Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ribh]

That's much like dirty or "wild" water tastes better.

Yeah, we do that too. Yesterday I caught Tuppence drinking from one of the waterlily buckets ~ & that water is filthy. Perfectly good clean water in the coop, but nope, she gotta drink the disgusting stuff.

 

[ValerieJ]

My eldest will be 10 in February. My two next eldest both died a little while ago. Ruffles was 9 and got killed by a stray Husky. Gedit got either pushed or frightened into the duck pond and went into thermal shock. I almost saved her but after 3 hours of drying and trying to keep her warm she died in my arms. She was 8.
My next eldest is 6. They go on down to a few months old.
Without predation I see no reason why many won't live to 10 or 12 years old.

I asked because I knew a lady who never fed her chickens at all. She said, "they get what they find". She does have a very large farm and her chickens live in the barn with complete free range, including fields, forest and creek. They seem to do very well, but I don't think she knows how long each one lives, as she doesn't track her individual chickens like we do here on BYC.

 

[ValerieJ]

Gedit got either pushed or frightened into the duck pond and went into thermal shock. I almost saved her but after 3 hours of drying and trying to keep her warm she died in my arms.

This is very sad indeed. So sorry.

 

[Shadrach]

I asked because I knew a lady who never fed her chickens at all. She said, "they get what they find". She does have a very large farm and her chickens live in the barn with complete free range, including fields, forest and creek. They seem to do very well, but I don't think she knows how long each one lives, as she doesn't track her individual chickens like we do here on BYC.

There are a few flocks like that where I live. I feed this lot; three times a day in the winter.
Apart from that they do pretty much what they want.

 

[Shadrach]

I hope ByBob and anyone else who may be offended will forgive me for the morbid pictures.
I read so often on BYC how wonderful and easy chicken keeping is. It seems it doesn't matter how you keep them, they die in runs, in coops and out in the open.
I certainly haven't and I think I speak for many others, you don't get used to it. All the deaths hurt.
A thing I've always liked about the Irish is the wake and how they deal with death. Many in civilized countries hide the whole business of dying away from the rest of society.
I have the dead in the house while I dig their graves. They all take something with them for the ferry man.

Gedit.

Ruffles.

 

[LozzyR]

I hope ByBob and anyone else who may be offended will forgive me for the morbid pictures.
I read so often on BYC how wonderful and easy chicken keeping is. It seems it doesn't matter how you keep them, they die in runs, in coops and out in the open.
I certainly haven't and I think I speak for many others, you don't get used to it. All the deaths hurt.
A thing I've always liked about the Irish is the wake and how they deal with death. Many in civilized countries hide the whole business of dying away from the rest of society.
I have the dead in the house while I dig there graves. They all take something with them for the ferry man.

Gedit.
View attachment 1993427
Ruffles. View attachment 1993428

Poor Gedit and Ruffles. I must admit I found some of your previous pics a bit confronting but I think you’re right; if we don’t talk about something, it stays taboo. If we talk about death and see pictures (within context) it normalises it.

 

[MaryJanet]

Daisy, the greatest hen ever, was also a messy eater. Maybe it's a leghorn thing?

Her legs look very long! She's part giraffe, surely.

Janet is a messy eater too.

 

[MaryJanet]

They looked a lot worse when they first got here. I filed a bit every other day for a couple of months to try to put a curve back to the beak so they could groom
It's the grooming that is the problem rather than the eating. Both tended to get lice on their bums. Lovely Harold, Tribe 2's senior rooster would pick off as many as he could for them. I knew when they needed doing because Harold would be following them round in circles with his head in their bums.

You've explained Sandy's appearance. Thanks! I've been puzzled by it for ages.

 

[MaryJanet]

I hope ByBob and anyone else who may be offended will forgive me for the morbid pictures.
I read so often on BYC how wonderful and easy chicken keeping is. It seems it doesn't matter how you keep them, they die in runs, in coops and out in the open.
I certainly haven't and I think I speak for many others, you don't get used to it. All the deaths hurt.
A thing I've always liked about the Irish is the wake and how they deal with death. Many in civilized countries hide the whole business of dying away from the rest of society.
I have the dead in the house while I dig their graves. They all take something with them for the ferry man.

Gedit.
View attachment 1993427
Ruffles. View attachment 1993428

I provide dignified burials too. I like to demonstrate my appreciation of a fellow traveller. It feels like I'm nourishing my character at the same time.

 

[MaryJanet]

Poor Gedit and Ruffles. I must admit I found some of your previous pics a bit confronting but I think you’re right; if we don’t talk about something, it stays taboo. If we talk about death and see pictures (within context) it normalises it.

Everything which is born dies. Living with love, courage and respectfulness in the meantime is what counts my old dad wasn't afraid when his turn came. He showed such a lot of quiet dignity and courage during his palliative care. I hope I can live up to his example when my turn comes.