Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

That is quite a story about the Watusi!

Wild right! Animals are incredible.

 

[micstrachan]

Lilly is doing well aside from her naked back. I don't remember seeing Lilly naked like this before. This year's molts are very strange in some birds.

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While she may not have good feathers Sansa is full of energy and is talking away these days.

Wow, if I didn’t know she were molting, I’d think it was feather picking. Strange molting pattern! (though, I think Roxy went through a less severe phase like that, too.)

 

[micstrachan]

Happy Birthday Kat.

Happy birthday, Kat!

 

[micstrachan]

hey guys! could I join this thread?

Hello and welcome!

 

[micstrachan]

I agree with you, and want to note that Peanut, about a year old, was laying consistently soft-shelled and very long eggs, and extra calcium seemed to help that. So either it was a period of some problem, or the calcium solved it. When she starts laying again I will watch and see how it goes before adding it, in case it was a transitory thing. They were on 16-18% All-Flock with oyster shell on the side until this Fall when I put them on 18% Feather Fixer, higher in protein and calcium than the All-Flock.

Calcium also helped Dorothy in the beginning of her soft shelled egg problem. But it eventually stopped helping. I’m pretty sure the soft eggs are what killed her.

 

[Marie2020]

Change in Decision on the Feed

I have posted this on MJs thread but thought I should share here as well.

I think I have decided to put the tribe back onto layer feed including Sansa. It is likely the best way to get higher calcium into her. I may still choose to supplement as well to give her a big boost. I'm going to do this for a month while I keep good watch on her weight. Then we will recheck her labs and see how we have done. I can then adjust as needed.

I'm headed to go get some layer now. I'll do some calculations then to see how much she would be getting. What I can't understand is why I don't see her eating any of the oyster shell. If she was calcium deficient and there was calcium available, why not ingest some?

The concern that the entire tribe might be a little low on calcium is another reason why I'm going to switch to layer.

I've been mixing eggshells and oyster on a plate lately, that's going down well.

Plus I mixed their layers with quail in their feeders and made a warm meal of both with acv and oil plus a little raw cabbage with crushed peanuts then sprinkled finely chopped oysters shell ontop.

I'm a very popular chickens mama this morning.

 

[BY Bob]

Calcium also helped Dorothy in the beginning of her soft shelled egg problem. But it eventually stopped helping. I’m pretty sure the soft eggs are what killed her.

I think that it is a safe guess that a laying issue was the cause. I would agree with you there.

 

[BY Bob]

I've been mixing eggshells and oyster on a plate lately, that's going down well.

Plus I mixed their layers with quail in their feeders and made a warm meal of both with acv and oil plus a little raw cabbage with crushed peanuts then sprinkled finely chopped oysters shell ontop.

I'm a very popular chickens mama this morning.

I bet you are!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

 

[BY Bob]

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So needed this morning.