Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Grumble Grumble

Betty was throwing a fit this morning and it took me a minute to figure out what was happening.

I realized that only Phyllis and Lilly were ranging. Everyone else were laying eggs.

In box #1 we had Aurora
In box #2 we had Hattie
In the Cluckle Hut we had Sydney

So where was Betty to lay her egg?

Maybe nest box #3?

Apparently that was unacceptable.

So she chose to lay her egg here.
View attachment 3062063

That's right.

In a box with Aurora!

And Betty is the one grumbling. Listen to her in this video. You can hear Sydney in the background having laid her egg and celebrating.

Has anyone ever heard a hen do that before. I have not. Even Hattie seems perplexed by the goings on!

Good grief - she has some nerve that Betty!

 

[bgmathteach]

I just got a call from the vet; he wants me to email him my chicken keeping routines, feed etc to see if there’s anything environmental we can improve.

I don't know whether to hope there is something that can be improved environmentally (giving the remaining ones a better chance) or not - meaning it is genetics that you can't fix.

 

[rural mouse]

If you wouldn't mind, could you share how you handle Hector while you tape his toes? Bernadette's toes are still taped up by the vet but I am supposed to take that off and inspect and if necessary then do it all up again.
I was with the vet when she did it so I know what needs to be done - in fact she and I designed it together - but she had the miracle vet tech animal whisperer who managed to hypnotize Bernadette such that she was very well behaved.
I am facing the prospect of doing this on my own. If that is not possible I will need to figure who of my friends/neighbors would be 'least bad' but I worry that the helper will make things worse by panicking.
So I am thinking through the logistics of doing this all one handed.
I thought about doing this at night as I do for the big Princesses if I need to do something, but the babies wake up in the night and it would also mean dragging her out from under the heat plate which I feel would be traumatic. Also, it will be harder for me to do fiddly work in the dark/red light.
My other thought is to immobilize Bernadette somehow maybe using a sling, or wrapping her up. I could make her into a vet wrap burrito.
Anyway, any tips welcome. She is 3 weeks old so still quite tiny. But also very feisty.
I have a utility sink that is not too deep, but deep enough that she won't be able to jump out with her bad leg. I thought I would put a towel in that and have that as the main place to work so I can see how she walks and not lose control of her.
Yes, I am a bit stressed by this - mainly because I don't want to traumatize her.

The kid who requested feather foots held him, back against his chest so his feet stuck out. We did wrap a wash cloth around him to help keep his wings under control. At 1 point, we had the cloth over his head to see if the dark kept him calmer, but didn't really notice a difference. I stroked his chin (wattle streaks) between stick applications. We did take a pause, so put him in the brooder tote in the kitchen to let him settle. He did settle pretty quick. Finally went with boxing tape to get the toothpicks to stay, then get wrap to hold the cardboard soles....put Hector back in the brooder. He sat for a bit, not quite sure, took about 10 steps, had 1 bootie off, along with one of the splints, and started pecking at the other splint on that foot. had it off in about 10 seconds with the other boot halfway off too. Picked him back up and removed everything. Partway through the process, Hector leaned his head back on my son's chest and tried going to sleep. Surprisingly calm about it once we wrapped his wings. He twitched his feet a few times, not sure if ticklish or more get it off, but he tolerated the process well. We just didn't do a good enough wrap job to get everything to stay, so took him back out to rejoin the girls rather than subject him to more manhandling. The girls squalked much more over getting wattle checked which I did when I returned Hector to them. he does have a strong grip with his toes: he kept wrapping them around my fingers to hold on to me. hoping the vitamins / "treat" of high B vitamin foods will take care of the issue rather than having to try it again, but if we do, popsicle sticks will likely be used instead. maybe tape them to the soles making a triangular toe tent....

 

[rural mouse]

I'm very sorry that I'm not closer. If I was available I would still drive out to help you.

I like having an extra set of hands but Mrs BY Bob is not always available and I've had to improvise before.

I would have the the brace ready to go with a couple of short pieces of tape so I could put it on and secure it with 1 hand quickly. Once it is on it will be easier to secure it permanently.

This really feels like a 2 person job though.

RC, would one of the guys who worked on the palace be willing/able to be a second set of hands? If I recall correctly, it sounded like they were charmed by the ladies. (If not those guys, one of the others who's been out)

 

[RoyalChick]

The kid who requested feather foots held him, back against his chest so his feet stuck out. We did wrap a wash cloth around him to help keep his wings under control. At 1 point, we had the cloth over his head to see if the dark kept him calmer, but didn't really notice a difference. I stroked his chin (wattle streaks) between stick applications. We did take a pause, so put him in the brooder tote in the kitchen to let him settle. He did settle pretty quick. Finally went with boxing tape to get the toothpicks to stay, then get wrap to hold the cardboard soles....put Hector back in the brooder. He sat for a bit, not quite sure, took about 10 steps, had 1 bootie off, along with one of the splints, and started pecking at the other splint on that foot. had it off in about 10 seconds with the other boot halfway off too. Picked him back up and removed everything. Partway through the process, Hector leaned his head back on my son's chest and tried going to sleep. Surprisingly calm about it once we wrapped his wings. He twitched his feet a few times, not sure if ticklish or more get it off, but he tolerated the process well. We just didn't do a good enough wrap job to get everything to stay, so took him back out to rejoin the girls rather than subject him to more manhandling. The girls squalked much more over getting wattle checked which I did when I returned Hector to them. he does have a strong grip with his toes: he kept wrapping them around my fingers to hold on to me. hoping the vitamins / "treat" of high B vitamin foods will take care of the issue rather than having to try it again, but if we do, popsicle sticks will likely be used instead. maybe tape them to the soles making a triangular toe tent....

