Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

That's a great article, thanks for sharing it @LozzyR

 

[BY Bob]

Bob do you get cicadas where you live? Thought I could hear them in the background.

We do and you probably did.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Bob do you get cicadas where you live? Thought I could hear them in the background.

Oh boy, do we get em... there are so many the sound is deafening ... I don’t like em ... you can never have a peaceful summer evening....

 

[BY Bob]

Did anyone see the article about common mistakes that got emailed?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ultry-keepers-make-and-how-to-fix-them.67667/

One the dot points under ‘sick chickens’ is decrease in egg production. How can you tell if they’re sick or just having a break due to moulting/wintertime/summertime? I still feel bad that I noticed that Penny hadn’t laid in over a week, but it was summer and apparently heat stress can make them back off. She was an Isa Brown, so I also thought it might have been that she retired (she was two). She also hid that she was sick very well, the only thing that was different was the eggs. How long is too long when they stop laying? I’m sure Lucy’s gone a week in the winter. Both her and Chickie’s eggs are very fragile now, despite getting calcium-rich breakfast each morning. We now lose a few of them if Charlie sits on them, she’s so heavy. They don’t really like the shell grit; most of it ends up in the bottom of the feeder.

Eggs are not a reliable measure of health as they get older but by older I estimate about 5 years old. Until then they should be fairly regular. Not necessarily every day mind you but regular for them. Now Lilly and Patsy would take the whole winter off while Daisy (greatest hen ever) never took a day off until she was ill. It was the first sign something was wrong.

The important thing is to know your flock and observe is anything seems off. One day this summer I noticed Maleficent was off. Not her usual feisty self. That led me to pay more attention. Then I saw her poo wasn't normal. That led too poo testing. That led to treatment. Her egg laying never changed.

Since I have gotten 0 eggs for 2 days the whole flock is under observation right now. Lilly who is molting may be done until spring. That is"normal" for her. The others, not so much. Of course I don't know Mal and Aurora's winter normal yet. So I am not being aggressive, just observing.

Learn your flock and use changes as a warning sign. They hide sick really well. You can't beat yourself up if you miss something. It is what they do.

 

[Ribh]

I agree knowing your flock is key. And things can still get past you ~ or stuff happens. It's true in other areas of life too. You can't prevent everything but there's sensible stuff you can do. Clean averts a lot of trouble.

 

[BY Bob]

Besties Again!

Maleficent has decided that we are close friends again. It started on Sunday. She flew up on the arm of my chair and preened and sat. We had a good 10 minutes together before she hopped down.

This morning was even better. Everyone should know that I put a roost in the run this year. What you don't know is that I put it at a height that makes a hen be eye to eye with me. Because I was leaving town for work today I could not let them free range so I joined them in the run. Mal jumped up on the roost and spent almost 40 minutes with me. At times her beak and my nose were centimeters apart. She even cleaned my hair for me!

It is GREAT to have my bestie back!

 

[Ribh]

Besties Again!

Maleficent has decided that we are close friends again. It started on Sunday. She flew up on the arm of my chair and preened and sat. We had a good 10 minutes together before she hopped down.
View attachment 1934667

This morning was even better. Everyone should know that I put a roost in the run this year. What you don't know is that I put it at a height that makes a hen be eye to eye with me. Because I was leaving town for work today I could not let them free range so I joined them in the run. Mal jumped up on the roost and spent almost 40 minutes with me. At times her beak and my nose were centimeters apart. She even cleaned my hair for me!
View attachment 1934670
View attachment 1934671

It is GREAT to have my bestie back!

That is sooo cool!

 

[MaryJanet]

Yay for besties that photo of the two of you at the roost is wonderful!

 

[BY Bob]

Yay for besties that photo of the two of you at the roost is wonderful!

She leaned in to make the photo easier! She is definately closing in on Daisy for greatest hen ever!

 

[MaryJanet]

So that makes her the greatest living hen, right?