that chickens don't see in the dark!).
Her poo overnight however is still mainly liquid. The optimist in me noticed two things: there are definitely urates and they are nice and white, and there is some 'stuff' in the splatter - it is no longer just fully clear water like a few days ago.
How she can have had a big breakfast 3 days in a row - and eaten other things when she forages during the day - and not produce meaningful solids in her poop is a real mystery to me.

The vet called me yesterday and if nothing else good comes from this whole episode I am really happy that I have found a vet who is a chicken lady. She totally got the whole morning coconut oil and massage thing and why it was a delightful way to start the day. She called it 'mutually therapeutic' which is about right!
She also seemed really interested in things like Minnie's mood and is clearly a believer in minimizing her stress by letting her be with her friends and getting exercise. She was very happy that Minnie spent most of the afternoons outdoors with everyone else scratching around.
The poo sample was clear - no parasites, no abnormal bacterial load. The vet is as puzzled as I am about why the poo is not returning to normal and suggested increasing the amount of chicken food mash in my beef, egg, yoghurt, cabbage mix as maybe those will help give her poo more form (assuming she eats it of course).
Thinking ahead to next week when I am away I am thinking of doing a trial without coconut oil and massage over the next 24 hours to see how she does on her own.
It will hopefully reduce my anxiety about leaving her while I am away. Wish her luck!

Fabulous news! Hoping that you are okay forgoing the massage routine too

 

[RoyalChick]

Fabulous news! Hoping that you are okay forgoing the massage routine too

I was a bit sad TBH - I think I need to start subjecting the others to the morning massage so I can get my cuddle fix!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Here is the thing with Bunny's new fascination with her house walk-a-bouts, she has never showed any interest with coming inside before. She is Holly's daughter and she was raised outside and as a chick she never needed to be brought in for anything. Back in the spring when Butter took it upon herself to see a open door as a open invitation to come in and during her hospital stay Bunny could care less. When she first started laying this year she started out using the porch boxes, even went broody and raised her first set of chicks there so she knows how to get there without coming inside. I honestly do not want any of the hens to get comfortable and familiar with laying inside. Simply because in another 2 weeks or so our temps will normally drop and unless it is a warm day that will be few and far between doors and windows will be shut until spring. That will result in a angry hen at a door shouting and yelling to be let inside. I also know that if I was to place a little bit of hay in a cardboard box Bunny would be thrilled and lay inside. I was tempted to yesterday, but, common sense prevailed. I cater to almost every single whim my chickens have. But, there will be times when I am not home during the day so it is really best not to encourage this.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

A mini Minnie update
It is still dark and I am just back in from my morning coconut oil and massage routine. There really wasn't anything to massage because her crop was completely empty. A situation she is currently remedying by picking the cabbage off her breakfast buffet in the hospital ward.

She was also more feisty than other mornings including being more vocal and getting down off the roost and wandering off before I could grab her (another myth busted that chickens don't see in the dark!).
Her poo overnight however is still mainly liquid. The optimist in me noticed two things: there are definitely urates and they are nice and white, and there is some 'stuff' in the splatter - it is no longer just fully clear water like a few days ago.
How she can have had a big breakfast 3 days in a row - and eaten other things when she forages during the day - and not produce meaningful solids in her poop is a real mystery to me.

The vet called me yesterday and if nothing else good comes from this whole episode I am really happy that I have found a vet who is a chicken lady. She totally got the whole morning coconut oil and massage thing and why it was a delightful way to start the day. She called it 'mutually therapeutic' which is about right!
She also seemed really interested in things like Minnie's mood and is clearly a believer in minimizing her stress by letting her be with her friends and getting exercise. She was very happy that Minnie spent most of the afternoons outdoors with everyone else scratching around.
The poo sample was clear - no parasites, no abnormal bacterial load. The vet is as puzzled as I am about why the poo is not returning to normal and suggested increasing the amount of chicken food mash in my beef, egg, yoghurt, cabbage mix as maybe those will help give her poo more form (assuming she eats it of course).
Thinking ahead to next week when I am away I am thinking of doing a trial without coconut oil and massage over the next 24 hours to see how she does on her own.
It will hopefully reduce my anxiety about leaving her while I am away. Wish her luck!

I am so happy to hear that Minnie is on the mend and you found a vet who actually cares about chickens. While I know of 2 vets who will see chickens, In all honesty both see them as simply livestock. It is better then nothing, but I do not think either would go above and beyond to figure out a mystery problem if one arose and would put me in the crazy chicken person category. But you know, I am fine being in that club.

 

[rural mouse]

Please name them so we all know! If they offer it they must be proud of it.

Had to go Google it again. from 17 best hatcheries list

 

[rural mouse]

Friday fluff from the only reliable ones.

Everyone else persists in facing me. These two will at least turn in circles so i stand a chance at getting shots from all angles.

 

[RoyalChick]

Here is the thing with Bunny's new fascination with her house walk-a-bouts, she has never showed any interest with coming inside before. She is Holly's daughter and she was raised outside and as a chick she never needed to be brought in for anything. Back in the spring when Butter took it upon herself to see a open door as a open invitation to come in and during her hospital stay Bunny could care less. When she first started laying this year she started out using the porch boxes, even went broody and raised her first set of chicks there so she knows how to get there without coming inside. I honestly do not want any of the hens to get comfortable and familiar with laying inside. Simply because in another 2 weeks or so our temps will normally drop and unless it is a warm day that will be few and far between doors and windows will be shut until spring. That will result in a angry hen at a door shouting and yelling to be let inside. I also know that if I was to place a little bit of hay in a cardboard box Bunny would be thrilled and lay inside. I was tempted to yesterday, but, common sense prevailed. I cater to almost every single whim my chickens have. But, there will be times when I am not home during the day so it is really best not to encourage this.

We will be watching this movie play out with interest!