Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

I want to take a minute to rant. This is not directed to anyone on here but some posts and advice I've been seeing on some chicken facebook groups that are getting under my skin. I guess it could pertain to those of us who have broody hens and babies.

In the last month there has been countless posts about people asking for help because they let a hen hatch chicks and then want to know what to do. 2 things keep getting told to them over and over and each one wants to make me scream in frustration. Half of the advice given is to take the chicks from the momma and brood them themselves. The other half of the group say to separate momma and babies from the flock and not introduce them back until the chicks are 7 weeks or older so they are big enough to defend themselves.

The first option really ticks me off. If you are going to trust your hen to hatch, and let her go through all the work to do it give your hen a chance to prove she is a good mom. Even if I do not plan on keeping the chicks I never take them away from her until she is finished with them. To me that is cruel, if your not going to let her raise them, buy a incubator. Now if she hatches and starts killing the chicks, ok, remove them and never let her hatch again. But give the poor momma a chance please.

The 2nd option almost makes me as mad. Maybe keep them separate for a few days or up to a week but not 7 weeks. The mom will protect them, they will watch and learn from other flock members if given a chance. More importantly, when mom is done, most times before 7 weeks they are already fully integrated flock members.

I do not even attempt to offer this advise anymore because you will be hounded because you do not agree with them. Even if several people disagree with those options we are all evil and not protecting those delicate chicks. I will tell you, chicks are not as fragile as we have came to believe or be told they are.

Ok Rant over.

Agree 100%. I do keep mine somewhat isolated at first, for their own protection from predators like my ravens (won’t trust them with the tiny ones!) and with mothers that are new. And then we establish the routine of going up for bed… it can be quite taxing at first right now I have Creamsicle with six babies, not so good at counting, and still hasn’t figured out taking them into the coop for bed. Also the first week or two they sleep in the enclosed broody box, because the morning scuffle of 50-60 adults eating and rushing out the door is a bit too risky for tiny ones. I also spent a lot of my day checking on distress peeping chicks and herding them back to mamas. The barred mama can’t even count to one… sigh.

 

[Kris5902]

I was astonished to hear the eggs chirping when they where hatching! And Henny Penny chirping right back.

Oh and I did drag her off the eggs once daily to eat/poop/drink, as it was Oct I put a small hand towel over the eggs to help keep warm.

I am also astonished the eggs hatched as I had no idea what I was doing, and Henny was also first time broody. Seems Henny was doing fine all on her own

Alex keep us updated daily

October 2017, moving my mom down and cleaning out her hoarder apartment suite, and two pigeons had decided to nest on her balcony while she was away in hospital in Vancouver for over a month. Dawson Creek, Northern BC… it was dipping below freezing every single night, and often during the day. They left the two tiny little eggs uncovered for what seemed like forever. I thought for sure there was no way… and then they hatched! (Yes, that’s how long it took me to clean out the apartment, with my uncles help and three dump runs… and it still needed a good professional clean and bedbug treatment) Then, my mother went and told the building manager who had the maintenance guy toss the nest with the tiny ugly little babies in it into the dumpster. I was livid. It’s actually illegal. I would have happily caught them all and taken them home with me, also totally illegal, but no where near as awful.

 

[Kris5902]

Its a 800 mg ibuprofen most evenings for my shoulder so you have my sympathy Alex.

If you can stomach that… you might want to consider switching it up with naproxen. I can usually get away with one 220mg now, two at a time on a bad or heavy use day. It’s also just awful on the stomach but really works for me. Unless I’m doing a lot of hand nailing. Consistently. I used to have prescription strength, but a pharmacist pointed out when I was out of refills that the same OTC was actually cheaper, I just had to take the prescription dose and ignore the directions doesn’t do squat for the arthritis in the finger, aching knees, or when my back twinges… but does help a lot with the shoulder.
Tax: (I missed Thursday even pacific time so…)

 

[Kris5902]

I just realized Greg has a chicken called Stupid

Yeah, but it is a Roo. Sometimes they get stupid when all that is on their mind is...whooppie.

