Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I've bought the live big cheese mousetrap

The door drops too easily and there isn't a way to slide out the bottom so had too put peanut butter in with a knife.

Anyone who knows about this contraption please advise me

View attachment 2926709

I have used a drop trap with success before. It closes when the mouse reaches the food by tipping like a teeter totter. I have never used these.

 

[Marie2020]

I have used a drop trap with success before. It closes when the mouse reaches the food by tipping like a teeter totter. I have never used these.

I'll look into that . Thanks Bob

 

[RoyalChick]

It was great to let them out. I felt like a prison guard standing there with a gun scanning the sky.

I love the imagery and that you are doing that.
I am out with mine today but I am unarmed. I am still pondering purchasing weaponry, but today I am relying on predators round me being less used to seeing people.

 

[RoyalChick]

I've bought the live big cheese mousetrap

The door drops too easily and there isn't a way to slide out the bottom so had too put peanut butter in with a knife.

Anyone who knows about this contraption please advise me

View attachment 2926711

View attachment 2926709

I have used something like that. The trick is to put the peanut butter on a tiny bit of cracker. For folk in the US the Goldfish crackers are perfect. Then you can slide the cracker down to the end. That stops the peanut butter smearing everywhere.
One year I put a dab of paint on each mouse I released in the woods. I caught 100 in total and only about 10 were repeat offenders.
After 100 I changed strategy.

 

[RoyalChick]

I have been evicted from my chair by Diana. It is OK. I have my down vest on and she has lost most of hers. I guess she needs the sun’s warmth more than I do right now.

 

[bgmathteach]

I have never. Let me say again, NEVER, had chickens molt this late. I have 4 of 6 molting, Lilly, Aurora, Phyllis, and Sansa. If you exclude Sansa, that is half of my flock molting in December. In 8 years I have never seen this.

I truly suspect it is the odd weather. My chickens are molting late as well. We usually have a killing frost before Columbus day here (10/12) We didn't even have a frost until early November. It was unseasonably warm...and out of all my chickens (40 + that are 1.5 - 4.5 years old/would molt), I only had 2 that started molting close to normal time. By now even my late molters should be done, but more than half are are still quite bare/just have early signs of 'tufts' of feathers coming out the shafts. No one is (other than the afore-mentioned 2) is close to being done...and I have some that 'blew their feathers' this past week.

Yes, this is a VERY ODD molting year...and whether it is the cause ro not, it is coinciding with a very warm/odd fall.

 

[Marie2020]

I have used something like that. The trick is to put the peanut butter on a tiny bit of cracker. For folk in the US the Goldfish crackers are perfect. Then you can slide the cracker down to the end. That stops the peanut butter smearing everywhere.
One year I put a dab of paint on each mouse I released in the woods. I caught 100 in total and only about 10 were repeat offenders.
After 100 I changed strategy.

What was your next plan of action?

A friend told me that a mate of his made a rat trap with a bucket of water.

 

[Marie2020]

I truly suspect it is the odd weather. My chickens are molting late as well. We usually have a killing frost before Columbus day here (10/12) We didn't even have a frost until early November. It was unseasonably warm...and out of all my chickens (40 + that are 1.5 - 4.5 years old/would molt), I only had 2 that started molting close to normal time. By now even my late molters should be done, but more than half are are still quite bare/just have early signs of 'tufts' of feathers coming out the shafts. No one is (other than the afore-mentioned 2) is close to being done...and I have some that 'blew their feathers' this past week.

Yes, this is a VERY ODD molting year...and whether it is the cause ro not, it is coinciding with a very warm/odd fall.

A neighbour was outside the other evening really worried about the colour of the sky. It is strange

 

[bgmathteach]

There appears to be no issue on Hattie's part being number 2. I think these "mean" hens may make the best leaders in the end. Perhaps Sansa will be in charge some day too.

Or, the more docile/gentle ones just won't fight for it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Maggie
I am having a bit of a health scare with Maggie right now. She went to the vet on Friday who is a bit mystified and going to do some research and consult colleagues before recommending a way forward.
Basically she has a problem with balance.

Here is a video compilation I put together to show the vet because of course in the vet’s office Maggie steadfastly refused to do anything but stand and stare at the vet and poop all over her table.

On my list of possible causes are:
- Marek’s (the vet is skeptical)
- Botulism (but she hasn’t been around anything rotting)
- Mold (but the food seems fine and she is off commercial feed again)
- Vitamin or mineral deficiency - thiamine, B12 and selenium deficiencies can cause ataxia (maybe she got deficient because she is off commercial feed)
- Zinc poisoning. When she was X-rayed 15 months ago when she laid two lash eggs the vet did note she had eaten some small screws but that is a long time ago.

She is getting about in a drunken sort of way and is as feisty with the roadrunners as ever. Actually they are more terrified of her even than normal because you can’t really predict which way she will lurch so she is harder to avoid!

The vet recommended I put her in the hospital ward after dark so she doesn’t fall over and injure herself, but she put herself to bed in her nesting box which is even more contained so I let her be. How she got up there is anyone’s guess.

I am not waiting for a diagnosis to treat for vitamin deficiency and zinc toxicity. Today she seems no better but also no worse.

I am a bit devastated. These lovely ladies seem so fragile! I am buoying my spirits by remembering that Minnie pulled through and at her worst was much sicker than Maggie seems now.

And here is an action shot of Minnie with her nice plump red comb going after some choice morsel.