Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

You need to post more photos of all your feathered (and furred) friends.

I agree. More pictures! Please

 

[BY Bob]

My gals really like clover, esp the white flowers. Hopefully clover is ok for chickies, I too have mostly clover.

I also noted they liked the leaves of my tomato plants and petunias... Hopefully those things are also ok for chickens!!

Clover is a real treat around here. They have removed most of it from my lawn.

 

[BY Bob]

Thing managed to dip her crest feathers this morning. They promptly froze. gathered her up, inside we went. No one else is up, so I'm fumbling through the cabinet for the hair dryer none of us use, but kept it just for this, one handed while holding on to a bird who isn't all that keen to be inside. Daren't put her down or I'll never get her up again. Find the dryer, plug in near the door (still one handed) and start working on the feathers. She keeps shaking her head and sending water flying.one of the kids finally turns up so I can hand off the dryer and start working on spreading feathers/feeling base of them. She's back in the coop with the others and is acting a bit more assertive. all dry, feathers preened back into place.

Most spent the day roosting. Watched Silver groom Cheetah, then Pear. Storm got a peck, then snuggled in (she gives the other pullets space, but snuggles in with Silver and/or Pear. Cuckoo also got a peck, then some grooming. Twirp fits down inside the feeder (after the "best food"?) And can hop right out again too. what will she get into/discover next?

I'm glad you were there to see the dipped crest feathers. Close call.

 

[bgmathteach]

I know somewhere you do understand Ribh because of something you wrote earlier in this thread when I rather bluntly pointed out a series of events that happened at Fluffy Butt Acres. I can't find the post atm, but you pointed out that for me it was about what happened to the chickens while most others were concentrating on extending their sympathies to Bob.
It's about the chickens for me, not about the people. People have chosen to keep chickens, the chickens didn't get a say in the matter. When it all goes wrong it's the chickens that suffer yet all the empathy, whatever one may think it's worth, goes to the human who was, albeit sometimes unwittingly, the cause of whatever happened to the chicken.

I have a brief recuring conversation with the person who manages the allotments. It goes something like this.
C, "I do appreciate you helping me out with the chickens."
Shadrach. "I'm not trying to help you out, I'm trying to help the chickens."

I realise it's very hard for people to understand. I don't know how I can explain it any better.

So, it isn't pragmatism and it's not that I don't feel emotional connected to the chickens which should be obvious to anyone who has read the stuff I've posted and all the pictures and obsevations etc etc. It's that step that for Shadrach the chickens are more important than the people that people seem unable to take.
Take that step and you will all understand me.

I do understand you...but it is both for me...the people AND the chickens. And, I think that that is okay. I believe that, due to your point of view, you have observations and understandings that I mightn't because of my point of view. Probably a good thing, between all of us here, we 'cover the bases' and make a better 'whole' than any one of us.

 

[Marie2020]

Had I known that this winter season would have so much rain, I would have done a more thorough job of winterizing the coop. It’s dry inside, but there is an open draft area in the loft. I’m hoping my beloved friends are doing okay.
View attachment 2943740

It's all rain here too.
The girls are in their run even Agatha and tina don't want to come out in this

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks for asking. There is no change. She’s inside tonight. I did bring her out at one point to see if she wanted to play with her friends/sisters, but she headed straight for the coop. I thought the warm inside would be good for her tonight, so brought her back in the house. She’s not eating, drinking, nor pooping, but I did get a good amount of coconut oil into her. I’d like to tube a molasses flush, but she is resisting me and I don’t want to risk aspiration (her crop is far from empty). I might see if the avian vet can see her tomorrow. But I’ll feel terrible if what we find means I should have her put down and her last night is in the house instead of the coop.
I’d like to acclimate her to the cooler temp tomorrow by opening up the kitchen for a bit before letting her outside. I might also like to put a heater facing into the coop for her to warm up if she wants. Which reminds me… there *might* be one small development; she might be heading into molt. She has dropped a few feathers, but I can’t tell if they are falling out on their own or if there’s a possibility they came out when handling her with her resisting. I guess I’ll know in the morning.

This is never easy. She knows that you are doing the best you can for her and will keep what is right thing for her top of mind.

 

[Marie2020]

I agree. More pictures! Please

I would drowned out there so can't take pictures. My girls come running to me when I go outside and they are better off in their run.

I agree. More pictures! Please

No chance here it's raining badly and very windy

 

[BY Bob]

I think you and Shad compliment and balance each other out. Empathy and respect versus pragmatism and respect.

What a nice thing to say.

Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm super emotional. That is good for me as well. He keeps me monitoring myself to make certain I have not gotten too soft (is that the right word?).

 

[Marie2020]

What a nice thing to say.

Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm super emotional. That is good for me as well. He keeps me monitoring myself to make certain I have not gotten too soft (is that the right word?).

No, we are not all the same and deal with our emotions in totally different ways

No one has the right to tell anyone how to feel emotionally.

 

[BY Bob]

Lock was lovely. Odd, but lovely.
I'm not the pragmatist you are. I am emotionally attached to all my animals ~ as many of them also seem to be to me. Knowing that particular personality is gone forever is hard for me.

This is part of what makes you who you are and I find it endearing.

Tax