Much nicer than a lot of what I have been calling mine lately. So much running around yelling “Sausage” and a few have been downgraded to “dog food” if you do t smarten up you’re not even going to be sausage!!!

Related: Snow (my random Giant White chicken, I have no idea where she got her size from!) has been injured to the point I was considering sutures and May resort to that if it opens up again. Thanks to a cockerel. The other vulnerable girls (mostly meat birds and meat hybrids crosses that don’t run fast) are now keeping Trouble company and outside in the meat tractor full time. Five less chicken to walk back and forth every day, and they may become a little tribe, and once the jerks are all sausage, will be able to hopefully rejoin the main flock.

 

[RoyalChick]

If you can stomach that… you might want to consider switching it up with naproxen. I can usually get away with one 220mg now, two at a time on a bad or heavy use day. It’s also just awful on the stomach but really works for me. Unless I’m doing a lot of hand nailing. Consistently. I used to have prescription strength, but a pharmacist pointed out when I was out of refills that the same OTC was actually cheaper, I just had to take the prescription dose and ignore the directions doesn’t do squat for the arthritis in the finger, aching knees, or when my back twinges… but does help a lot with the shoulder.
Tax: (I missed Thursday even pacific time so…)
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Awwww babies drinking - I love that!

 

[ManueB]

I will tell you, chicks are not as fragile as we have came to believe or be told they are.

Thanks, that's just what I needed to hear today .

 

[BY Bob]

Then again, smoking cigarettes is detrimental to good health also, (just saying)!
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You use that photo more than I do!

I wonder where else it shows up?

 

[BY Bob]

I want to take a minute to rant. This is not directed to anyone on here but some posts and advice I've been seeing on some chicken facebook groups that are getting under my skin. I guess it could pertain to those of us who have broody hens and babies.

In the last month there has been countless posts about people asking for help because they let a hen hatch chicks and then want to know what to do. 2 things keep getting told to them over and over and each one wants to make me scream in frustration. Half of the advice given is to take the chicks from the momma and brood them themselves. The other half of the group say to separate momma and babies from the flock and not introduce them back until the chicks are 7 weeks or older so they are big enough to defend themselves.

The first option really ticks me off. If you are going to trust your hen to hatch, and let her go through all the work to do it give your hen a chance to prove she is a good mom. Even if I do not plan on keeping the chicks I never take them away from her until she is finished with them. To me that is cruel, if your not going to let her raise them, buy a incubator. Now if she hatches and starts killing the chicks, ok, remove them and never let her hatch again. But give the poor momma a chance please.

The 2nd option almost makes me as mad. Maybe keep them separate for a few days or up to a week but not 7 weeks. The mom will protect them, they will watch and learn from other flock members if given a chance. More importantly, when mom is done, most times before 7 weeks they are already fully integrated flock members.

I do not even attempt to offer this advise anymore because you will be hounded because you do not agree with them. Even if several people disagree with those options we are all evil and not protecting those delicate chicks. I will tell you, chicks are not as fragile as we have came to believe or be told they are.

Ok Rant over.

I'm reading a book on this phenomenon called "The Death of Expertise" by Tom Nichols. Our society is ignoring truth with meanness. It's not just you, it is everywhere. Humans (and chickens) are going to suffer because of it.

Societal Tax

 

[rural mouse]

New Article

Everyone! Gather around! It's story time!

Rescuing the Rescue Rangers

That's epic!

 

[BY Bob]

Happy Fluffy Butt Friday from all my girls who are no longer with us.

Emily
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Penny
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Chickie
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Bessie
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Lucy
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Charlie
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River
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Penguin
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Lottie
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Miss you ladies

Beautiful and sweet they all were.
Remind me how many years you have had chickens please.