Thanks. I think I will wrap her up so I have a bit more leeway and she is a bit more immobile.

 

[RoyalChick]

RC, would one of the guys who worked on the palace be willing/able to be a second set of hands? If I recall correctly, it sounded like they were charmed by the ladies. (If not those guys, one of the others who's been out)

Yes, my mind was going in that direction too - they aren't back out here until Monday, but that may be OK if I can't manage it myself.
There is also an elderly neighbor who told me he grew up with chickens so he is maybe a possibility.

 

[rural mouse]

Grumble Grumble

Betty was throwing a fit this morning and it took me a minute to figure out what was happening.

I realized that only Phyllis and Lilly were ranging. Everyone else were laying eggs.

In box #1 we had Aurora
In box #2 we had Hattie
In the Cluckle Hut we had Sydney

So where was Betty to lay her egg?

Maybe nest box #3?

Apparently that was unacceptable.

So she chose to lay her egg here.
View attachment 3062063

That's right.

In a box with Aurora!

And Betty is the one grumbling. Listen to her in this video. You can hear Sydney in the background having laid her egg and celebrating.

Has anyone ever heard a hen do that before. I have not. Even Hattie seems perplexed by the goings on!

Betty is one determined lady.

 

[bgmathteach]

Hey all! You are all so lovely to reach out here (and my inbox is filled with kindness too).

All is well here. I kinda feel like a jerk just popping in to say "I'm sorry I'm MIA" and "I'm so busy."

However, yes... I am sorry and I have been crazy busy. Work has been relentless for the past 6 months (yay job security!).
I've been generally awful about being kind to myself and allowing little luxuries to make all the efforts more endurable, so I've been working on remedies.
Actually took time off and went on a retreat (think yoga and hiking). I came back with a better outlook. And Covid. Thank goodness it was a mild case bc it really sucked. As in it sucked any desire to not be sleeping out of me. Fortunately I was able to segregate enough from the family and no one else caught it.

Kiddos are great! Eldest is thinking about what career path to delve into or if an advanced degree is a good call. He's got a year before graduation, so lots of conversations have and will continue to happen.
Youngest will be leaving the nest in fall for year 1 of college. He has been working and earning some crazy bank dog walking and sitting.

Hubby and I are looking forward to a trip of a lifetime in late summer (you know the details BGMath!) and I couldn't be happier to have it on the horizon.

The chickens are all in great shape and just such a joy! Naenae sometimes will take a nap on my lap if I can get outside in the afternoon. One day she had stretched out and layed sidewides and just snoozed. It was enough to make my heart burst that she trusts me so implicitly.
Even my most skittish girl, Pingu, is warming up to me. She will hop up and stand next to me when I sit on the bench. I think by end of summer she will crawl on my lap too

I cannot even pretend to be up to date on everyone - but I sure hope life has been kind to each of you.View attachment 3061871
Chicken tax... Piscia peering out of the newest and most desirable place to lay eggs. Who needs nest boxes??

So happy things are going well in 'your neck of the woods' so to speak. I have heard that Covid does just that - sucks the life force out of you...even in mild cases...so glad you recovered fully!
Gotta love Naenae. Nothing like a warm chicken cuddling or snoozing on your lap.

I completely agree, new bags of shavings are quite comfy, smell great, an give a bit of privacy...who wouldn't want to lay eggs there?

Tax:

One of my very curious 'I'll follow you everywhere, but don't touch me!" girls

Weeeeeee

See mom, I told you I could fly!!

 

[bgmathteach]

. Also tried taping Hector's toes (they have started curling sideways). Epic fail on that. Getting a vitamin supplement tomorrow after work to see if that will help (they weren't crooked to begin with so guessing vitamins). Meanwhile, have some leftover "corn"bread that's actually grain free (mostly almond flour and eggs). In googling foods high in B 2 (?), the likely source of the toes, both of those came up. In fiddling with them (he was remarkably patient, but has ticklish feet), they aren't curling as much so, hoping the vitamins will do the trick. If not, going to try popsicle stick toe braces as toothpicks are IMPOSSIBLE!

I've used cardboard feet to great success...but they also weren't as old as Hector & gang. Try placing feet on cardboard (like that from a cereal box or similar), arranging toes straight, and tracing the foot...cut out the pattern & using Vet rap, 'tape' the cardboard foot to his feet, and make sure to go around and up the leg a bit to keep it from sliding forward off his foot. He will walk a bit funny, but should last a couple of days.(if he doesn't peck it to peices...which the vet rap will help reduce.) FYI: I cut the narrow width vet rap in half lenght wise for little tykes ...I find it much easier to work with.

I hope this helps...and the Vit. B, too!

 

[RoyalChick]

I've used cardboard feet to great success...but they also weren't as old as Hector & gang. Try placing feet on cardboard (like that from a cereal box or similar), arranging toes straight, and tracing the foot...cut out the pattern & using Vet rap, 'tape' the cardboard foot to his feet, and make sure to go around and up the leg a bit to keep it from sliding forward off his foot. He will walk a bit funny, but should last a couple of days.(if he doesn't peck it to peices...which the vet rap will help reduce.) FYI: I cut the narrow width vet rap in half lenght wise for little tykes ...I find it much easier to work with.

I hope this helps...and the Vit. B, too!

Any advice on restraining chick while doing this? Any idea how long the vit B takes to make a difference?