Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

And some are just cruel. No need for that. I can't do those either.

I agree.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

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.

If one is not laying it preys on my mind too. Deana (now 4 years) was laying thin shelled wrinkly eggs for a long while too. I've been encouraging her to drink from the water bottle with calcium supplement in it and there is always shell grit available and her eggs are less wrinkly now and a little thicker shelled. She tends to prefer foraging to eating layer pellets though, so I continue to worry

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

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.
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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!
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It is GREAT to have my bestie back!

You two are so cute together Bob!

Thank you @Ribh . I was with her at the end. Just like Patsy. I know you understand. Some wounds take a long time. She was so young. Not even 3. I think I may do a full series on here so everyone can revel in her amazingness.

I would love to read Daisy (best chicken ever) stories and learn how she earned her title!

 

[drumstick diva]

when we get the 16 or 17 year cicadas can't remember which they are, the noise is deafening even at night. They say an hour of exposure to that racket can cause permanent hearing loss. I hate them.

The yearly cicadas we get are much fewer just an irritating buzz during the day and rarely see any.

Next batch we get will be less for sure, the enormous tree they used to burrow into was dying- probably thanks to them and removed. Hopefully it took a bunch of cicada larvae with it.

 

[LozzyR]

Me too.

I'm upset with myself. I was trying to let everyone know how lucky I was to have Maleficent choose to spend time with me and I turned it into this. I really have a hard time with Daisy's (greatest hen ever) loss. @Ribh is right. It is still raw. I think celebrating her life might be a good way to heal. I am definately going to do that. I'm sorry everyone for bringing the thread down.

It’s ok, it’s your thread and you’re a great chook-dad. I still miss my girls that I have lost.

 

[LozzyR]

Oh, I hear ya... I saw a thread yesterday where someone posted a video of a bobcat killing every hen in the coop while they roosted... I. Did. Not. watch!!! Just the screen pic and others people’s comments almost made me sick to my stomach ... I recommend not going over to the predator thread... it’s very depressing...

Can I ask... why would someone post that?! I stumbled across a YouTube video of a crocodile purportedly killing a dog... I don’t know for sure as I absolutely did not watch it. Can I also ask why BYC would allow such a video?

 

[LozzyR]

If one is not laying it preys on my mind too. Deana (now 4 years) was laying thin shelled wrinkly eggs for a long while too. I've been encouraging her to drink from the water bottle with calcium supplement in it and there is always shell grit available and her eggs are less wrinkly now and a little thicker shelled. She tends to prefer foraging to eating layer pellets though, so I continue to worry

Lucy’s shells are super-thin, so they all get a rotating breakfast of sardines in oil, oats in yoghurt and porridge made with milk. I haven’t tried a calcium supplement in the water, they sometimes balk at wormer solution in their water but I might have to give it a go.

 

[Ribh]

Can I ask... why would someone post that?! I stumbled across a YouTube video of a crocodile purportedly killing a dog... I don’t know for sure as I absolutely did not watch it. Can I also ask why BYC would allow such a video?

It was in the predator section if I remember correctly. Things like this go up for educational purposes. Demonstrating a game cam can help identify a predator [useful so you know what sort of a trap you need & how they are accessing the coop.] Some people don't get how clever wild animals are when a free meal is on offer. There should probably be a *Watch With Caution* tag applied to some of these. I know some younger members in-advisedly watched some yob drown a bobcat & were pretty upset.

 

[LozzyR]

It was in the predator section if I remember correctly. Things like this go up for educational purposes. Demonstrating a game cam can help identify a predator [useful so you know what sort of a trap you need & how they are accessing the coop.] Some people don't get how clever wild animals are when a free meal is on offer. There should probably be a *Watch With Caution* tag applied to some of these. I know some younger members in-advisedly watched some yob drown a bobcat & were pretty upset.

Ok, that would make sense. I don’t think I could watch them though. I’m thinking I need to reinforce my run though, even though there are no foxes in the immediate area.

 

[BY Bob]

when we get the 16 or 17 year cicadas can't remember which they are, the noise is deafening even at night. They say an hour of exposure to that racket can cause permanent hearing loss. I hate them.

The yearly cicadas we get are much fewer just an irritating buzz during the day and rarely see any.

Next batch we get will be less for sure, the enormous tree they used to burrow into was dying- probably thanks to them and removed. Hopefully it took a bunch of cicada larvae with it.

I'm pretty sure its 17 years. When we had our last 17 year outbreak it wasn't that bad. I think it was because we tore up the yard and such in the interim but I'm not sure.

Daisy, greatest hen ever, got a hold of one once. Got it by the head and killed it but somehow its legs got a hold on her head. She couldn't finish eating the body as it was stuck on her face. The other girls wanted to help her but she did not wish to share. So she started running backwards! I was laughing so hard I could not think to film it. She did eventually get it off and eat it without sharing.